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Opinions on brakes for my 14 bolt

benchseat4speed

benchseat4speed

3 pedals forever
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I pulled the drums off my junkyard 14 bolt today to see what the brakes looked like, to see if they were useable. They're not, both drums are scored real deep on both sides. I think turning is out of the question.

So I made a call to napa, and new drums (11") are $117 each plus new shoes and hub seals. I remember seeing a 14BFF disc kit on E-bay for $299 without an e-brake. I'd like to keep my drums to have an e-brake, but I don't want to wipe out new drums with sand and water. I'd like to have discs in back for good stopping power and self drying/cleaning, but no e-brake might suck.

Both options have one big pro and one big con. I'll say my budget is $300 either way. What do you think? Thanks, Kevin
 
I would do a disc swap. Rotors are $50.00 each, disc brackets you can get for $50.00 and the calipers are what will cost the most if you want to retain an e-brake. Not sure on caliper pricing but somewhere around $75.00 each with a core
 
Caddy Eldorado rear calipers for Parking Brake. Year 78-79? Look in the vendors forum for disc brake adaptors. One of them will certainly have the info you need. I'm sure you can get 'em for less than $300. Probably could go with slotted discs and still be under $300;)
 
Quick check with JC Whitney shows 78 rear Caddy Eldos at $113ea for rebuilt:rolleyes: Looks like junkyard would be best bet.
 
If you are interested in finding those Caddy Calipers I can have my local wrecking yard buddy check for you. Let me know and I can do it on Tuesday if you want the help. PM me today or tomorrow.
 
depending on your transfer case you can get an e-brake that is mounted on there. I bought plans for the brackets on e-bay for $8 plus shipping. I made several sets of brackets at once if you need a set. I run dana 44 calipers without a parking brake. I'm offorad only though.
 
don't even bother with the caddy calipers. tried 'em and they sucked.
either keep your drums or go with some 10b/d44 calipers and a driveline brake.
 
I am almost done with the disc swap and used 79-85 caddy calipers with e-brake. They're hard to find new, but wrecking yards have them pretty cheap.

I like the TSM kit, it was really well made.
 
The older ones fit larger discs I believe. The disc in the rear of cars are usually smaller since they don't do as much work.
 
gmc4cw said:
depending on your transfer case you can get an e-brake that is mounted on there. I bought plans for the brackets on e-bay for $8 plus shipping. I made several sets of brackets at once if you need a set. I run dana 44 calipers without a parking brake. I'm offorad only though.
Click to expand...

I'd be very interested in going that route, but I'll have to do some searches on it unless one of you wants to learn me all about that style e-brake. I know nothing about them as of right now. I'm using a fixed yoke 205 in my truck. Thanks, Kevin
 
Here's what HAD has to offer. http://www.highangledriveline.com/e_brake.html

I'm in about the same boat myself right now. I'm building the 14bff for my Suburban and want disc brakes but really don't want to lose the emergency/parking brake. I haven't heard good things about the Caddy calipers and I have a 241 (for now) with the slip yoke so I can't use the driveline brake without some other good-sized mods.

I really haven't done any searches here or anywhere else for the driveline brake so I can't help much. Good luck with it.

Jason
 
GMCJason said:
I'm in about the same boat myself right now. I'm building the 14bff for my Suburban and want disc brakes but really don't want to lose the emergency/parking brake. I haven't heard good things about the Caddy calipers and I have a 241 (for now) with the slip yoke so I can't use the driveline brake without some other good-sized mods.

I really haven't done any searches here or anywhere else for the driveline brake so I can't help much. Good luck with it.

Jason
Click to expand...

Ditto. I checked that link out (thanks), and that route sounds very appealing right now. Though it will prolly be 4-5 bills when all done, I would imagine it'll pay for itself the first time I need it. But for right now, it's just one more thing that reuires $400 to make my project functional. I'm sick of throwing money at this truck, at least for a while. Thanks, Kevin
 
If you don't mind me cutting in... just do the disc conversion, (i rec sky's $95 for the brackets. ) i love mine) and do the e-break later when you have more $$, i ve been running no- e break for almost two years now with great luck. in the prosess of the 205 w/ drive e-break. i was in your same boat with the $$$. But you should do the disc swap, you'll thnak yourself later.

T
 
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