Brakes: Disk Brake conversion kits

[Mrkelly]

Well it looks like there's two disk conversion kits out there for my 1963 Cruiser, the Turner kit and a kit from Hotrods & Brakes. I am looking for some reviews from people that have installed one of these kits on their vehicle. Please no product bashing just facts as too ease of install, quality of parts, instructions etc. Thanks for your help with this decision.

[r1lark]

Installed a Turner kit on my Champ pickup. Very well made. I will tell you this however -- along with the kit comes the knowledge that Jim Turner has regarding disc brakes and master cylinders specifically on our Studebakers. There is a lot of value in that! If you have issues with the kit, or need recommendations for a master cylinder, or help with residual pressure valves, etc, Jim will be there and will answer your questions.

[Mrkelly]

Thanks that is one of the things I have heard about the Turner Kit. I hope I can get someone to chime in about the Hotrods & Brakes kit.

[JoeHall]

They are one in the same, in regards to install, initial setup and operation. Neither are any different from OEM disc brakes of the 70s-80s. If you find an inferior component, i.e. lines, just replace that component with a quality one. But I doubt you will find an inferior component in Turner's. Not sure about the other guy, but have not heard any comlaints. Either of those systems require a bit of extra pedal pressure, without a vacuum booster.

[Mike Van Veghten]

I know three people that have the Hot Rods and Brakes kit. All very happy including myself.
Simple as it goes. Solid, work just fine and don't weigh 20lbs (roughly) each as another kit does. While not a "bad" kit, it's extremely over designed, and the scale shows it. Plus it's two parts rather than one (?).
They both perform equally well as far as the stopping part goes, but...
I've a kit similar to the Hot Rods and Brakes kit, been on my Lark for well over 12 years, it's my daily driver not a single problem.

Both kits use the same basic surrounding parts, all available at most any auto shop.

Mike

P.s. - The installation is NOT one and the same... The Hot Rods and Brakes caliper bracket is a single piece of material, the other kit is two pieces...two more fasteners to install torque and hope they don't come loose.

[jclary]

,,,Either of those systems require a bit of extra pedal pressure, without a vacuum booster.

I have zero experience converting drum brakes to discs. But, I have given it some thought, and might sometime in the future. I have always assumed that discs were superior, safer, more dependable, and provided better performance in every way...including effort to apply them. Thinking about it, however, has made me realize that I have never owned a disc brake vehicle, without power brakes. Either combination of four wheel discs, or front discs/drum rear factory combinations on my earliest vehicles. That means, any vehicle I've ever had with discs was also a power brake system.

Therefore, the natural question to Joe's comment above, is Why? Is it because of the mathematical engineering fulcrum/lever ratio of the original manual brake pedal for manual drums? Or, is it due to using a drum master-cylinder, and the hydraulic pressure ratio of the larger diameter disc wheel cylinders cause the increased effort? I'm just trying to grasp an understanding of why a manual disc system would require more pedal effort. Honestly, I thought the opposite would happen.

[r1lark]

I have never owned a disc brake vehicle, without power brakes

John, I've had several back in the '70s. I actually prefer a disc brake system without a power booster. I like the feel better. I for one would not have a concern about a properly chosen system (ie. wheel cylinder size, master cylinder size, etc) without a booster.

[Mrkelly]

I have had people tell the kits are pretty much the same, yet on kit is $659.00 and the other is $525.00. What am I missing here? What would constitute a $134.00 difference in price?

[53 Commander]

What kind of wheels did you use on your Champ with the Turner kit?

[Ron Dame]

I kept the stock wheels with mu Turner kit. It required longer studs (Jim put them in) and 1/4" spacers for the clearance. And due to the size of the disks, there is no need for a booster. And that's with the inferior hanging pedals on a '63/'64.

What kind of wheels did you use on your Champ with the Turner kit?

[r1lark]

I used Chevy van wheels, and adapted the Champ hub caps to them. See my blog entry for details: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...-Champ-Hubcaps

[sweetolbob]

I have had people tell the kits are pretty much the same, yet on kit is $659.00 and the other is $525.00. What am I missing here? What would constitute a $134.00 difference in price?

Brackets are a lot more robust in the turner kit and Jim uses newer model calipers. Whether that's worth the difference is up to you. I purchased the bracket kit from Jim and sourced my own calipers, rotors etc. Probably came out about the $500 or so mark. Jim provides a list of parts on his site so see what you can do locally or Rock Auto etc.

I ran into an issue and Jim straightened it out in one email. Your money, your choice

Bob

[karterfred88]

I personally can't vouch for either. My knowledge is limited to the forum postings regarding Jim's products and speaking to him at two meets. I haven't met a Hot Rods And Brakes representative at any meets, seen their product, nor have I heard anything about them till this thread. Looking only at the websites, I do note a price differential. However since only one tells you what you are buying, the other "instructions included with a list of parts needed to complete" I have no idea how to compare. I think they may be better known in Hot Rod circles than by us on this forum. As the old saying goes, your time, your money, your results may vary.

[Mrkelly]

Thanks for all the input, I'll study this a little more before I purchase.

[Mike Van Veghten]

IF...you do your homework and use the correct piston size in the master cylinder, NO booster is required.
Normally a Stude setup can get away with about a 1.00" piston, and require only two toes pressure to complete a "normal" stop.

Mike