factory disc brakes, any good?

[GThawkwind]

I'm keeping an eye out for stuff to stash away for the 53 and spotted a pair of good factory disc brakes for 100 bucks on the swap page. Do they sell caliper rebuild kits for these? Are they really expensive to maintain? I know alot of people with factory disc kits switch to a turner, which makes me wonder are they any good? Or were mostly a cool factory stunt? There is something cool about using factory disc brakes in a hot rod build, but if I'd just be better of with finned drums or saving up for a turner kit, then thats what I'll do. While I'm at does anyone have some cheaper or better than the ones mentioned. Mostly just wanted to know what the best bang for not alot of buck.

[rockinhawk]

I have them on the GT and 81 Avanti II. I like them and they work fine. But if I was gonna go to the trouble to change anything over, I would use the Turner system for the modern parts availability.

[Dick Steinkamp]

My opinion is that Stude (Bendix/Dunlop) disc brakes work fine and probably stop as well as more modern disc brakes. I have them on all 4 wheels of my Daimler (stock) and the car stops with a new one.

In terms of cost effectiveness...not so much. Once you buy all 4 new caliper pistons, pads, and cross over pipes you would have probably paid for a Turner conversion. Then you need the correct master cylinder and booster and the correct Bendix 11" non self energizing rear brakes.

Your least expensive option is probably to find a good set of 54 and up drums. Then add new MC and wheel cylinders, new shoes, new flex hoses and hard lines.

I advise you NOT to mix and match brake parts or "invent" your own system. Use a complete stock system OR if you go with a Turner system, buy EVERYTHING Jim recommends.

[sweetolbob]

If you rebuild the system and it serves you well than you are ahead. SI has the rebuild kits for $26/pr and brake pads for $26/set. So the initial cost is not bad. The problem comes if you need to replace the rotors $197/ea and calipers $90/ea, so you can judge.

The Turner kit costs $679 for the deluxe setup ready to go. IIRC that is the complete install setup including bearings, hoses, adapters, loaded pads/calipers and rotors.

You "MIGHT" be able to cut that back by $50 or so with judicious shopping.

You'll probably have $150-200 or so on top of the $100 cost for the setup on the swap page as you'll want to add the rebuild kit, pads, hoses and bearings.

Only you can judge how the cost will effect the decision but there is no guarantee that the used rotors are usable or the calipers are rebuildable.

I personally would go Turner for the long term ease of finding parts and the newer technology but the Stude system stops cars so the final decision is up to you.

I'm with Dick S. on the mix and match, go one way or the other completely.

Either will work, Bob

[Gunslinger]

One also has to look at the brake system in terms of the times it was developed and its design roots.

Against contemporary cars, the Dunlop/Bendix disc brakes are excellent. Against modern cars...the design is still good but it needs to be in top shape to stop with modern cars.

Looking at the design history, when Studebaker tasked Bendix with supplying a completely engineered and in production disc brake system, they also wanted it ready to go in a matter of only a few months. Bendix licensed the system from Dunlop who had been using it for several years on Jaguars and maybe a few other cars.

While an effective system, it was designed for cars much lighter than Avantis, Larks and Hawks. It's more or less at the upper limits of its capabilities on our cars...but it's still effective and better than other American made cars of its era.

As already said, it's not cost effective today unless you get all the parts very, very inexpensively. Once you get into it and find you need more and more parts, the Turner kit makes so much more sense.

[plwindish]

If you have not inherited the Dunlop system on any of your vehicles, I would buy the Turner set-up. As mentioned above the rotors and calipers are not cheap. I would rather put the money into newer, more readily available parts.

[Packard8]

Not sure if compatible, however many Jag XK150/XKE owners have replaced the Dunlop calipers with ones off of Volvos, as they are inexpensive and plentiful used or rebuilt.

http://jag2jag.com/group/xkworkshopgroup/forum/topics/brakes?commentId=4513697%3AComment%3A40907&groupId=4513697%3AGroup%3A12773

Might be worth looking into?

[warrlaw1]

I'm switching to a Turner kit from my front drums just because they use modern parts (that will eventually wear out). Supposed to be a simple bolt in job that my garage next door can probably accomplish. They screwed up the adjustment on my master cylinder and my brakes dragged for a summer, but I'll give 'em another chance with the Turner kit. An under the floor MC confuses people not born more than 50 years ago, but now that they have learned that lesson at my expense, we'll see what happens. Good luck.

[R_David]

If I was going to turn my Hawk into a daily driver I would probably do the turner conversion for the reasons listed above. But since I only put 1000-2000 miles a year on the old girl, I just don't worry about it. It really depends on what your end goal is for the car.

[SN-60]

Original Studebaker Bendix-Dunlop disc brakes....high maintenance and problematic in everyday use....really only practical on a Stude show car that has had them from new. Go with something like a Turner system, or just maintain the original drum brakes, which are actually pretty darn good!

[Starlight]

Hot rods and brakes also has an excellent kit for front disk setup, cheaper then Turner too......Keep on Studebakering

[bezhawk]

Original Studebaker Bendix-Dunlop disc brakes....high maintenance and problematic in everyday use....really only practical on a Stude show car that has had them from new. Go with something like a Turner system, or just maintain the original drum brakes, which are actually pretty darn good!

They would work great in a pickup filled with Packard engines, and ultramatics!

[StudeDave57]

Original Studebaker Bendix-Dunlop disc brakes....high maintenance and problematic in everyday use....
really only practical on a Stude show car that has had them from new.

I have something like 220,000 miles on my '65 Cruiser so equipped.
Over 20 years of daily use I never noticed that my disc brakes were high maintenance or problematic.
Could you please explain what on Earth you are talking about?

I also towed a trailer up and down the West Coast a few times, as well as Coast to Coast twice,
but that's a completely different topic.




StudeDave '57

[SN-60]

They would work great in a pickup filled with Packard engines, and ultramatics!

Yes!............right over a cliff!!!!!!

[SN-60]

I have something like 220,000 miles on my '65 Cruiser so equipped.
Over 20 years of daily use I never noticed that my disc brakes were high maintenance or problematic.
Could you please explain what on Earth you are talking about?

I also towed a trailer up and down the West Coast a few times, as well as Coast to Coast twice,
but that's a completely different topic.




StudeDave '57

Okay, okay, Dave You're RIGHT!......And I haven't the SLIGHTEST IDEA why the auto industry upgraded to ventilated rotors, sliding calipers, and large 'kidney shaped' disc brake pads. NO idea whatsoever!!