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68 454 EFI
03-25-2010, 04:22 PM
Hey,

New to this site, just looking for some friendly advice. I have a 68 Camaro that is currently 4 wheel drum. I'm looking to atleast upgrade the front braking system to disc. I have heard that running 4 wheel disc brakes is a bad idea when the car sits for more than 6 months at a time as the rear calipers have a tendancy to seize? Also, i would like to get rid of the brake booster for esthetic reason's but i'm not sure if manual brakes are going to be good enough. The car has a fuel injected 454 which makes very little vaccume at idle. Seems like gettting rid of the power brakes and going with a decent manual set up is the best option. Any comments or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

6spdcamaro
03-25-2010, 04:30 PM
hydroboost runs off of the power steering pump so you don't need a lot of vacuum. It also looks nicer than a vacuum booster. They are on the top left of the screen. Hydratech braking systems :thumbsup:

GregWeld
03-25-2010, 04:31 PM
Manual brakes work GREAT -- and there's no good reason to run power brakes. The key to good manual brakes is the proper master cylinder for your combination - and the pedal ratio. If I was doing disc front drum rear - I'd run a 1" wilwood master cylinder - and a 6 or 7:1 pedal ratio.

Power brakes are 4:1 pedal ratio.

Talk to the boys at KORE3 - Just google it... and see what they advise you.

68 454 EFI
03-26-2010, 05:40 PM
Thanks for the advise, I think i'm definitely going to go with the manual set up. Just gotta find the best deal, on the best set up. Thanks again guys.

JustinB
03-26-2010, 06:31 PM
BBC with very little vacuum and running a manual Wilwood front/rear setup with a 7/8 bore master. Hit the pedal hard and if you are not paying attention and you will bury yourself into the steering wheel. We have a number of kits that we can offer you. Feel free to call, PM, or email for pricing and info.


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/jbutler45/IMG_1329.jpg

ProdigyCustoms
03-26-2010, 07:55 PM
How well the manual brakes work depends a lot on how the system was designed. If you use a system that was designed as a power assist system, there is a delicate line in getting the volume / pressure right. A system like Wilwood will work great as a manual system because it is designed to be a manual system, but you can run power assist if you choose.

We sell more then half our Wilwood Total Car G Machine Brake packages as manual systems as many of our cars and customers cars are big HP, big cam, or blown turbo / blower cars, that make little vacuum.

It gets a little tricky with getting proper pedal feel and volume with disc / drums. The small bore / high pressure master does not work great with disc / drum set ups. A larger bore works much better for volume but makes for a fairly firm pedal. So it really becomes a one or the other situation.

I could talk for hours on the subject. But I type with 2 fingers, LOL!

Taman
04-22-2010, 07:19 PM
How do you change the pedal ratio on a 2nd gen TA?

The WidowMaker
04-22-2010, 10:28 PM
its all about where the hole is located on the pedal. if you move your foot 6" and the pushrod moves 1" you have a 6:1. its just the ratio from the pivot point of the pedal to the mounting point of the pushrod and from the pivot point of the pedal to the foot pad on the pedal.

Vegas69
04-22-2010, 11:13 PM
its all about where the hole is located on the pedal. if you move your foot 6" and the pushrod moves 1" you have a 6:1. its just the ratio from the pivot point of the pedal to the mounting point of the pushrod and from the pivot point of the pedal to the foot pad on the pedal.

It's the length of the pedal arm and distance from the pivot point to the pushrod. If the distance from the pivot point to the pushrod hole gets to short, you sacrifice piston stroke.

I'm switching to a 1" bore master in my manual system. 7/8 is great in a street car but it's got it's drawback on the track.
I diagree Greg. There are advantages of power systems. It covers up brake pad knockback with a much larger piston. It's also better in a daily driver. How many factory cars have manual brakes?

GregWeld
04-22-2010, 11:23 PM
There is a "newb" for brakes posting on here - in the brake section - that will show you "pedal ratio" and what it means etc. You'll have to search for the post -- if you don't want to do that - then just google "brake pedal ratio" and you should find all kinds of info.

Todd -- Power brakes are for pussies...

Covering up something is not the same as FIXING it. :rofl:

GregWeld
04-22-2010, 11:29 PM
BBC with very little vacuum and running a manual Wilwood front/rear setup with a 7/8 bore master. Hit the pedal hard and if you are not paying attention and you will bury yourself into the steering wheel. We have a number of kits that we can offer you. Feel free to call, PM, or email for pricing and info.


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y8/jbutler45/IMG_1329.jpg

I'd second that thought -- My 7/8" Wilwood manual master / Baer brake (disc all 4)... will throw you right thru the window if you want them to ---- and for driving around town - they require very little effort. :cheers:

Vegas69
04-22-2010, 11:31 PM
I like manual brakes on the race track but they have their drawbacks. More pedal travel, more pedal pressure, more susceptable to knock back. If I was going to build a real touring car, it would have power or hydraboost. End of story. Maybe I'm just really bitter but I've never been thrilled anywhere but the Road Course.

GregWeld
04-22-2010, 11:35 PM
its all about where the hole is located on the pedal. if you move your foot 6" and the pushrod moves 1" you have a 6:1. its just the ratio from the pivot point of the pedal to the mounting point of the pushrod and from the pivot point of the pedal to the foot pad on the pedal.


Not sure where you got that info -- but it's pure crappola....:rofl:

If you can move your brake pedal 6" -- you'd have your foot on the FLOORBOARD....

GregWeld
04-22-2010, 11:46 PM
Todd --

I know a good mechanic if you need one...


:rofl: :rofl:

Taman
04-23-2010, 01:11 PM
I understand what pedal ratio is. How is it adjustable? Does one need to drill another hole or is it already there? I agree about the power brakes. Automatics are the same unless your car never came with one.

ccracin
04-23-2010, 02:14 PM
Not sure where you got that info -- but it's pure crappola....:rofl:

If you can move your brake pedal 6" -- you'd have your foot on the FLOORBOARD....

Floorboard, Hell if mine moves that far my shoe is melting on the header! :lol:

GregWeld
04-23-2010, 04:34 PM
I understand what pedal ratio is. How is it adjustable? Does one need to drill another hole or is it already there? I agree about the power brakes. Automatics are the same unless your car never came with one.

Yes - you may have to drill another hole...