Hi folks,

I'm heading home in a few weeks to do the disc brake conversion on my 68 Dart. I have my sights on a 73 Valiant donor (with power disc brakes) that has been sitting in the junkyard (in VT) for probably 5 years.

Question: Should I just assume that the calipers are probably stuck after all this time and order new ones (while I'm ordering my new lines, etc), or is there a "reasonable" chance that they will be OK as is?

My guess is that they are spent... but I'm wondering what other peoples' experiences have been.

Thanks - Mac

I have a few sets of these laying around and generally if Brakes are in question it's best to replace them rather than have one fail out and you have an accident. I would just rebuild the whole set up so it's all in good order, mostly the calipers either stick...or the seal goes bad and they leak...In everycase old brake hoses can get brittle and need replacement.
Since you will be using the late style suspension parts might as well get new ball joints so you don't have to redo that too.

-D.Idiot

after sitting for 5 years, i would definitely replace/rebuild the calipers. rebuilding is much cheaper and extremely easy. air pressure in the hose port will pop the piston out if its not stuck hard. if it is, hook up something hydraulic and it will definitly come out. clean out the piston bore and the piston. make sure the seal channel is clean and smooth, put a new seal and dust boot on, and put it back together. just make sure to lube the seal with brake fluid while reassembling. the piston should go in with hand pressure. if it doesn't, you're crooked or somethings wrong.

or if you don't want to deal with it, just rebuilt ones. good luck with everything.

zedpapa

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1970 dodge dart w/225 /6 bored .040" over, holley 390cfm w/vac. sec., compcams 252s, clifford shorty headers w/2.5" exhaust w/flowmaster, f-body 11" front discs, aluminum A-833OD, 8 1/4 w/3.21 SG
soon to have 5 gears!!!

Like zedpapa said, "Air pressure in the hose port will pop the piston out", but be very careful and keep fingers out of the way. Once it does pop out, the piston can take a finger off. To keep it from slamming against the caliper, I slipped a paperback book between as a cushion.

Jerry

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There's a difference between ignorance and stupidity.
Ignorance is not knowing any better.
Stupidity is knowing, yet doing it anyway.

Check the spindles and make sure someone did not run the bearings dry until they froze, and score the spindlel. If the are deeply scored , you will have a hard time getting bearings to seat properly on them. It is normal to have a light turning grove all the way up the spindel. But if they bearing overheats and siezes, it will leave a big deep gouge in the spindle. Those spindels are actually the most valuable part of the old stuff. You can replace pretty much everything else. The adapters and the upper control arms are the nest most valuable parts, although they can be had as aftermarket parts now. I agree with the sentiment that it is best to simply rebuild, or get rebuilt calipers. Check to see if the adapters are deeply grooved as well. These can be repaired if they are, and probably should be. They wear where the brake pad metal rides against the support prong. This can cause them to hang up and drag when you release the brake. If they are worn, get back to us and we can tell you how to fix them. I don't want to sound to discouraging here, but it is best to get it done right so you don't have continual trouble down the road. Good luck. It is not too hard a job.

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