4" to 4.5" pcd swap on an A body

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Oct 27, 06 8:23 pm

Hi, the duster has drum breaks all round, my question is this and i am sure its been covered befor.Is there a way to get a 4.5 pcd on the front with out going to disks or spending loads ????????????????????????????????? MITCH

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Mon Oct 30, 06 3:12 pm

There are many options. Will was recently advertising a kit for about £350 which is the cheapest i've seen. I intend to follow it up. He also has Viper kits available. Note that you will have to replacew the master cylinder as well My dart is in the same set up as yours and i intend to upgrade this winter.

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Mon Oct 30, 06 5:19 pm

If you've got a friendly local machine shop then the hubs and drums can usually be redrilled to the larger 4.5 PCD with 1/2" capscrews for wheel studs. I have done it before but if you can afford it, a disc conversion is the better option, big stud pattern and better brakes in one hit.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Nov 02, 06 8:37 am

You will see just the caliper mounting brackets for around the $120/$130 price.

Then factor in 11 3/4" rotors which are rotor and hub, bearings, seals, calipers, brake lines etc, this is why our Buick caliper kit is £358.

The Viper kit is a different ball game, anyone with a 73 through 76 A body on drums won't need to change the knuckle.

Uses the same rotors, bearings and seals BUT Viper calipers are hard to find and are expensive, this is why the kit is more ££ also those damn knuckles are not easy to dig up.

Once you have the kit everything is available, the calipers are rebuildable with parts from Mopar, bearings are easy to get, rotors are no problem either, this doesn't hold true with original equipment disc setups, for instance B body 4 piston calipers are a waste of time even trying to find, it's getting the same with the single piston deal, the original discs are not much easier to get either.

Stock drum M/C will be fine with both kits, just need an adjustable proportioning valve is all

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Thu Nov 02, 06 10:34 am

will, does the Buick kit bolt onto te A body drum spindles, and is it a variant of the Scarebird kit. If it is a bolt on i'll be looking at a kit straight after xmas, just need to firm up on price/fitment. Are you sure about the M/C? I thought calipers required more fluid and the other after market kits usually change the M/C. Happy not too of course!

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Nov 02, 06 11:33 am

Miles
I'm looking at 2 different kits for A bodies, one is scarebird, trying to figure out which is the easiest

The first one I looked at seems to be difficult and probably not worth it, i'm now going to look at the scarebird kit and it does at first glance look a lot better/easier, although it's not as simple as the B body one,

Scarebird do say to use a disc master cylinder, the first kit I checked out said the drum one would be fine.

For B Body they don't say whether it needs to be changed, whichever company comes out better, we've been offered dealer status by both, so tech is easier

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Thu Nov 02, 06 2:07 pm

Thanks Will. Maybe, when you have the full spec on all the options you could put a document on the traders page which could be useful including pricing and application differences. For instance, i can't remember whether the Viper kit needs a disc type M/C.

Mick · Post by **Mick** » Thu Nov 02, 06 9:06 pm

I've had the drums drilled when i fitted moser half shafts on the rear, Blue's idea is a good cheap alternative to new brakes.
Mick