El Dorado Rear Disc Q?

[special-K]

I found a junk El Dorado and am wondering if it`s a good brake donor?If so,what parts get used and what`s involved with hooking up the e-brake?The car is an early-mid`70s,like a`74.The really big ones.There were some Lincolns,but none w/disc rears.The El Dorado brakes looked in good shape.

[mikemileski]

I think the years that use the calipers with integral emergency brakes are 1976 - 1978.

Mike Mileski
Tucson, AZ

[powell72]

I think one of the biggest issues with these is they require constant e-brake use to keep the calipers adjusted.

[special-K]

So Chris,you`re saying the e-brake has to be used pretty much habitually?This truck will be a manual,so I tend to use the e-brake regularily with that.
This car could be newer.But,I wash thinking`75 was the last of the large cars,IIRC.Maybe the Eldys ran a bit longer.This is a Boss Hog car.I didn`t see the "band-type" shoes like later disc brakes use.I`ll have to look again.
Is it woth it to mess with these?Do the 12-bolt disc kits not have an e-brake?

[powell72]

Originally Posted by special-K

So Chris,you`re saying the e-brake has to be used pretty much habitually?This truck will be a manual,so I tend to use the e-brake regularily with that.
This car could be newer.But,I wash thinking`75 was the last of the large cars,IIRC.Maybe the Eldys ran a bit longer.This is a Boss Hog car.I didn`t see the "band-type" shoes like later disc brakes use.I`ll have to look again.
Is it woth it to mess with these?Do the 12-bolt disc kits not have an e-brake?

IF these are that style, then yes, they'll need regular e-brake use, which sounds like no biggie for you on your manual truck.

I think most of the aftermarket kits from places like CPP have e-brake's on them, if you want to spend the money and go that route.

LHM always says rear discs won't give you any better stopping power than the factory drums, if this is true, which I think it is, I would run rear discs only if I had some nice wheels with big openings in them. Just for the look of discs, so I didn't have to look at a brake drum.

[2tons of fun]

that is b.s. rear discs greatly improved my stopping power, you also need to have some weight over the rear to keep them gripping.

[leddzepp]

I have been debating this too, contemplating using rear discs. So far the cost is outweighing the benefits from what I can see. I do agree with LHM on the stopping power. The little bit you will gain does not justify the cost IMO. 90% of your stopping power is in the front. Is it really worth $500 to slightly improve that 10% in the rear?

I am starting to think like Chris, and would probably only do it if I were running aftermarket wheels.

[KrazyRay]

The El Dorados, I believe, were huge cars until 78. I ran a 76 in a destruction derby and it was huge. I think after 75 they cheapened up the frames for better crumple zones.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by KrazyRay

The El Dorados, I believe, were huge cars until 78. I ran a 76 in a destruction derby and it was huge. I think after 75 they cheapened up the frames for better crumple zones.

Hey KrazyRay,do you have a junkyard in mt.Airy?How much for an El Dorado rear disc set-up? The name of this junkyard is Krazy Ray`s...Seriously!
I think that sounds right.The downsized personal luxury cars came out right about then.The Seville was the first and that was`77.

I do agree that the front discs do about all the work.That`s proven when you go through 3-4 sets of front pads and the rear shoes are still good.But,discs have a feel that can`t be beat.That`s what I`m after.I have new brakes on this rear now.So,it`s not a priority.You know how a junkyard is,you go for one thing and you start seeing things you could do something with.I was looking for`97 Nissan truck parts for my son .

[69TowRig]

The "big" calipers are worth some change on the 4-wheelin boards, rebuilt units are pricey! The big units will fit in place of normal GM 1/2 ton calipers, so they fit the same aftermarket brackets that a lot of manufacturers make.

[special-K]

Thanks Chris.I know I have heard Eldo rear brakes come u a good bit,just wasn`t in the need at the time to really pay attention.These caught my eye because the car sits at eye level and the wheel was off.It would be easy to pull these the way the car is stacked on others.it`s actually part of a wall made with vehicles to keep people from coming in off the RR tracks.The rotor is marked with grease pencil,like it had been installed just before the car was junked.These are comparable in size to the front calipers on a truck.I know a long time ago I needed a caliper for a`71 K/20 and found out the late-60s full-size Pontiacs use the same caliper.