The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Question on disc brakes. Swaping rear's and changing to disc but have ???

Hey all. Ill sum it up but can answer in more detail if need be. I have a 58 chevy 1/2 with a 350, auto, turbo 350 tranny. My stock rear bearings went out. So I have decided to go with a Ford 9" build from Quick Performance. I am getting the Wilwood disc brake setup.
Now for my questions:

I no longer have a parking brake in the cab, but the parking break lines are still ran to the rear. The setup I ordered is without parking brake. Can I completely remove the parking brake cables that ran to the drum's or tie them up (That sounds slightly hack IMO)

Next is I imagine I will need a larger master cylinder for pressure and vacuum pressure. Could anyone post a link or a part number in which I should be looking to purchase or point me in the right direction?

All that can be removed. After market replacements are likely available form Wilwood.

Yes, you will need a different master because you're changing to discs. Why not check with Wilwood or the vendor you're getting it from and see if they recommend something.

Perfect I will check that.

Its a auto and we don't have any hills or anything here in the prairies that I would be worried about parking on.
So I was thinking about just pulling the parking brake lines out. Just wanted to make sure I wasnt making a stupid choice. Thanks!

It is a stupid choice to just remove them. The emergency brake system can be used in an emergency to stop the vehicle if the main brake system fails. Also, without a working emergency brake separate from the main brake system, your vehicle is not in compliance with the vehicle equipment laws. You need an emergency brake, automatic transmission or not.

He also says in another thread he plans to keep drums up front. I think it is a bad idea. I'll be kind and not say "stupid choice".

Well I dont "plan" to keep drum brakes up front. Those will be switched to disc in the 3-4 months. Wish I could just swipe the credit card once for everything.

But what I'm curious about is if I remove the cables. I wont alter anything mechanically for the bad? First time doing a rear swap and brake conversion.

Im not to worried about bylaws or using it to stop in a emergency situation. You wouldn't catch me pulling the E-brake to stop lol. No, never use your e-brake to stop in a emergency situation. BAD IDEA.

I don't know about Canada, but in the US, if the parking/emergency brake is inoperative/missing, the vehicle will not be legal to drive on public roads and will not be able to be registered or licensed. Since the setup you're looking at does not have a parking brake provision, you may consider at least putting in a driveshaft parking brake in order to keep it legal and safe.

In Canada, operational parking brake is required by the Highway Traffic Act in all provinces. A vehicle will fail a safety inspection if it is not installed or operating properly.

Like I said, Im not to worried about the highway act. I live in SE Sask Canada. Cops dont pick on stuff like that. Tinted windows are illegal here too, I run 3%. Just like they dont give me any tickets for no seat belts in it or any grief for that matter. I have aftermarket seats and the law stats if I alter the seats I must put at min. lap belt. They know I should because I've bullshited with local police about it.
The truck is safetied and is plated and insured. This truck is lucky if it puts on 500 KM in a season on the street. Its my sunday truck, drive to the track race and drive home. Go for supper...take the truck. Rarely put many highway miles on, and dont have many plans to.


Hence why I asked my question.

Do what ya want, it's your life and your truck. I have 741hp and no belts. I get pulled over every month. Only ticket I've ever got was an exhibition of speed for spinning the tires through an intersection. Judge threw it out because I was going nowhere fast.

1. Your attitude towards your truck not meeting highway safety standards is exactly what gives hot rodders and rat rodders a bad name. I'm sorry to be blunt.
2. Never use your e-brake to stop in an emergency situation?!? I'm guessing you've never taken a defensive driving course where they teach you how to do this safely? Saying it's a bad idea shows me that you're uninformed about how to do it safely...
3. If ever you were pulled over by a smart cop or DOT and they found you didn't have an e-brake, they could tow your vehicle on the spot. Seems like a silly reason to get towed, IMO.
4. It's your truck, do what you want. Enough people here have warned you not to do it.

Sorry for your confusion. I asked a simple question and see I have joined the wrong forum. Theres a fine line between giving me information and lecturing me.

This truck by the time summer hits will stop on a dime.
It will have full conversion and proper MC. I dont run a unsafe ride. I dont drive 100 Km in a 80. I dont fly down streets. I dont race people on the streets. I putt around and light the tires up once in a blue moon and it would be no more than through the lights.

You ask about defensive driving? Yes I have taken. Along with more driving courses then your family combined. My job demands it. I am accident free for 9 years as I am 25. Dont put me in a group of other young drivers. I put on more miles than the average human. With that being said have I not only never been at fault for a accident. I have also avoided everyone too! I am defensive when I drive because as a professional driver I care about YOUR life more than my own.

I am not giving ANYONE a bad name for not running a seat belt, and wanting to remove my parking break. As a enthusiast to old muscle and steel. Along with my restored 73 duster 440. This is the first time I have encountered a group like this. This is why many young people dont attempt rebuild's. I asked a simple question, that blew up into lecturing,saying this is what gives a bad name, etc.

Sorry to have upset you soccer moms.
Thank you - Justin

Just to add a note.
In defensive driving you DO NOT learn to use your E-brake to stop in a emergency situation. That is very wrong and you should not promote that. It is NEVER safer to brake with 2 brakes vs using your proper brakes and braking with all 4. Your advise is very bad!

So what do you do should the main brakes fail and the emergency brake is all you have? There's a reason that a secondary brake system is required by law.

You have encountered the smarter people on the internet is your only problem. Lots of ex-military and other really well trained mechanical personalities.

In the Air Force we learned the importance of what they called REDUNDANT systems. Each aircraft has two of everything that involves safety. Twice as expensive and twice the maintenance, but it has saved untold numbers of flight crew from certain disaster. Same for ground machines. This was recognized very early on and a mechanical redundant system called an emergency brake was incorporated. It has saved untold lives on the ground as well. If anything goes wrong with your primary hydraulics, you can downshift and use the E-Brake.

I don't think you are being lectured as much as this crowd is very saavy and understands that its not YOUR dumb [censored] we are trying to save with our advice.. Its the 'soccer mom' with a carload of kids that is in your path when your primary system fails.

This is why when I installed the front disc brakes on my 1950 1/2 ton, I also incorporated a DUAL MC just to be sure there would be no worries about reliability. Of course it never dawned on me to disconnect my E-Brake and just forget about it, I put all new cables and associated hardware on that as well.

If the law doesn't matter to you much, like me, rely on common sense and your concern for others to get you to the same place. No lecture intended by anyone. You have to call your daddy for that.

Forsure...? If your looking for a argument you wont find one here. Thats why I will run the 2 chamber MC... if the front fails I still have the rear...vice versa. Lecture onward to another set of ears. This is my last post. Found more useful and non ignorant people at other forums.