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Rear Disc Brakes

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LakesideRamblin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LakesideRamblin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/17/2022 at 9:35am
I put an 8.8 Ford Explorer ('97) with discs in my '69 Rambler.  But only because I swapped in a beefy 360.  My AMC 15 would not have handled the power.  So in my case it worked well and the 8.8 is ubiquitous.  Just about any pick & pull will have one.  Some surgery required (cutting down by around 2 7/8", etc.).
LakesideRamblin
69 Rambler 360
73 Javelin 360
"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." T. Roosevelt
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mrdaud View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrdaud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2022 at 7:56am
Thanks for the input everyone.  The main issue is that I just don't like drum brakes.  I had a brand new '71 Javelin and was constantly adjusting the brakes (also the case on all my cars back in the day).  I also don't like the E-brake set-up.  Also, rear shoes wear more than pads and if you you wear a grove in the outer drum, it can be very hard to remove the drum.  So, I wasn't looking for performance or bling, just a personal dislike issue.  I was looking for a relatively cheap upgrade, but I don't think that is going to happen, so based on the feedback, it's probably not worth the expense.  I'll probably stay stock.  Thanks!!!!
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ramblinrev View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ramblinrev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2022 at 8:12am
Good choice! You should never really have to adjust drum brakes where the adjusters are working properly. Fix your stock brakes properly and I think you'll be happy!

74 Hornet Hatchback X twins (since 1977)
62 American Convertible (still worth the $50 I spent in 1973!) AMCRC #513, AMO #384
70 AMX 360 4-speed (since 1981)
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70,71,72 AMXS View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 70,71,72 AMXS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2022 at 8:32am
Answering your original question, I used a Lexus SC rotor with SN95 Mustang rear calipers. Those calipers have a cable actuated parking brake set up, to be able to still have the parking brakes. I made my own caliper bracket. Just a thought if you change your mind..
Bruce in NW Ohio
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Trader View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trader Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2022 at 9:19am
With a Ford 8.8, you can cut off the cable ends of the Ford, drill them out and swage them on the AMC brake cable. It works and passes our vehicle certification requirement. Have done this a few times with no issues.
As for the rear drum brakes, it sounds like there is something not quite right. You should not be going through rear shoes before front pads. Either assembly, proportioning valve etc are not right.
Every time you take the drums off for inspection, the wear lip should be removed so you don't have a major fight to get the drum off the next time. 
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Regamble1969 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Regamble1969 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2022 at 10:54am
About 15 years ago I met a guy who had just paid $3800 for a Pinto wagon. He was ecstatic and I thought he was nuts. Worth is 100% subjective.

Disk brakes are superior to drum the same as electronic ignition is superior to points and fuel injection is superior to a carburetor. Do the formers provide adequate performance for their intended purpose? Yes. Is there a newer, better option? Also yes. Rear disks provide about a 10% increase in braking power, require less maintenance, and a more stable braking process especially in hard braking (reduced nose dive), lower chance of front wheel lockup, and in a hard braking corner can be the difference between making it safely or not. And I'm not talking about rally racing, but what about a blind corner where there's a deer in the road. Brakes are like seatbelts, I don't wear them for the everyday driving I wear them for the one time something goes wrong. One of the hot rod magazines once did a straight line 60-0 test with a dodge dart (or something like that) then swapped to rear disk and did it again. No other changes and dropped something like 12 feet off their 60-0 distance. You most likely won't notice any difference in daily traffic driving, but the first time you have to smash the pedal to keep from hitting that moron that just pulled out in front of you, you will.

Most of the other things said so far are relatively true. Drum rear brakes will work okay, and when working properly shouldn't need adjusting and should outlast your front pads. And yes, tires will most certainly have a greater impact on overall non-lockup braking than the brakes. I've done quite a few rear conversions over the years for both myself and customers and I can say that my current project is going to get rear disks and almost certainly any future ones I do will get them as well. I'm like you, I just don't like drum brakes. So clearly it's worth it to me. To some a $1500 fuel injection kit is worth it, to others a carburetor is "just as good." My only advice there would be don't do a conversion that eliminates an important safety feature such as the emergency brakes.

As for cost... well as I am also learning, owning an AMC is like an airplane or a boat, everything is more expensive and harder to find. Some have noted an 8.8 inch swap, great idea. There are (from my understanding) relatively near drop in 8 and 9 inch Ford housings as well, which have added advantages over the AMC in your car, plus there are good kits available to convert to disk. My Javelin is going to get a big bearing 9" before it's all done. There are also several large body Fords (Lincoln, LTD etc) that had 9" rears with factory disks. I scavenged the yards for one of those as the parts donor for my last conversion, it cost me $40. But as for a cheap solution, I would love to see and hear more about the Lexus rotors and Mustang calipers mentioned earlier. That sounds like a good option for spending the day at the local pick-a-part and then fabbing up some stuff at home. At the end of the day, there won't be any cheap options, just some will cost cash and others will cost time/labor, but only you can decide if it's worth it to you.
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Gench View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gench Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2022 at 12:53pm
mrdaud - if adjustment is your primary issue with the drums, it may just be reviewing the tsm and how your adjuster and springs are setup. They should auto adjust when you brake moving backwards. 

Spin the adjuster to loosen the brakes to get the grooved drum off.

15” rims should clear most disk options, mine clear wilwoods on rear… needs spacers in the front to clear 15” 8 slot rally. Test the wheel if an option… like buying a complete axle.

I have the wilwood kit front and rear, manual brakes, they perform amazing… but understand they aren’t cheap. Lots of options to swap the rear axle all together, this option is best if you want a new ratio or weight reduction. 

Are the existing brakes new or beat? If you have good stuff, the fix could be free?? 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrdaud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/19/2022 at 4:28pm
OK, here is the latest.  It appears that an upgrade will cost me a lot of time, effort, and money, so I am going to stay with stock. Maybe down the road I'll think about it again. Had not actually removed a drum, so started on the left rear.  P-brake doesn't work, so need to fix that.  Cable to the splitter was good, so I suspect one or both drum cables.  Had a hard time getting the drum off! Reminded of all my past history and why I don't like drum brakes! Shoes look new, cylinders look clean and dry, rubber looks new.  Just went ahead and bought newer P-brake cables from Amazon for $50.  

I bought the car last summer as an estate sale, so have absolutely no history or paperwork, but it looks like the car was gone over top to bottom.  Not show car grade, but just all new nuts, bolts, rubber, etc. And, there are some power upgrades.  There is still a fair amount of interior work to do. Thanks for all the suggestions and feedback!
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ramblinrev View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ramblinrev Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/19/2022 at 5:05pm
You're welcome, and good luck with getting your new car to the level you need it to be!
74 Hornet Hatchback X twins (since 1977)
62 American Convertible (still worth the $50 I spent in 1973!) AMCRC #513, AMO #384
70 AMX 360 4-speed (since 1981)
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