Improving The Stopping Distance On Your Classic Custom Hot Rod

Antique cars and trucks turned into hot rods made from them often have more horsepower than the original vehicle ever had. Stopping the vehicle is more challenging, and adding a front disc brake conversion can have a significant effect and make the hot rod safer to drive. 

Updating Brake Systems

When considering an upgrade using a front disc brake conversion kit for your car, there are some things you need to take into consideration. The new kit will most likely require you to upgrade the brake master cylinder to a larger one with enough pressure for the disk brakes you are installing. 

The stock rear drum brakes may not stand up to the added pressure. Sometimes the best solution is to upgrade the rear brakes at the same time, improving the stopping distance and control during braking and balancing the front and rear brakes. 

If you want to keep the rear brake system on the car, consider upgrading the brake lines and hoses in the rear of the vehicle and add an adjustable proportioning valve to allow you to adjust the pressure to the rear brake system. The valves are readily available from custom car and race shops and are often far cheaper than replacing the entire rear brake system.

Installing A Front Brake Upgrade

The front disc conversion kits available on the market mostly use custom-made parts to replace the old parts on your hot rod or classic vehicle. These parts typically use specific brake parts from other cars or aftermarket manufacturers with the brackets and adapters that come in the kit. 

It is essential to check the kit contents before purchasing it to ensure you know what you are getting. If the front disc conversion kit requires you to buy rotors, calipers, brake pads, and other parts to go with the kit, you will need to get those items before you can install the conversion. 

Once you have the kit and the parts you need, you will need to remove the old parts from the car. The conversion kit will come with directions to help you determine what needs to come off and what you will reuse. Save the old parts in case you decide to refurbish them and use them or sell them later. 

If you are not confident you can install the front disc brake conversion kit on your vehicle, you can have a local mechanic do the work for you. The additional cost for labor will add to the project cost, but it is critical that the parts are installed properly to ensure the brakes slow or stop the car once the conversion is complete.

Reach out to a local auto parts store to learn more about front disc brake conversion kits.