67 I6 brake upgrade

[Gobardo99]

Hey everyone! I'm a 67 Coupe i6 owner and I'm trying to get my car up and running again. the drum brakes crapped out on me twice now and has been sitting for some time now, so I want to convert to 5 lug/disc brakes. hoping someone can help me on what I should do first. my game plan was buying one of the CSRP front disc brake kits. but then I thought it was as simple as changing the wheel type on the back to 5 lug but I was told that I have to replace the entire axle in the back. does anyone have any recommendations on what I should do for the rear?

 

[wicked93gs]

Well, changing the rear end to an 8" is certainly the easiest way to get 5 lug...but there are other methods(they require machining or custom axles in general, although there are indeed 4-lug to 5-lug adapters you can buy if you look hard enough). The easiest path to do this will be the following:

Get an 8" rear end....already 5-lug. Replace the drum brakes and backing plates with rear discs from a (93-96?) Crown Victoria...this does require slight trimming of the axle housing at the backing plate and a couple of machined spacers, but can generally be done for a couple hundred dollars.

There are a ton of 5 lug disc brake options for the front, so take your pick.

In all honesty though, if the only goal is disc brakes, you don't have to convert to 5 lug for that...there are 4 lug disc brake kits out there that are easy enough to find.

 

[Gobardo99]

Well, changing the rear end to an 8" is certainly the easiest way to get 5 lug...but there are other methods(they require machining or custom axles in general, although there are indeed 4-lug to 5-lug adapters you can buy if you look hard enough). The easiest path to do this will be the following:

Get an 8" rear end....already 5-lug. Replace the drum brakes and backing plates with rear discs from a (93-96?) Crown Victoria...this does require slight trimming of the axle housing at the backing plate and a couple of machined spacers, but can generally be done for a couple hundred dollars.

There are a ton of 5 lug disc brake options for the front, so take your pick.

In all honesty though, if the only goal is disc brakes, you don't have to convert to 5 lug for that...there are 4 lug disc brake kits out there that are easy enough to find.

Hi! thanks for taking the time to reply to my post and please forgive me for the late reply! and man I figured it'd be sorta complex. now someone told me that I don't necessarily need discs all way round, but keep disc up front and keep the rear in drum. so would this be the same process? someone told me to switch the spindles to 5 lug and be done with it but based off what you've told me that doesn't sound like a possibility.

 

[wicked93gs]

Well, to be truthful, you don't "need" discs at all. Drums stop just fine for a cruiser. Discs do perform better in the rain, and its easier to change pads than shoes, but swapping to discs isnt going to be a huge difference in stopping power for 95% of the driving people do on a daily basis.

I was referring to ways to get 5 lugs on the rear...on the front it is eas easy as swapping spindles...if you feel you need 5 lugs. A lot of times people will upgrade just because they can...not because they necessarily need to. If the car is a cruiser, I wouldn't change anything except maybe try a different brake shoe that is a bit more aggressive...its only if you are going to drive it more aggressively that you should start thinking about disc brake swaps....you don't have to change your entire braking system to stop a little bit better...often just a different shoe will do the trick.