Front Disc/Rear Drum

Highschool student with a 72 Maverick here...
I've got a question for the guys running front disc brakes with rear drums, how have your set ups performed?
I am planning on doing a front disc brake conversion utilizing the scarebird brackets with rotors from a Toyota Previa. I am adamant about running 14 or 15 inch wheels and I am looking for a brake set up that will accommodate that.
With that in mind, what is everyone's experience with a front disc/rear drum set up? I am also considering doing a rear disc conversion utilizing the crown vic/ford explorer set up but would prefer to run drums in the rear from a budget/convenience standpoint.
Thanks for the help!
John.
-sorry if this posted in the wrong place

 

The factory 11-inch front disc/rear drum setup works leaps & bounds better than drum/drum, but of course today's larger modern disc brakes out-perform them (and require at least 17-inch wheels).
14-inch wheels are lame, and tire selection is terrible. Run at least 15".
You can go with after-market as you are planning, or find a factory setup (spindles from a '74-'77 Maverick/Comet or '75-'80 Granada/Monarch/Versailles...

 

My son has factory Maverick disc spindles for sale on this forum.

 

my '61 Comet has '71 Maverick (4 lug) spindles and uses a Scarebird front disc conversion with rear drums and works well with 14"wheels.

the scarebird conversion was a pretty simple bolt-on conversion and shouldn't change alignment.


my '74 Maverick had drum-drum and now swapped to '76 disc spindles with OEM discs. OEM Discs are plenty adequate and 14" wheels work.

swapping spindles is not quite so simple for first attempts with front suspension.


hav e fun

 

The '67 Mustang/Fairlane four piston disc setup bolts to the drum spindle, have them on my '69 Fairlane.

 

I've got 4 wheel drum setup right now, switched to 15" ansen sprints 2 years ago and now have a CSRP 2.4M brake kit scheduled to be installed early June. I've had the car for 13 years with the drum setup and will give you my thoughts after the swap is completed.

I will add the four wheel drum isn't awful, you just give yourself more room and time to stop / slow. Having said that, there has been a few times I have found it lacking hence the upgrade. Suppose to help with bumpsteer too.

 

It was awful when I had it...

 

IMO, 4 wheel drums are adequate, but once you have front disc you will realize how bad they really are. Don't waste money on a rear disc conversion, you will not gain from it. If your wheels are 14 inch, spend the money on a set of 15's instead of rear disc.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies!

 

Get a Ford factory copy with all new parts from www.DiscBrakeSwap.com

 

Just installed this set on a 71 Grabber V8. It was a super easy bolt on kit. I have not changed or added a proportion valve and I am going to install a 74 disk/drum master cylinder

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1852939634...rentrq:53668b0a1880a0a537d6eddffffc5ec4|iid:1

 

"have not changed or added a proportion valve and I am going to install a 74 disk/drum master cylinder"

Without the Prop' Valve's rear pressure reduction, may have rear drums braking bias and/or more pedal effort than needed with Prop' Valve.

BTW - Ford Disc/Drum proportioning valve brass block looks almost identical to the Drum-Drum splitter/fault light sensor brass block.


hav e fun
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the '61 has almost identical (Scarebird) setup also without Prop' Valve ( Maverick MC, spindles.).

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Initially when converting to front disc with the manual disc/drum master, I ran the drum brass block for at least a year with no issues before switching over. Today it has the factory disc/drum brass combo valve but no proportioning valve. It is somewhat rear biased when you lock it up.

 

I can't tell anyone not to run a proportioning valve, but I can say that I've never run one and have never had a problem. For one thing, my rear tire diameter is 1-inch larger than the front, and for another, I know my car pretty well after 40 years and am familiar with how it reacts under hard braking. I have an adjustable prop valve but never installed it.
I'm "pretty sure" the optional disc/drum setup on '74 models did not use a prop valve (I think that started on the '75 models).
In any case, an adjustable one can always be added after the fact if needed...

 

If running bigger wheeels and tires in the rear a new proportion valve "usually" isn't needed. I'm using a disc/drum master cylinder from an '89 Ranger. Much nicer than the heavy cast iron old stuff and you can see the fluid level without opening the cap.