Question about brake upgrades

[maximpakt]

With all the weight im adding with the stereo I want to upgrade the brakes. Any recomendations on the best big break kit or best components for a 1989 cad fleetwood 4.5 FWD? I have 18" rims, so I can go bigger than the factory components.

[hotroddwayne]

If I were you i'd leave your factory brakes alone unless they are drifting on you & make you feel unsafe once you finish your system. Aftermarket brakes are the most annoying & noisey things! Ever go to a car show & have a car drive by you... when he touches the brake you hear that high pitched, squeaky metal-on-metal sound that makes you stare at his front wheel? That's the unmistakeable sound of Wilwood brakes.
Dude I understand you're doing this for safety reasons... so ask around & make the best choice. Maybe they have perfected their earlier drawbacks, but there's none I can recommend to you. Alot of the import "tuners" run big brakes so maybe there's a reputable kit available for a FWD Cadillac.

[tonytheskin]

With all the weight im adding with the stereo I want to upgrade the brakes. Any recomendations on the best big break kit or best components for a 1989 cad fleetwood 4.5 FWD? I have 18" rims, so I can go bigger than the factory components.

How much weight could you be adding? Those brakes would atleast be set up for hauling a loaded casket. So are you adding 300-400 pounds of stereo equip? My opinion, leave them be.

[maximpakt]

I would fathom to guess that I am adding approx 1800 lbs. My factory brakes are about shot now and need work so I just figured now would be the time to upgrade since something has to be done anyway. I put a nice big brake kit on my thunderbird that never gave me any kind of squeaking problems but your choices are more limited on a 20 year old FWD cadi.

How much weight could you be adding? Those brakes would atleast be set up for hauling a loaded casket. So are you adding 300-400 pounds of stereo equip? My opinion, leave them be.

[maximpakt]

http://www.ssbrakes.com/commerce/detail/index.cfm?nPID=1563

Well I found these that look interesting. Double piston callipers instead of single with performance pads. Combine with a nice thick rotor, could be nice.

[Abnorml]

On my finds hearse, she said the brakes locked up, on her 87 S&S FWD. She had The Last Ride in the back. If you don't know what The Last Ride is, here's a link http://www.ravensbarrow.com/2008/03/14/the-last-ride/, It explains it better than me. She said it weighs a couple of hundred pounds. So the brake upgrade might not be a bad idea.

[BIGEVIL]

Always a good idea to upgrade brakes with large diameter rims.

[maximpakt]

Hey Big, did you upgrade on your previous project? If so what did you put on.

[BIGEVIL]

Hey Big, did you upgrade on your previous project? If so what did you put on

It was on my list, (along with bags) but never got around to it.
This is where I was going to get them. http://www.abspowerbrake.com/index.html

[maximpakt]

So I contacted this company for thier advice on the best route to go with my coach. They recomended 13" drill slotted rotors with 4 piston aluminum callipers. $1400.. including new spindles. And a hydro boost master cylynder that puts out 1500 PSI $650.00. They say this will stop it on a dime. For over two grand it damn sure better.

It was on my list, (along with bags) but never got around to it.
This is where I was going to get them. http://www.abspowerbrake.com/index.html

[BIGEVIL]

And a hydro boost master cylynder that puts out 1500 PSI $650.00.

The hydro boost is...dare I say..."overkill".

Its great for a Hotrod with a big camshaft, turbo or supercharged engines, and diesel engines.

The Cadillac engine makes PLENTY of vacuum to keep a normal brake booster.

[Morella]

I think all 1976 models have Hydroboost. I have it on mine, and a couple of years ago I replaced the unit, pump and hoses. The brake pedal is nice and easy for a car of that weight.

The only think about it is that there is a tray underneath it to catch spills, with a hole drilled strategically so that the fluid will drain into your steering column boot. I solved this problem by turning it upside down and welding a scupper tube on it, and a drain hose that takes any fluid spillage safely away from the engine compartment. Also, there is a frangible plastic disc that breaks into pieces when you pull if off, and no one knows where to get one. Tony came up with the ingenious idea of making one out of a prescription bottle top, and it was worked great ever since. Once you get it assembled, I don't think that you need the retainer disk anyway, as long as your master cylinder spring is good, and the hydroboost spring is tight enough to hold the rod in place.

-denise

[maximpakt]

Surely you jest. With the kind of things you and I put into coaches you called something overkill?

The hydro boost is...dare I say..."overkill".

Its great for a Hotrod with a big camshaft, turbo or supercharged engines, and diesel engines.

The Cadillac engine makes PLENTY of vacuum to keep a normal brake booster.

[BIGEVIL]

ok, you have me there.

[mdeanr]

all 76 models do have the hydro boost.