disc brake pads

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1973dust

1973dust

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I just finished converting my car from power disc/drum to manual disc/drum brakes. It is already much better to drive with the brakes not being so touchy but I think I can improve it more with new pads in front. The ones on the car were swapped over from my donor car probably 15 years ago. They have plenty of lining left but have probably been contaminated with who knows what over the years. In hindsight, I guess the old pads could have been part of the reason I never liked the power brakes. I'm wanting pads that will be easy on the rotors but still stop well and I'm just not sure what type of pad material I should look for. I assume originals were probably asbestos?
 
Semi metallics will grab the hardest but are harder on rotors.

Organics will have less stopping power (fine for a cruiser) but easier on the rotors

Rotors for 73-76 are reasonably cheap so I don’t think it matters that much
 
remytherat said:
Semi metallics will grab the hardest but are harder on rotors.

Organics will have less stopping power (fine for a cruiser) but easier on the rotors

Rotors for 73-76 are reasonably cheap so I don’t think it matters that much.
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I'm probably weird but my car still has what I assume are the original rotors from my donor car which only had 38000 miles on it. Even if they are replacements, they are at least 20 years old. I figure that their quality is probably better than anything that I would buy now so I would like to make them last as long as possible. That said, I only drive my car 1500-2500 miles a year so they should last a long time even if I used more aggressive pads.
 
1973dust said:
I'm probably weird but my car still has what I assume are the original rotors from my donor car which only had 38000 miles on it. Even if they are replacements, they are at least 20 years old. I figure that their quality is probably better than anything that I would buy now so I would like to make them last as long as possible. That said, I only drive my car 1500-2500 miles a year so they should last a long time even if I used more aggressive pads.
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I would use the aggressive pads, for sure. When I hit the brakes, I want to STOP!!!
 
I was actually curious bout this myself.. my setup is a mid 70s disc conversion and i was wondering if anyone makes actual performance pads for the oem mopar setup? When i had my last ford i put in i think they were hawk pads and the first stop wasn't great but as soon as they got a little heat they grabbed insanely good.
 
If your disc setup is KH stock, like mine, I was unable to to find HP pads with metal, just std ones.
Good luck, if you find them let us know.
 
Brooks James said:
If your disc setup is KH stock, like mine, I was unable to to find HP pads with metal, just std ones.
Good luck, if you find them let us know.
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are yours the KH 4 piston? Mine are the normal slider type generic mopar like this
1725721074879.jpeg
 
I use semi metallic. They're dirty, noisy, and probably chew up my rotors faster than softer pads. But they stop well and they're cheap.
If you want something that stops pretty well and is easier on your rotors without going for the high-zoot stuff, try a brand name ceramic compound pad.
 
Brooks James said:
If your disc setup is KH stock, like mine, I was unable to to find HP pads with metal, just std ones.
Good luck, if you find them let us know.
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There's at least four different choices for semi metallic pads for the KH brakes on Rock Auto now.

They're the same pad as used on '67 Mustangs, and they're know as pad no. D11. Notice there's an 11 in the part numbers of just about all the different brands of KH pads. You can Google brake pad #11, and you'll find some that look exactly right.
 
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Guys if he’s talking about a ‘73 he’s not talking about Kelsey Hayes brakes that share the Mustang brake pad.

EBC offers pretty much their entire line of pads for the 73+ single piston calipers, and there are quite a few semi-metallics from the major names in brake pad manufacturing.

Sacrificing your stopping power to have your rotors last longer is just flat out dumb. Would you rather preserve your brake rotors, or your bodywork and possibly your health? Because it’s a lot easier and cheaper to replace brake rotors. And if it’s 73+ rotors we’re talking about they’re readily available in several different levels of performance and quality from multiple reputable manufacturers. So trying to preserve a set of 40k mile, decades old rotors is just unnecessary.

OE compounds for these brakes are 50 years behind the times. For a show car you never drive, whatever, run some dried up dusty decades old brakes. For a car you actually want to stop? Not a chance.
 
EBC is what's up for pads. modern compounds are darn near night and day difference to what's available over the counter.

even if you were putting beaucoup miles on your ride and burning thru a set of pads and smoking a pair of rotors once a year, you'd be out what? $300? big whoop. that's the cost of doing business.

if you wanted to be extra frugal, just order up some semi-metallic raybestos for police/taxi/HD and plan on changing rotors and pads as a set. make sure your radio works tho, cuz they loud
 
72bluNblu said:
Guys if he’s talking about a ‘73 he’s not talking about Kelsey Hayes brakes that share the Mustang brake pad.

EBC offers pretty much their entire line of pads for the 73+ single piston calipers, and there are quite a few semi-metallics from the major names in brake pad manufacturing.

Sacrificing your stopping power to have your rotors last longer is just flat out dumb. Would you rather preserve your brake rotors, or your bodywork and possibly your health? Because it’s a lot easier and cheaper to replace brake rotors. And if it’s 73+ rotors we’re talking about they’re readily available in several different levels of performance and quality from multiple reputable manufacturers. So trying to preserve a set of 40k mile, decades old rotors is just unnecessary.

OE compounds for these brakes are 50 years behind the times. For a show car you never drive, whatever, run some dried up dusty decades old brakes. For a car you actually want to stop? Not a chance.
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This is good info to know. I was just assuming that I would have issues with replacement rotors like occur with many other products these days. I'm definitely going with something more aggressive than I had planned to. Thanks again to all for the recommendations.
 
I use semi metallic. Even though the 67 has been apart for awhile, when it ran I could lock up the brakes at 70. Simply a decent quality semi metallic. And I bet you are not driving this thing 200K a year, either
 
340sFastback said:
They are worth it. Money well spent.
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yeah, i was thinking bout it.. i have $4k into my cam/top end of my motor, 400 in springs, 400 in caltracs.. $1200 in tires.. $500 in suspension.. $1200 into a trans... but $150 for brakes so i can stop?! NO WAY! :) doesn't really make sense..
 
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