M715 Front disc brake conversion

[majortom]

I have several hotrod M715s. The weakest link on these trucks is the brakes. At one time, a disc brake conversion was sold by helitool, uglytruckling. Every time I tried to buy the kit, he was completely unresponsive. I have not found anyone else that has this conversion kit for sale. So, at this point, I am going to have the parts manufactured. The question is, is anybody else interested in converting their truck to front disc brakes? If you are interested, please email me at cosmo@alfaheaven.com.

 

[patracy]

Please refrain from posting classified ads in the open forums. I've removed the last portion of your post.

 

[txleadfoot]

I'm interested in seeing what you have in mind for a stock front axle/hub. You might want to post this on the M715 zone forum as well.

 

[bcowanwheels]

the only reason the "stock" brakes perform poorly is because only a very few folk actually know how to adjust and maintain the brakes. i have helitools disc kits ft & rear they are nice but from my experience most m715 folks are so tight they squeek when they walk like ( putting a car master cylinder on a 1 ton truck ) perfect example....... ALSO to copy helitools design without there expressed permission would be unethical whether there still in business or not. the fella who owns helitool spends 1/2 of the year in thailand fyi

 

[txleadfoot]

Are you saying that correctly adjusted drum brakes have the same effective stopping power as helitool disc kit?

the only reason the "stock" brakes perform poorly is because only a very few folk actually know how to adjust and maintain the brakes. i have helitools disc kits ft & rear they are nice but from my experience most m715 folks are so tight they squeek when they walk like ( putting a car master cylinder on a 1 ton truck ) perfect example....... ALSO to copy helitools design without there expressed permission would be unethical whether there still in business or not. the fella who owns helitool spends 1/2 of the year in thailand fyi

 

[quickfarms]

Disc brakes do perform better if you commonly submerge the brakes under water.

Drum brakes work great when they are properly serviced and adjusted.

Of all the vehicles that I have the one with the four wheel discs requires the most pedal pressure and the vehicles with four wheel drums require the least pedal pressure to stop.

Semi's primarily use drum brakes to stop 80,000 lbs. Disc brakes are just starting to appear on semi's.

 

[kvflyer]

For what it's worth, my M715 has an NOS original single master cylinder, four new wheel cylinders, new steel lines of the correct original size, new shoes in the front and very serviceable shoes in the back. Now I don't tow and haul a lot of stuff. But I have no problem stopping.

I drove a two year old M715 for a year in Germany over 4,000 miles up and down the Autobahn. I never had a problem stopping and I don't have what any issues now. However, that is not to be taken as a discouragement to anyone who wants to change or convert their truck to a dual master cylinder, disc brakes or whatever. I just know what did work still works and more importantly, I am not an engineer and would not know what type of proportioning valve, size of master cylinder bore etc. For me, original just works...

 

[bcowanwheels]

the military always over engineer things.yes our hobby needs the option of disc brakes so as long as you completely design a d/b system it will sell a few sets a year. from my experience I,d only do a run or 6 sets to test the waters. like i say this is a hard crowd to get $ out of. 1 thing that is now a big thing is preppers, they have discovered this truck and its possibilites for there use.

 

[majortom]

If you have a stock 715 and drive it occasionally an average 45mph, the stock brakes do work although they are prone to pull left or right regardless of adjustment. I have owned many 715s. They are wonderful trucks with a Chevy V8, auto tranz and power steering. Yesterday, I did a 250 mile round trip, highway driving 65 - 75mph, towing a tri-axle trailer with a load of semi-tires, apprx. 20,000 pounds gross weight. To say the original drum brakes even with a dual master cylinder and booster is grossly inadequate is a major understatement. A large percentage of 715s have been modified. Just go to 4wd or JeepTruck.com and you'll see I'm not the only one who is driving these things. I own a flawlessly restored 725 and its original brakes are perfect for the purpose as it will just go to and from shows. The reason I put the post up here, is that several times, when I have needed a disc brake conversion, helitool was not available. I have just purchased one of his conversions. If I were to go any further with producing my own disc conversion, which I have done for other vehicles, it would be substantially different than what is currently available. I put this post up to see if there was interest in this group. I fully expected that we would only have a few takers. I wasn't looking at it as a profit potential item. Thanks for your comments!

 

[bcowanwheels]

if they pull left or right brakes arnt adjsted properly

 

[kvflyer]

if they pull left or right brakes arnt adjsted properly

I have stock brakes, as stock as it can be. New riveted shoes in the front, like-new used in the back. New wheel cylinders, new master cylinder, new rubber hoses and new steel tubing. I can honestly say that the truck does not pull to either side and will slide the tires. Now, I don't have a load nor do I pull a trailer.

Certainly, dual master cylinder is redundant. But a well maintained standard system... just works.

Now that is just my 2[FONT=&quot]¢[/FONT].

 

[bcowanwheels]

edited

 

[quickfarms]

One thing that I have learned over the years is that on old vehicles you have to do a complete brake job and replace everything including the shoes, wheel cylinders and brake hoses.

Honing the wheel cylinders can result in each wheel cylinder having a slightly different diameter and pressure.

Brake drum diameter can effect the braking if the diameters are not matched.

You also need to replace the hardware such as the springs.

Adjustment is very critical in these vehicles because they are not self adjusting.

The last thing that is often overlooked is the metal brake lines. The condition and if there are any kinks. If the lines look good we clean and flush them with compressed air, then brake cleaner, then compressed air and finally brake fluid. You would be amazed at the amount of crud that comes out if these old brake lines.

 

[kvflyer]

"redundant" THE STOCK M715 MASTER CYLINDER IS THE SAME AS A 1957 CHEVY CAR....... AND YOU THINK ADDING A 1 TON TRUCK MASTER CYLINDER IS "redundant" NOT TO MENTION THE 100% DEGREE OF SAFETY IT BRINGS IN ? WITH MY M/C KITS IF YOU PUSH THE BRAKE PEDEL DOWN 1" YOUR DOING SOME SERIOUS STOPPING ANY MORE AND YOUR GOING TO LOCKUP THE TIRES. ( WITH THE BRAKES PROPERLY ADJUSTED) IT BAFFLES ME WHY ANYONE WOULD TAKE A M715 AND TRY TO MAKE IT A HIGHWAY STAR. ITS LIKE TAKING A DIRT BIKE AND TRYING TO MAKE IT A GOLD WING. JMO

Bob, you missed the whole point of my conversation. Redundant means that you have two separate and independent systems. So, if one fails, you still have the other one!!!!

 

[kvflyer]

One thing that I have learned over the years is that on old vehicles you have to do a complete brake job and replace everything including the shoes, wheel cylinders and brake hoses.

Honing the wheel cylinders can result in each wheel cylinder having a slightly different diameter and pressure.

Brake drum diameter can effect the braking if the diameters are not matched.

You also need to replace the hardware such as the springs.

Adjustment is very critical in these vehicles because they are not self adjusting.

The last thing that is often overlooked is the metal brake lines. The condition and if there are any kinks. If the lines look good we clean and flush them with compressed air, then brake cleaner, then compressed air and finally brake fluid. You would be amazed at the amount of crud that comes out if these old brake lines.

Exactly. If everything is up to snuff, meaning good steel lines, not crudded up or corroded, good rubber flex lines that have not collapsed internally (and acting like a valve!) and good shoes. You don't want the lining to peel off of the metal base.

 

[hndrsonj]

I emailed helitool last week and got a response the next day. FYI though, he is going on a trip in Dec; so if you want their kit I'd hurry.

 

[bcowanwheels]

yes your right 100% I appologize. that word threw me for a loop to be honest.
regards
bob

 

[Monty]

Did you ever get a kit put together? I'd be interested in one.

Pm me the details thanks.