[Chrysler300] disc brakes---early style

["Terry & Andree Hoeman" <tehoema@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Chrysler disc brakes showed up in 1950 on the Crown Imperial and the 
Town and Country's and continued through 1955 at least.

We have 3 of the 50 T&C's with them which is somewhat unusual since most 
mechanics didn't understand them and changed them out to the basic drum 
units whenever help was needed.  dirty shame to loose the good brakes!

They are pretty simple but strange in operation next to today's disc brakes. 
They consist of two outer pieces which rotate with the wheel and have 
cooling fins all over them.  Inside there are two steel plates which are 
separated by large ball bearings which are fit into recesses in the plates. 
When the brakes are applied the plates rotate against each other and push 
the plates apart to have the lined outer surfaces rub on the outer pieces.

They are self adjusting and self energizing so no booster assembly is needed 
as on the drum brakes.  The pedal pressure is not high at all.

Biggest maintenance problem with them is that the linings are very thin next 
to what is used on regular shoes and if the normal thickness is applied the 
whole affair locks up.  Keep it the right thickness and everything is fine.

They have always worked fine to me but guess what---I haven't and don't plan 
to give them a hard test.  A 50 T&C is not a car to drive hard and I don't 
plan to do it.  Plan to have our best one in downtown Omaha for a charity 
event in June so will get to check them a bit then.




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Barber" <c300@xxxxxxx>
To: <moparpjf@xxxxxxx>; <robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <hurst300@xxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 12:05 PM
Subject: [Chrysler300] Whoa, Nelly


> Downshifting is always good for slowing, but not much good for stopping.
> The two-speed Powerflite3 in our '55 300 will certainly slow you down when
> the "dagger-on-the-dash" is dropped into low-if you have time.  Old Buicks
> with Dynaflows had the reverse position in the lowest position of the
> selector lever.  A friend said his kid reached over and yanked the 
> selector
> down while he was driving and the old Buick flat stopped.  I'd heard 
> similar
> other stories about Dynaflows.  Moving the gear selection to the left hand
> pillar of the '56 Chryslers kept the passengers out of the driving game.
>
> There has been lots of healthy and respectful chatter on the old problem 
> of
> stopping a moving vehicle.  And, it is interesting to note that the very
> "highest" technology in current cars can have the same basic problem when
> computers take over throttling, braking and so many other tasks.  That 
> said,
> braking systems have been evolving for years and are responsible for a 
> good
> portion of the reduction in the highway death rate.  Chrysler, of course,
> was an early leader in the use of hydraulic brakes across the line and the
> wide use of disc brakes on Imperials was also early on the scene.  I think 
> I
> read where they were installed on the racing hemi Saratoga's of the early
> '50's, including "Adam"--the predecessor of the 300.  Regretfully, 
> Chrysler
> did not follow through with these on the early 300's.  But the early 300's
> could be converted to Imperial brakes as I understand it.  Anyone heard or
> experienced how those old disc-brake Imperials stopped?
>
> No one has mentioned the old problem of a "road pop" can or other junk
> rolling out from under the front seat and lodging itself under the brake
> pedal.
>
> I expect this thread will encourage some to review the braking systems on
> their 300's and take any actions to preserve car and carcass.  Moving 
> "road
> pop" cans, flashlights, Kleenex boxes, gloves, rags and tools out from 
> under
> the front seat is a recommended action.
>
> C-300'ly,
> Rich Barber
> Brentwood, CA
> 1955 Chrysler 300--headed to two local car shows this week-end, along with
> at least one fellow 300 owner attending his first car show.
>
> ________________________________________
> From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of moparpjf@xxxxxxx
> Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 8:39 AM
> To: robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; hurst300@xxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Dual master cylinder conversion
>
>
> Query:
>
> Why not push the buttons for the lower gears (1 or 2)? Strikes me
> that downshifting the car into first or second would have a better effect
> than
> having it in reverse with an automatic kick out into neutral.
>
> Pete Fitch
>
>
>
>
> In a message dated 4/21/2010 9:02:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> robkern@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> Hello 300'ly to all!
> My Dad did the similar thing with tail gaters with our '57 DeSoto. He
> would gently push the reverse button to engage the back-up lights. Worked
> like a charm. The transmission has a safety default in that pushing the
> reverse button when in drive at speeds 15 mph or greater will move the
> manual
> control lever to the neutral position and when the vehicle drops to less
> than 15 mph it will be necessary to reposition the R button. ROB KERN
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Ray Jones
> Cc: Chrysler 300 Broadcast
> Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 6:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] Dual master cylinder conversion
>
> On Apr 21, 2010, at 12:37 PM, keboonstra wrote:
>
> And how about this related question. Suppose your brakes went out and all
> you now had was your parking brake to save you from certain mayhem. Would
> you pull the brake just a little to slow down gradually and risk having it
> fade and become useless? Or would you pull it decisively so as to lock it 
> up
>
> before it has a chance to fade from overheat? Would pulling it too hard at
> speed bust up the brake and leave you with nothing?
>
>>>> I seem to remember that the California Hi-way patrol tested cars every
> year for suitability for use by them. Mopars failed the "Emergency stop"
> test regularly.
> I remember photos of the Driveshaft being snapped off, either leaving the
> car with nothing or actually dropping to the road and causing more
> problems.
> I also think that this was the reason Mopar went to standard rear drum
> emergency brakes, loss of sales of fleet cars. I think there is a Hot Rod
> mag
> article on this test.
>
> Or how about hitting the "R" button at road speed? Is there a lockout to
> keep it from going to reverse at certain speeds? That maneuver may 
> possibly
> throw your car in a spin, but prudently done it might be better than
> coasting a half mile looking for a soft tree to stop you.
>
>>>> Won't work. My buddy had a new '57 Fury and he would push the "R"
> button if someone was too close.
> He also did this once at over 100 with some Bad Bikers chasing us and they
> faded fast when those back-up lights came on!
>
> Ray
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> To send a message to this group, send an email to:
> Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> For list server instructions, go to
> http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm
>
> For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/Yahoo! Groups
> Links
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> To send a message to this group, send an email to:
> Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>    Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> For list server instructions, go to 
> http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm
>
> For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/Yahoo! Groups 
> Links
>
>
>



------------------------------------

To send a message to this group, send an email to:
Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm

For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    Chrysler300-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Chrysler300-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/