Eldorado brake calipers

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Mikel
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Eldorado brake calipers

Postby Mikel » Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:55 pm

Hello,
I'm transplanting all the disk brake parts from a '75 Eldorado into my '66 Toronado. The rear calipers look a bit problematic as far as getting the parking brake to work, due to the different shape of the Olds rear axle vs the original Eldorado.

Looking at photos of later Eldorado rear calipers (1984), looks like those would work much better, as the parking brake arm is reversed. My question is - Will these work with the 1975 backing plates and rotor? These are two different generation Eldorados.
Thanks.
Mikel

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Otto Skorzeny
Posts: 1721
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Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Eldorado brake calipers

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Mon Feb 12, 2018 6:32 pm

See if you can contact Bruce Roe. He's very familiar with Toronados and Cadillacs of various generations and has made modifications and upgrades to the Toros.

Go to this post and click on the contact icon.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2001&p=7752&hilit=bc+roe#p7752

bcroe
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:25 pm
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Years Owned: 79 Toronado or Eldorado

Eldorado brake calipers

Postby bcroe » Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:31 pm

I am entirely in favor of the conversion, I have even collected later front suspensions
for owners of cars like your. The dual circuit master cylinder is a must feature. However,
without a 100% component transfer, the remaining problem is getting the front and rear
circuits properly balanced for all situations. I defer those details to brake experts.

The rear brakes on a 79-85 Eldo can be a problem, they certainly have been on mine.
I can't advise if those some of those parts cross over, but the bolts/pattern in the hub
and disc are smaller than a 66 Toro. For non high performance apps, I would prefer
to keep rear drums with the simple emergency cables (like most of my cars). This
was the the base setup on a 79 Toro, rear discs were optional. My own 79 Eldo rear
discs have been so much trouble, I had to insert a proportioning valve to drive safely,
and have SERIOUSLY considered converting it to the 79 Toro setup. Disc-drum setups
were widely used, and no doubt a little research will come up with the correct balancing
setup. good luck, Bruce Roe

Mikel
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Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:26 am
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Location: New Haven, CT

Re: Eldorado brake calipers

Postby Mikel » Wed Feb 14, 2018 7:42 am

Thanks Bruce. I already started the conversion and I like challenges, so I'll be sticking with the rear disks.

This is the fourth rear disk brake conversion that I do (all others were trucks), so hopefully it won't be too bad once the hardware side is figured out. I have ordered the later calipers, and I can take them back to the store if they don't fit.

I'm also swapping a 2.73 final drive into my '66 Toronado, from the same 1975 Eldorado donor car. I'm hoping that with my mild 455 I can make more use of the other two gears. It feels like my car is in 3rd gear 80% of the time, even climbing steep hills at 25mph... We'll see how the switch pitch T/C helps here.

Thanks.

bcroe
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:25 pm
TOA Membership Number: 378
Years Owned: 79 Toronado or Eldorado

Re: Eldorado brake calipers

Postby bcroe » Thu Feb 15, 2018 5:31 pm

Mikel wrote:Thanks Bruce. I already started the conversion and I like challenges, so I'll be sticking with the rear disks.

This is the fourth rear disk brake conversion that I do (all others were trucks), so hopefully it won't be too bad once the hardware side is figured out. I have ordered the later calipers, and I can take them back to the store if they don't fit.

I'm also swapping a 2.73 final drive into my '66 Toronado, from the same 1975 Eldorado donor car. I'm hoping that with my mild 455 I can make more use of the other two gears. It feels like my car is in 3rd gear 80% of the time, even climbing steep hills at 25mph... We'll see how the switch pitch T/C helps here. Thanks.


The 2.73:1 final drive should save you A LOT of gasoline, besides prolonging the
life of the engine. Don't forget the speedo gears will need to be updated. I think
they put in the original 3.21:1 final drive to get the engine top hp output at the
car top speed of 130mph, and generally make it more responsive. But an electronically
controlled switch pitch trans and 2.73 will perform as well as a 3.21, if you don't
need 130mph. However the cross over shaft on a Cad has different mounting brackets,
you might want to find one from a 68-78 Toro, along with the final drive mount.

I run a 2.73:1 using your trans, but a GMC POWER DRIVE chain with a ratio of 57:65
makes it look overall like 2.40:1 in my 79 Eldo. My POWER DRIVE is reversed for
economy, in a GMC it makes a 3.21 look like a 3.66. good luck, Bruce Roe

Mikel
Posts: 134
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:26 am
TOA Membership Number: 100
Location: New Haven, CT

Re: Eldorado brake calipers

Postby Mikel » Fri Feb 16, 2018 2:56 pm

Thanks Bruce. We'll see how that goes.

Does anyone know where I can find new boots for the inner tie rod ends for a '66? Mine are very tight, but the boots are in bad shape. It would be nice to save some money and just replace the boots...

Thanks.

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Otto Skorzeny
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Years Owned: 1966 Toronado

Re: Eldorado brake calipers

Postby Otto Skorzeny » Fri Feb 16, 2018 7:26 pm

Rock Auto sells assorted sizes of tie rod end boots.

http://www.rockauto.com/en/tools/steeri ... boot,10659

RussBarnes
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Years Owned: '67 Toronado

Re: Eldorado brake calipers

Postby RussBarnes » Tue Jan 29, 2019 3:48 pm

Bruce,
I'm installing '76 Eldorado front parts onto my '67 Toro to have front discs. I found one thing that is puzzling and wondered if you ran into it.

On the outside of the front steering knuckle there is a bolted on cap called a "bearing retainer" in the Cadillac service manual I have. Between it and the knuckle they show a "spacer". My used front parts came to me fully assembled and I had the metal parts blasted and most powder painted. But when I disassembled them there was nothing between the bearing retainers and the knuckles. I haven't yet pressed the bearings and seals into the knuckles yet to see if there is a need for a spacer, but before I start I wanted to see if this is a needed part? I have searched several online suppliers and Cadillac and Toronado forums and can find no reference to it. I did find a part on eBay that Jeep uses that looks the same, triangle with large center hole and three bolt holes.

Thanks, Russ Barnes

bcroe
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 12:25 pm
TOA Membership Number: 378
Years Owned: 79 Toronado or Eldorado

Eldorado brake calipers

Postby bcroe » Wed Jan 30, 2019 6:14 pm

While I have tried to keep a lot of earlier E car drive trains redirected from
scrap to users doing upgrades, and upgraded my GEN III 79 to a GEN II
drive train, I don't have any hands on knowledge of GEN I or II brake and
suspension issues, sorry. Bruce Roe

dap8
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2019 1:38 pm
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Years Owned: 1952 MG
1949 Packard
1976 Eldorado
1966 Toronado

Re: Eldorado brake calipers

Postby dap8 » Thu Jan 31, 2019 10:30 am

This discussion was just what I hoped to find at the TOR Forum. I bought a fine '66 Toro. My repairer installed two new CV axles to fix a dragging left side brake shoe which is still dragging. Would have saved big bucks had I gotten Forum advice before letting the local guy take over. OTOH the dragging side axle leaked grease and probably needed replacing. Back to the shop today to fix the hot wheel.

BTW I recently bought '76 Eldo CV which doesn't need anything except warmer weather so I can exercise the top.


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