Swap 4 piston caliper to single piston - dust shields and brackets...

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Old Nov 24, 2016 | 08:42 AM
  #1  
shamusj's Avatar
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Swap 4 piston caliper to single piston - dust shields and brackets...

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been a long time since I've worked on my car-
The car has been sitting for decades- all serviceable brake components are frozen or trashed....currenlty have the two piece rotors and 4 piston calipers- I'm not worried about 100% stock look so I think it's best to roll my system to a single piston set up.

Main question I have- will the dust shields from my 4 piston calipers work with the single piston set up?

Caliper brackets - anybody have a set of cheap used ones?

I'll be using the old spindles (I think they will work) and updating to one piece rotors.

Regarding plumbing- my car currently has a hold off valve attached to the master cylinder (per original)- unless theres a smarter way to go- I will simply buy a new master cylinder, new hold off valve and replace the front lines using inline tube. If there's a better way- I'm wide open.


Any help or guidance would be appreciated.

Last edited by shamusj; Nov 24, 2016 at 08:56 AM.
Old Nov 24, 2016 | 11:04 AM
  #2  
2blu442's Avatar
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I'm not positive which parts will interchange. But if your parts are usable as cores to someone wanting the early style you might want to keep all the 4 piston parts together. It might be easier to sell/trade your system for the newer single piston setup. I know I've encountered the 4 pistons setups on both 1967 and 68 Cutlass/442.

On the master cylinder, you could keep the proportioning valve that's bolted to the booster or you could swap out and use the 1971 and newer that has a combination valve. Both the proportioning valve and distribution block are combined in one.

I really like this thread Joe created discussing the front disc brakes. If you have time I'd encourage you to read through it. John

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...sk-brakes.html
Old Nov 24, 2016 | 06:23 PM
  #3  
allyolds68's Avatar
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Originally Posted by shamusj
Happy Thanksgiving!

It's been a long time since I've worked on my car-
The car has been sitting for decades- all serviceable brake components are frozen or trashed....currenlty have the two piece rotors and 4 piston calipers- I'm not worried about 100% stock look so I think it's best to roll my system to a single piston set up.

Main question I have- will the dust shields from my 4 piston calipers work with the single piston set up?

Caliper brackets - anybody have a set of cheap used ones?

I'll be using the old spindles (I think they will work) and updating to one piece rotors.

Regarding plumbing- my car currently has a hold off valve attached to the master cylinder (per original)- unless theres a smarter way to go- I will simply buy a new master cylinder, new hold off valve and replace the front lines using inline tube. If there's a better way- I'm wide open.


Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
The single piston calipers bolt right up. I did the exact same swap. Everything fits. I even used the old hold off valve and distribution block. The only thing I bought was a master cylinder because my old one was junk and the calipers. I bought everything from an auto parts store. Nothing was sourced from a restoration place.
Old Nov 25, 2016 | 06:57 AM
  #4  
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Originally Posted by allyolds68
The single piston calipers bolt right up. I did the exact same swap. Everything fits. I even used the old hold off valve and distribution block. The only thing I bought was a master cylinder because my old one was junk and the calipers. I bought everything from an auto parts store. Nothing was sourced from a restoration place.
I assume you mean that the brackets for the single piston calipers bolt right up. The brackets themselves are completely different. The spindles, however, are the same.

Four piston caliper brackets:



Single piston caliper brackets:

Old Nov 25, 2016 | 07:16 AM
  #5  
allyolds68's Avatar
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
I assume you mean that the brackets for the single piston calipers bolt right up. The brackets themselves are completely different. The spindles, however, are the same.
Yes
Old Nov 25, 2016 | 04:14 PM
  #6  
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Seems to me that the splash shields are different. 1381722-138123 '67 &'68...5463566-5463565 '69-'72.
Old Nov 25, 2016 | 04:42 PM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by Yellowstatue
Seems to me that the splash shields are different. 1381722-138123 '67 &'68...5463566-5463565 '69-'72.
Given the difference in bracket and caliper size, I would have thought that.
Old Nov 17, 2023 | 03:47 PM
  #8  
shamusj's Avatar
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From: San Jose, CA
This old post just answered my new questions....thanks!
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