I came across this mechanical caliper and double brackets so a guy could run both hydro calipers and cable activated mechanical ones on each wheel to get a great ebrake/parking brake. 2660x2

I wonder if those are Mercedes Benz calipers? I doubt TSM is manufacturing new calipers, so they must be getting them somewhere, and I'd like to know where to cut out the middle man, and cut out the huge mark-up. Does anyone know who makes these calipers?

 

You only need one caliper per side, not two.

Have a look at this : 2660

 

More than 7 years ago I tried those calipers. The TSP ebrake calipers are nothing more than GM El Dorado calipers. Anyone who has used them knows they are bunko. That is well known. The purpose of having two calipers per side is so you get both dependability in braking, and with the parking brake ability of a manual caliper. Why do you think TSP came out with the dual caliper brackets????

 

that's a hefty price for a set of 4 calipers... Not sure I would want 4 calipers just for the rear wheels, but I'm sure it would work.

 

If you used TSM's calipers, part number 3120, 7 years ago and they were crap, then I'm in for a sh$tty surprise shortly !

I'm quietly confident that they won't be bunko though.

You might find these links useful :

https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...make/chevrolet (12.5'' wide compared to TSM's)

GLO Dana 60 & 70 Disc Conversion Kit (These are stupidly strong ! )

That's $130 cheaper than TSM.

TSM came out with dual caliper brackets for people with existing rear disc conversions done without e-brake calipers, and yes, their calipers are based on 76-78 Caddy El Dorado's because those are the most commonly used in conversions.

 

WARNING TSM'S ROTORS ARE MADE ON SITE!

Meaning if you ever need a new rotor you will have to buy specifically from them.
I was looking into this also, BUT when I started contacting them for info it became clear.

If you buy this kit - you will be buying serviceable parts from them forever

 

I don't agree with that statement. TSM came out with double brackets b/c word got out that the GM calipers with p/brake they were selling did not supply a good p/brake. That is why people use the front caliper from a 1975 chevy truck with the rotor, in the rear on dana 60's. They didn't go out of their way and design brackets to hold two calipers because their e/brake caliper (and I should say p/brake caliper, because to call it an e/brake caliper is a gross over-statement) were all you needed. But thanks to the links that I already knew about. My brackets are made by that company. I hope your calipers work great. However, after about 3 months, I believe you'll find that they barely keep the truck from rolling, and TSM will say, 'your calipers are out of adjustment.' But I hope they work great. I found they stop the truck real well, but are terribly lacking as p/brakes.

 

Haha, that's the statement I got when I inquired about the manual calipers you are looking at.

For info, and following on from what Airborne said above, the Chev rotors are 12.50'' in diameter, but the TSM ones are 12.75''.

Looking at my GLO bracket, Chev rotors, and TSM calipers, which are mock assembled, sitting on a table, it looks like a TSM bracket for single rotors would not work with the common Chev rotors and calipers.
(Part of the pads would be off the disc.)

Fair enough, one doesn't have to change rotors often, but I was put off by the 12.75'' diameter and price.

I had read previously that the 'p/brake' calipers are not self adjusting and assumed that I'll be adjusting them manually.
(Yeah, probably after about 3 months. LOL)

If my Dana 70 dually disc conversion is a success, I'll do a detailed thread on the conversion, and an update 3 months thereafter.

Excuse my ignorance, but did you ever try adjusting yours manually periodically ?

I'll be relying on the instructions attached, hence my 'quietly confident' comment.

 

I hope they work fabulously for you. I don't know how many times I have seen those instructions or ones just them. Most of the guys on the forums that have tried those calipers, had one form or another of those instructions. I had them. I too was confident they would work wonderfully and that I'd end up laughing at all the guys who couldn't figure them out, but ... I was wrong. Take a look at the photo below. The only thing that activates the p/brake is one bolt thread. One bolt pushes the pads against the rotor, and is supposed to hold a what... three ton vehicle? Image the force required to twist that bolt enough.



Those threads are all that activate the p/brake. The simple mechanics of it are such that it ain't got 'nough gumthem to get the job done, imho. Oh, and btw, I like the GLO brackets a lot better when they looked like this, but then they were just starting out and selling stuff to guys over the Pirate forum. I think that if there were gears involved to amplify the force, as found in the electric p/brake calipers on modern vehicles, then we'd be having a whole diff. conversation. As I said, I hope they work great for you. However, it is my experience, no matter what you report, that they do not work well.



I guess they decided they could save a nicket per bracket by not having their bracket go all the way around the axle, and hey, who cares if they look half as strong? I won't argue this point any longer. Good luck.

 

Sounds like I'll be keeping my drum brakes...

 

Many thanks for the pictures and comments.

My quiet confidence up and left me ! LOL

 

F250 Restorer

I purchased their kit for my Sterling 10.25 but I got the hydraulic single brake package without the mechanical e-brake so they are a GM 1T single piston front calipers. For the e-brake I purchased their mechanical set up for the New Process 205 since my 68 F250 is a 4x4. I will agree the rotors are specific to the TSM kit and I will have to purchase replacements from them but I don't foresee a lot of miles on this truck so maybe it will not be an issue. Or maybe I'll just purchase a set now and be good for a long time to come.

cstoyer