Brake Kit Fitment
Brakes are a crucial part to any project. We all like to go fast, and being able to stop when we want is also preferred. With so many options on the market today, we thought it best to walk you through how to know if that big brake kit you are looking at is going to fit behind your rolling stock.
The first thing anyone thinks of is of course whether or not the rotor will fit behind the wheel. However, there is so much more to it than just that. Caliper width and height, bolt pattern, how many pistons are in the caliper, drilled or not, slotted or not, the list can go on and on. Don’t worry though; we will try to make it a little less daunting.
It essentially comes down to clearance, either you have it, or you don't.
The majority of brake kits available today will already have a wheel clearance diagram included in the instructions. These diagrams will tell you the minimum allowable distance for the interior of the wheel. Some manufacturers have also designed templates that you can print out and cut out to get an idea of fitment. And several of the kits Speedway offers are arranged in an application specific order.
One quick way to estimate the possible size of your kit is to measure the inside of the wheel from bell to bell. That’s in between the red lines on the picture. Subtract about an inch for the height of the caliper, and you have a rough idea of what size kit you can put on your project. That doesn’t take into account the width of the caliper (that would be between the blue lines), or the other hardware associated, it is just an estimate.
Keep in mind that if you are building a custom vehicle, the sub-frame choice may also make a difference. Certain sub-frames have taller spindles, which may lead to clearance issues. It is always a good idea to know what is behind your wheel and tire when selecting a brake kit.
