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First off, I've been perusing the site heavily for the last few weeks, and I absolutely appreciate the wealth of info here. I just picked up my first sand rail, and I'm looking to add front brakes.

It already has a new set of drilled rotors installed by the previous owner, but no calipers or brackets. It's a link pin setup.

Is the EMPI 22-2880 kit my best path forward? Buying the individual parts that I need (calipers, brackets, and pads) from that kit is actually more costly than buying the complete kit and ending up with spare parts.
https://www.jbugs.com/product/22-2880.html


Is the AC Industries 498420 the better path? https://socalautoparts.com/product/no-h ... -spindles/

As mentioned, I'm a total noob here, so I'm looking for any guidance I can get. The rail already has a dual master cylinder, and I'll produce the lines and hoses.

Thanks!


One gratuitous pic of the rail:

What are you going to be traveling on, dirt, sand both or on roads/streets?

Turning brakes or not. If so, single handle or double handle and how the handles are mounted can make a difference in hookup and bleeding.

I forgot to ask about e-brakes or not.

Lee

If you don't know:

Rear "disc brakes" can have dual slave cylinders on each wheel but no parking brake. I had some help bleeding them last time and the upper chamber on one side was missed so the foot pedal assy and turning brake handles were way-off (soft) and didn't work much. Found the problem during a re-bleed where I did the bleeding and someone else did the foot pedals, so things are now OK. One just has to remember the difference.

Single handle turning brakes are push-pull (you push for one rear brake and pull for the other brake) types which is up to you on how you set them up. I have seen them mounted in so many ways even on the overhead ( ) tubes. One handle is for one rear brake and the other is for the other side. Don't try to use them on the front brakes: shock:

Dual handle brakes you pull only plus they have a third advantage as you pull both handles more softly you can lock the differential giving you the ability to have something like a posi-traction-differential locking device, then letting go and the diff goes back to normal. Those of us who ride on soft materials do use this and use it often.

Lee

Thanks for the reply, Lee.

I'm setting this up mostly for the street.

I have an old Neal turning brake setup (single handle), but I don't plan on installing it at this time.

It currently has rear discs with non-e-brake calipers installed.


Digging further into my options for front calipers/brackets, it looks like these brackets and calipers may be the way to go:

Here is a shot of the current rear setup:
And the current master cylinder arrangement. I will be re-plumbing and re-wiring this rail.

You will need to make modifications to the caliper brackets as they were made for stock link pin spindles.

AdminSteve

AdminSteve wrote: ↑Tue Aug 08, 2023 8:18 am You will need to make modifications to the caliper brackets as they were made for stock link pin spindles.

AdminSteve

Thanks for the reply, Steve. Serious question: what isn't stock about my spindles? I was operating under the impression that they were stock. Is there additional material welded onto the steering arms? Truly just asking these questions to learn, and I appreciate any guidance to avoid buying parts that won't fit.

Thanks!

They have welded gussets on them.

AdminSteve

Gotcha. The half moon gusset on the front side of each will interfere with the brackets, so I'll have to create clearance. Thanks! I had missed that.

To bring closure to this thread, and to help out anyone who searches this topic in the future:

The brakes are installed. I used a pair of EMPI 22-2880-B brackets, calipers and pads for a '79 Rabbit, and I turned a set of caliper slide pins for a '15 Jeep Grand Cherokee down to fit. The brackets did not interfere with the gussets on the spindles.








The machining of the EMPI brackets left a lot to be desired, particularly the cuts for the pad slides that weren't finished. I had to pull both brackets back off the spindles to correct this:

Congratulations Sir. You have front brakes on your rail AND have learned the "EMPI" lesson.

Yep. I knew from reading ahead that many EMPI parts are less than stellar. At least the issue in this circumstance was easily remedied.