1952 Chevy Gets Big Brakes & A 9-Inch Rear- Street Rodder Road Tour '09

Brake Pads
The effectiveness and wear rate of brake pads vary dramatically. Some have to get hot to work their best while others fade rapidly when they get hot; some last for a long time but are hard on rotors, while others wear rapidly. Our calipers came with PolyMatrix brake pads that offer high resistance to fade, long wear, and the low rotor abrasion.

Caliper Brackets And Hardware
Our brake kits came with light but extremely strong aluminum caliper mounting brackets with steel threaded bolt hole inserts, grade 8 fasteners, and alignment shims. The rear caliper mounting brackets also secure the parking brake assemblies to the axle tubes.

Parking Brake
There are a number of methods incorporating a parking brake into rear disc brakes, such as calipers with built-in mechanisms to mechanically apply the brakes, small, separate mechanical calipers on the rear rotors, or a disc on the pinion yoke and the internal shoe design used in our Wilwood kit. The latter not only works best, but it's completely hidden inside the rotor hat for a clean look.

Other Parts And Pieces
To complete the brake system we used a Wilwood master cylinder (part number 260-9439-P) and proportioning valve (part number 260-8419).

9-Inch Tips
Without a doubt, the most popular rear end to put under any high-performance vehicle is the Ford 9-inch. They're extremely rugged, a wide range of gear ratios are available, and there are a variety of traction-enhancing differentials that can be installed. About the only problem with them is OEM units are getting harder to find, but thanks to Strange Engineering, axle housings and every other part required to build a new assembly are as close as your phone. The Strange axle housing under our Chevy had all the necessary brackets welded in place at Art Morrison's, so all the guys at Woody's had to do was install the center section and axles. Speaking of the center section, we used a Strange S-series case. Made from nodular iron it accepts 28, 31, 33, and 35-spline axle combinations and is clearanced internally for posi units.

When it comes to axles for street use, Strange has developed the very affordable S/S series. Made from forged steel these axles are induction hardened after machining making them much stronger the OEM shafts. Available in 28 and 31-splines, we chose 31-spline for the 38% greater torque capacity they offer. For street and strip use, Strange offers the larger diameter S/T series with 35 splines.

New gears and bearings will initially generate higher than normal operating temperatures, and while it's not often followed, there is a break-in procedure for street gears: No harsh acceleration. Drive the vehicle 50 miles, then let the car sit for an hour to allow the differential to cool down. Repeat this sequence for a total of 250 miles. At 500 miles, drain the fluid and clean the inside of the housing. Re-seal the housing and fill with the proper amount of gear lube and add posi additive (if needed).

Although following the break-in procedure is advised, another way to ensure a long life from our U.S. Gear ring and pinion is opting for the Micro Blue process now offered by Strange. A micron thick finishing procedure, Micro Blue allows the gear lubricant to be more effective that reduces operating friction and wear.

So What's Next?
Our Road Tour Chevy is shaping up, but the crew at Woody's still has a lot to do and a few tricks up their collective sleeves that we'll be passing along to you. We can guarantee the end result is going to be worth waiting for.