Going fast promotes more status and peer approval than stopping quickly. Car enthusiasts love to toss about performance numbers like gross horsepower, 0-60 times, quarter-mile speeds/e.t.'s, and top-speed potential, but when is the last time you heard someone brag about stopping distances? Yet, when you're driving your street rod and a situation arises that might harm you or the car, are you more likely to need horsepower or braking capability?
High-performance brakes are like seatbelts--you hope you never need to use them, but when you do, they're priceless. There are so many excellent brake upgrade systems available that there isn't any reason not to have an effective braking system on a street rod. Front disc brakes are virtually a default item, and rear disc brakes are becoming much more prevalent.
One of the first items secured for the Urban Suburban project was a stump-pulling big-block Chevy engine from Beck Racing Engines. The 496-cube Max Velocity Plus engine produced 564 hp and 563 lb-ft of torque on 91-octane gasoline. That's a wonderfully balanced output, which should propel even the relatively heavy Chevy with ease.
RB's Obsolete's Ray Doe understands the value of first-class brakes on street rods. He wanted brakes equal to the substantial power (and weight) of the Urban Suburban, so he turned to the experts at Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC). The brakes chosen were the SSBC Force 10 four-piston Extreme Duty front disc brakes and the Force 10 four-piston Extreme Duty rear disc brakes.
The Force 10 brake systems are available with a variety of rotor sizes. On the Urban Suburban 13-inch front rotors were selected, while the rear rotors are 14 inches in diameter. Such large rotors necessitate large-diameter wheels for clearance. That isn't a problem on the Urban 'Burban since big wheels and tires were always part of the plan. Billet Specialties SLX 01 wheels were the ingots of choice in sizes 18x8.5 in front and 20x10 in back.
Speaking of big wheels, there is a cosmetic plus to the Force 10 brakes in addition to their outstanding functional value. All that empty space behind the spokes of 20-inch wheels can look kind of vacant. With high-performance disc brakes there's something interesting to see behind the spokes.
All the rotors on the Urban 'Burban are the SSBC Turbo Slotted Rotors. The curved slots are CNC-machined so they look trick, but their main function is to help cool the brakes. The design allows airflow to both cool and clean the rotors. That improves performance, adds life to the rotors, and looks neat in the process.
SSBC also has optional "Xtra-Life" plating that can be added to their rotors. This proprietary anti-corrosion material helps resist rust and keeps all non-wear surfaces looking their best. When you've got a substantial investment in brakes and wheels, the last thing you want to look at is corroded rotors. The SSBC products used on the Suburban all received the full-dress options.
Another SSBC product that is both functional and cosmetic is their set of high-performance carbon Kevlar brake pads. These pads provide superior stopping power, maximum durability, and minimal brake dust. Better stopping response is the best reason to use these premium brake pads, but not having as much brake dust to clean is a nice bonus.
The standard finish on the Force 10 calipers is clear anodizing. Optionally, polished aluminum or powdercoating in red, black, blue, or yellow are available for greater visual appeal. For builders with existing disc brakes, SSBC offers Quick Change caliper upgrade kits. These Force 10 aluminum calipers provide increased stopping power over stock OEM calipers. The Quick Change upgrade kits are available in all the previously mentioned finishes.
There is an additional set of disc brakes on the Urban Suburban. The mechanical parking brake is a Force 10 billet aluminum unit. It is self-adjusting with no disassembly required. The slick little parking brake mounts on the rear rotors next to the actual rear brake calipers. They adapt to most factory and aftermarket parking brake cables.
During the time that the SSBC Force 10 brakes were installed, the brake lines were fitted (they're already plumbed on the rolling chassis) and hooked up to the power master cylinder and inline-proportioning valve.
To handle the massive power of the BRE big-block, a full-tilt B&M automatic transmission was bolted on. From there, the power is transmitted through an Inland Empire Drivelines 3.5-inch aluminum driveshaft to the 9-inch Ford rearend. A strong driveshaft is one of those seemingly mundane items that you wish you had when a stock shaft breaks in the middle of nowhere. A well-built, precisely balanced driveshaft also adds the quality of a car's ride.
During this portion of the buildup, the Rock Valley stainless steel gas tank was installed. The RB's rolling chassis was designed specifically for a Rock Valley tank. On Suburban and Panel trucks, the filler neck in located on the right side. A gas filler door in the right rear fender is necessary. For pickup applications, you can stick with the fender filler or opt for a central filler. With the center filler a small hatch can be positioned in the bed. The Urban Suburban is carbureted, but the Rock Valley tanks can be set up for use with fuel-injected engines, as well.
All the running gear is in place, and the chassis is up on wheels. Fuel and brake lines are all installed. A steering wheel, milk crate, and battery would make the chassis a driver, but as anxious as everyone is to experience the BRE engine, the only current mode of travel is pushing. During the time the chassis and running gear were being assembled, metal magician Alan Swedberg was doing the radical bodywork. Turning the Panel into a Suburban with a Nomad slant will be covered in the next installment.
 During the course of the Urban...  During the course of the Urban Suburban's buildup, the body and chassis have done time in a number of shops, including Ray Doe's home garage. Here, Ray was attending to details of the Rock Valley stainless steel gas tank installation. |
 Disc brakes are the main focus...  Disc brakes are the main focus of this installment. All the trick components came from the Stainless Steel Brake Corporation in Clarence, NY. The Force 10 Extreme four-piston aluminum caliper front and rear kits can be ordered as optional upgrades on the RB's Obsolete rolling chassis for '47-54 GM pickups and Suburbans. |
 A 9-inch brake booster is...  A 9-inch brake booster is standard equipment on the Serious Hardware chassis. It was designed to work well with the SSBC brakes. The booster mounts on the outside of the frame to allow more room for the left side of the exhaust system. |
 The front spindles are dropped...  The front spindles are dropped 1 1/2 inches. SSBC forges the spindles out of high-alloy 4130 steel and heat-treats them for added strength. Grade 8 bolts are used to mount the spindles. The front mounting plates were attached to the spindles. The Turbo Slots match those on the SSBC rotors. They were polished to a mirror-like finish in keeping with all the other optional "show" touches done to this particular system. |
 Here's a close-up of the assembled...  Here's a close-up of the assembled front disc brakes. The four-piston calipers are the top-of-the-line units, but SSBC also offers high-quality single- and dual-piston aluminum calipers. All the necessary hardware, brake pads, and braided lines are included with the SSBC Force 10 four-piston brake kit. The brake pads are carbon Kevlar pads that produce a minimum of annoying brake dust. |
 The rear disc brake mounting...  The rear disc brake mounting plate is secured to the axle flanges with the two C-brackets. |
 The SSBC Force 10 Extreme...  The SSBC Force 10 Extreme aluminum rear calipers were powdercoated black. The rear rotors are 14 inches in diameter, so big wheels, like the 20-inchers used on the Urban Suburban, are necessary for proper clearance. |
 A parking brake is a necessity....  A parking brake is a necessity. SSBC offers a trick billet aluminum mechanical parking brake that attaches to the rear rotor above the caliper. Normally, they are engraved "Force 10," but this special set was made with the RB's logo. This trick parking brake fits rotors up to 14x1 1/2 inches. It is self-adjusting. |
 A residual pressure valve...  A residual pressure valve is necessary to avoid having to pump the brakes. This is a 2-pound valve that is specified for disc brakes. This photo was taken while the lines were being plumbed, so the line on the right side of the valve has yet to be installed. |
 An SSBC proportioning valve...  An SSBC proportioning valve was included in the brake system. The adjustable valve allows you to fine-tune the brakes by balancing the front-to-rear pressure. It was mounted just ahead of the left rear wheelwell with the knob facing the ground but protected by the frame. It can be reached without too much effort. |
 Front wheels are 18x8.5-inch...  Front wheels are 18x8.5-inch Billet Specialty SLX 01 units. You can see the Turbo Slots on the SSBC rotors through the spokes of the wheels. The massive brakes do an excellent job of filling all the space behind the big wheels. Out back, 20x10-inch Billet Specialties wheels surround the jumbo 14-inch SSBC rotors. |
 RB's rolling chassis was designed...  RB's rolling chassis was designed for a Rock Valley gas tank. The stainless-steel tank fits perfectly between the last two crossmembers. The 22-gallon tank should hold enough fuel for extended trips even with the robust big-block engine. |
 Speaking of fuel consumption,...  Speaking of fuel consumption, the Urban Suburban isn't destined to win any economy contests. The Beck Racing Engines 496ci Max Velocity big-block puts out 564 hp and 563 lb-ft of torque. A fully prepped B&M automatic transmission was required to handle all the torque and horsepower of the BRE big-block. |
 To get the torque from the...  To get the torque from the B&M transmission to the 9-inch Ford rearend requires a super strong driveshaft. Inland Empire Driveline built a heavy-duty 3.5-inch aluminum shaft for the Urban Suburban. |