I have been reading many threads but its very hard to piece all this stuff together.

I am doing a frame up restoration and currently just completely disassembled the front brakes/spindle/kingpin/etc

I am considering converting both front and back to disc brakes. I have an 8 lug Dana 60 rear end that might not be original, but haven't looked at it any further to see what the gear ratio is. I am new to all this stuff.

What I would like is to find out where I can get all the conversion parts for everything needed to fix the front and back. I have found some links on this site but they just raise more questions for me. Who makes parts for the front, the rear? What master cylinder kit would I need?

For example: this site shows a conversion for the front, but the picture does not tell me how the unit mounts on the original spindle.
Ford F2 & F3

Thanks for any help.


Any suggestions?

 

Welcome SizekingTX! The Streetrod Manufacturing kit works fantastic on these old trucks. This kit contains rotors that you would use to replace the drum on the original hub (remove the 3 retaining screws, if they are still present, and seperate the drum from the hub, install rotor over wheel studs), and the mounting bracket for the caliper uses the mounting plate (which is part of the axle) of the original backing plate. The spindle (axle), bearings, hub, seal, and bearing cap are all original pieces. Bearings, races, and seals are still currently available in the aftermarket from Timken, National, and others. The rotors are current production units modified by TSM to fit the smaller 1/2" studs your truck uses. This is why the rotor pictured has 16 holes in it.

-Stephen

 

I have an F2 series with 8 lugs. The lugs are attached to the drum, and the bearings mount inside the drum onto the spindle

 

Correct on the 8 lug F2. Check out this link for a picture of the stock drum
1948-1951 Ford Pickup Truck Front Brake Drum - 8 Lug - 48 To Early 51 - F2 & F3 - MAC's Antique Auto Parts

The drum is mounted to the hub with 3 screws, the 8 studs go through holes in the drum, and the hub houses the bearings. Take a closer look at what you've got there. F2 and F3 use a separate hub and drum, not an assembly. Due to years of corrosion, they are often difficult to separate, often needing the mounting screws drilled out and the drum heated, and the use of the large hammer.

-Stephen

 

For rear disc brake brakes there are two styles:

Caliper actuated park brake
-Nearly all bolt on kits use this style
-Has a mechanical linkage on the caliper to turn a threaded rod to push piston out
-Consists of 1976-78 Eldorado calipers
-Marginal holding capacity and requires constant use to keep proper adjustment
-Never factory equipped on anything bigger than a car.

Drum in Hat
-Current style used by OEM vehicles
-Has a small drum brake setup inside the middle of the rotor
-No current bolt on kit for 8 lug rear axles. Requires adapting factory parts.
-Excellent holding capacity and will work in case of caliper failure.
-Used on vehicles up to 15000 GVW

I did a write up on adapting the drum in hat style here:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...250-350-a.html

As for what master to use, it depends on what size of calipers you choose and what size of booster you can fit (under floor vs firewall). Master size will range from 1" - 1 5/16". Boosters are the tricky part as their multiplication specification is not listed (Trust me I've looked). It can range from 2 - 6 and even be different if the same diameter.

 

That Dana 60 wasn't stock in 1948. It probably came from a 70's vintage F250. That is the popular swap to get a decent gear ratio in an F2 or F3.

The drum brakes on the Dana 60 are probably more than adequate. I would focus on the fronts for disk brakes. You should figure out what you have before you make plans for the backs.

Dan

 

Thanks for that info. I was suspicious since the axle mounts had built in shock mount studs, and they were turned around backwards. So someone used the mounts that were originally welded on the axle.

 

Thanks for all the info. Guess I will have to inspect those drums further and grind off some rust. I know I don't have to tell some of you how hard it is to remove the dirt and grime from these old trucks just to reach the bolts. That old west Texas mud turned to concrete over the years, and I actually had to use a chisel to access both spindle assemblies. But now they are off!

I will be fine with disc brakes in the front and drums in the back


I found some guy selling Power Booster brackets, would I need this? could you suggest what type of master cylinder could be attached to it?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1947-48-49-50-51-52-Power-Booster-Truck-Bracket-/161014576750?vxp=mtr
I want to keep the stock brake where it is

 

I imagine that mount was designed for a F-1 so it will require modification as the F2-F6 pedal bolt pattern is slightly larger.