I have a 58 F-100 short bed project and a 78 F-100 long bed parts truck.

Can I use the 78 disc spindles on the 58 I-Beam along with converting to
cross steering by using the 78 power box?

will the 78 backing plates and drums fit the 58 rear axle ?

 

Studebakerhawk,

i see this is an old post but I have been scouring the threads and everyone seems to become mute when it come to answering questions about brake parts compatibility between 57-60 and newer models.

i too have a 58 F100 and I have a 76 F250 2wd. I want to glean as much as I can from the 76. Plan on using the engine/trans, gas tank, seat, steering column, heater/ac, and whatever else I can. My 58 sat behind a barn since 1969 and the brakes (everything but the backing plates) disintegrated when I took it apart (with a mini sledge that is...).

Did you get anywhere with the brakes swap? How about the power steering?

 

I ended up going a totally different direction because I wasn't able to get any clear answers. I got a front suspension out of a 2005 Crown Victoria PI. 12 inch rotors, power rack and pinion !

 

When I want to know gow spindles will fir I go to rock auto and look up the king pins for both and first off decide if they are near the same diameter. Then measure the space of the axle next. If all that is close you can make them work.
Someone has to be the first to do it. Be a pioneer, not just a sheeple.

 

I don't know of any later year brake parts that can be used easily on the 57-60. We don't answer usually because we don't know the answer and we hope someone can find one that works. So far no go. My front discs conversion from ECI uses the existing spindles, a laser cut adapter, GM calipers and late 70's ford rotors.

 

I haven't done this to an F-100 but have converted a few older ones to discs. If the backing plate is bolted on, and I'm sure it is, I just get the cheap GM caliper mounts from Speedway or one of the race car suppliers. They are made to weld on a rear end so I just add some plate and modify them to bolt right on. On some vehicles, like my buddys 37, we used S-10 rotor/hubs and made a spacer to go behind the bearing for the seal to ride on. This was because the 37 had a longer space between the inner and outer bearings. On my rod, I am running an econoline axle and just drove out the studs to remove the drum and used Aerostar 4x4 front rotors on original hubs. Crown vic ones would also work but too big for my 14" wheels. We did the same thing on another buddys 39 International. It's really easy, and usually less than half the price of a kit. Plus you did it yourself and to me that's what rodding is all about.

 

While there are a lot of things Ford didn't change through the years that might work on the '57-'60s, the other key to your dilemma is ½ ton and ¾ ton. As for wheel/brake components, a lot of that won't interchange even within the same year model.