Ok my buddy has me thinking about rear discs now. He has a Dana 70 in the rear of his 4x4 and he put them on it himself with junkyard parts. He used backing plates and calipers from a chev 4x4 1/2 ton and regular ford eight bolt rotors. I was looking at it last night and it looks really clean. He didn't put on any emergency brakes but he said I would just have to get calipers for a caddy or something. The reason I'm thinking about it is because I have to change out the housing and do the brakes on my dana 60 (mine's bent) and I figured discs would be better for towing and maybe save me some weight as well. Any thoughts?

 

freejay
i think this is a fantastic idea
not sure how necessary though
please post results and procedure as i may want to do this myself
depending on cost and hassle vs. result

 

Guys this is the route I was thinking about taking with my 70 crewcab after I get my D44 disk up front done then a rear disk from these guys. http://www.pirate4x4.com/productreviews/disk_brakes/

 

I am Keeping my rear drum disc's burn up alot fasted then drum and they get more bite it what the 18 wheeler use and mine stock just fine so i dont think i want to put disc's on the rear of a F-250 or any biger maybe a 1/2 ton tho.....but if it work out let me know always open to new idea's

 

I wonder why the web site says 72 up D60s? What would be different about a pre 72 D60 axle?

 

All the new fords pu come factory w/ rear disc brakes even the f450 w/ dana 70 .
If you have huge rubber and want better stopping, the best easist way is to use bigger diameter rotors. GM's P chassie (bread van) use's the jb8 rpo and a dana 70 rear axle. the only draw back is they need a drive shaft pbrake.
I'm not sure which of the new ford rdisc will lend it self to reto'ing old stuff, hav'nt play'd w/ them enough yet. Ford new stuff has a pbrake similar to the corvette, 2 small shoes using the center of the rotor for a drum cable activated.
Check them out and tell me what you think
Wes

 

delete....

 

delete....

 

Here's another, all Ford, option.
NORTH COUNTRY SPECIALTIES ®

There is a reason almost everyone has gone to 4 wheel discs.

 

There is an easier all-Ford option. As Econolines used Dana 60's to the end of their life, then grab a set of rear disc brakes from 99+ (Jeff knows when they started rear disc brakes exactly as I took a quick look at NAPA for parts) E-250/350's at the JY. No having to fiddle with stuff to make it work.

 

True story Rich. 1999 1st year Econolines got disc brakes as an option. That year Ford lists Disc brakes and 12" x 3" drum brakes both being possible.

 

So 1 year only for the Econo disk brake? What kind of e-brake setup?

 

1999 was phase-in of the disc brakes so they had both for 99, as per Jeff. After that were used until 2013. I believe that they have integral e-brakes like the SD's, but I haven't looked under one. I could run down to a friends and check his. They do use 8 x 6.5" wheels which are not what SD's use.

 

Thanks Rich, plenty of E's around here so as soon as it warms up I'll check it out!

 

Econolines have the park brake shoe style inside the rotors.