This weekend my wife decided that we all needed to go to the coast.. about 200 West from here over the Mountains .. We took are 91 Ford Van Areostar all wheel drive.. Well there weekend it self was ok.. But the trip home was a nightmare.. 1st off the van winshield was pitted to ---- .. So new winshield on its way.. Than on the 1st climb from 101 299E the tranny blows the foward seal.. .. This at 10pm.. So we got towed to a small town and parked the van out of the way ( thank god for AAA ) that put us 150 Miles from home.. Call great grand parents ( Night Olds also ) They came and got us.. this was Sunday night.. get home at about 4:30 am.. Its a 150 mile on windy and twisty roads that climb and fall over 3500 above sea level many times... Slept intill about 8am.. Go and rent a tow dolly and hook it up to my 1960 F-100.. 99% stock with a 223 4speed man tranny. 3.25 rear and 31-10.5-15 tires, No power anything.. And I drive 4 hours to get the van.. ( That was the easy part ) Retrieve the van.. and head backabout 1pm.. After 6 hours of slow driving, And a lot of white knuckle down hill moments ( Major break fade down hill ) And A few 10 mph up hill climbs I get the van home.. I passed a few other trucks that where towing loads that couldnt get up the hills at all.. I even pulled a 2004 Dodge 2500 that was pulling a 35ft 5th wheell up one hill .. The dude was Amazed that this old truck could pull his rig, My van and his trailer all at the same time.. ( thik the Van a tad longer now ) I love the granny gear in this thing.. it took 45 mins to cover a 1/2 up hill climb.. but it did it.. And the whole time the old gal never over heated or chuged at all..

So After this weekend my wife has ok me doing more mods to the truck.. 1st thing is breaks.. So anyone out there know what scrape yard disk will fit my OEM hubs?

 

I just KNEW there was a reason to keep those old trucks running. To make them stop check www.ecihotrodbrakes.com. That's what is on the 60 F-100 we have. It will stop on a dime. There are basic kits and complete kits. I chose the complete just to save hassle on gathering up parts. It uses 93 and older F-150 rotors and some combination of bearings I can't recall to fit the stock spindles.

Bob
60 F-100
95 F-150

 

There are several kits around that offer discs on the straight axle. Some have done it already.....I'm saving my pennies to do it. Mountains......single brake system.....drums.....towing.....BRAAAAVE !!
Good news for the strenght of the ol truck though.

 

I know of some of the kits.. Im thinking of piece millin it togather becouse of cost.. But if a kits all I can do.. than thats life..

 

Madathalon,

I installed ECI's basic kit on my 49. I bought the basic kit becasue I already had most of the other parts already. The basic kit includes the bearing adapters and the caliper brackets. It requires the late 70's thru early 90's Ford F-150 rotors, inner bearings, and seals and mid 70's midsize GM outer bearings and calipers.

If you go this route, make sure you clean up the spindles good. and when you go to install the bearing adapters stick them in the oven and heat them up, then one at a time take them out and slip them on the spindles (you might have to tap them on to seat them) but the heating helps to expand them a bit and reduces the amount of beating youhave to do on them.

Good luck, and I'm glad that the old beast was able to save the day

Bobby

 

Mad, I like your style! And any time we can assist a Dodge or even a Chev over a hill we should!

Sorry to hear about your problems with the Aerostar. They are very hard to work on! I had a nice awd V6 one I sold because I was too old and stiff to work on it! One of the few cars I wish I hadn't sold.

With all the talk about using an Aerostar front end as an IFS, I have been thinking how nice a rig it would make to use a V6 and the awd under a 49 - 52 F100.

 

Bobbytnm, thanks for the info about the races..

WillyB.. IFS from the van.. I could just see my wife after I cut apart her van for the IFS when all I need to do is replace a front main seal for the tranny.. .. But thanks for the Idea.. Maybe when it really dies.. I have already pulled the tranny and ordered the seal..

Ya I love helping the Dodge 2500.. I was rolling all the way up

 

Gotta tell you... Going from Chico to Eureka over 299 was the BEST DRIVE I EVER MADE in my 64 Falcon Conv. Got to race several folks at various points. They were pretty surprised at the performance of the old "Pelican."

 

I my self cant see any place on 299 where Id resk racing on the narrow cliff ridden road on the mountain range.. Now maybe from I5 to redding.. but not 299.. Ther way to many places to end up in the river or worse.. But I will say the drive to the van was a nice one.. But towing the van back was a whole nother story.. Once you factor in that I had no power brakes. Drums only al stock.. And no power steering.. its a whole diffrent world there..

 

Yes, California is known for its freeways, but it also has some of the worst mountain roads in the country. I grew up in Wyo and Colo, and their mountain roads do not have as steep a grade or as sharp a curve as California's. We have 6 and 8 lane nightmares, or narrow 2 lane roads with no shoulders and lots of blind curves - and everyone taking their half out of the middle.

However, the only road that actually scared me was the loop around Crater Lake in Oregon. A 500 foot drop into the lake on one side, and a 1000 foot drop onto rocks on the other. Worth the trip ONCE, but next time I will walk.

 

The price of rotors isn't that bad anymore, I purchased mine from Chief. Also picked up calipers from a 76 Buick Estate Wagon. I purchased the caliper mounting plates, and bearing adaptors from th local streetrod shop.

Rod

 

Ya.. Im planning of doing the front disk thing as soon as the funds are ready.. Man brakes are no problem for my.. but I do plan on changing the single master to a duel soon.. Just have to find one that a bolt on for the truck..