I heard that some early 80's ford f100's had the small "car lug pattern" rotors, is this true?
And if so can I take those rotors and install them on my 82' f150 front end that is 2wd?

I am trying to see if that swap will work so I can get a set of welds wheels for my stepside. Weld does not make the rims I want in the bigger 5 lug pattern, only in the smaller "car pattern". If anyone knows about this please let me know. I would like to take advantage of the swap.

 

With the small pattern, you get the small brakes too. Your best plan in my opinion is to go to ebay and buy some adapters to fit your wheels.

 

What about redrilling your spindles and rotors? Should be easy enough to do.

 

I will check into it further, thnx

 

1980/83 F100's were advertised by Ford as a Light Truck and have 4.50" bolt pattern wheels, swiss cheese frames, smaller brakes, different calipers, spindles, springs, shocks and some different front suspension bits, than 1980/83 F150's do.

 

Actually Ford referred to the whole F100 thru F350 as Light Trucks.
Reference: 83 Ford Lt Truck Specifications Book

 

Im in the same position but I have a 1966 f-100, I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE MY LUG PATTERN TO A SMALLER.

 

Same options apply, adapters or re-drilling. I believe a lot of the older truck guys like to lower them while they are customizing, and also get a better car-like ride. So they go with a mustang II, volare, or some other complete suspension swap. That would give you the smaller lug pattern too.

 

Ok back at it again....... I been checking around, the rotors are smaller in diameter and the calipers have a smaller piston. I don't mind the smaller brakes in the front since this is only a drag truck not on the street. I think it would be possible to replace caliper and rotor with the smaller stuff, to get the 4.5 pattern. The axles I am good with I have that taken care of, just have to get the front done so I can use the weld wheels I want. I am going to check the bearing and race sizes and see if the smaller rotors will fit the spindles. Doesn't seem to be anything listed on the internet about swapping, I googled for a few hours and could not find anything except swappin out front suspensions. Too pricey for what I am doing.

 

Must not have a real fast drag truck if you're okay with downgrading your brakes. I was loving the good brakes of my extremely slow 01 F150 V6 when i took it down the track. Just some food for thought.

 

Considering your front brakes handle 90% of your stopping power I would want real good front brakes.....

 

So what are you saying scottie? That a full bodied car (heavier) with the same size brakes that a f100 has can't stop as good as a stripped out pick up (lighter) with the same size brakes? Think about it....... 10 second pass in a heavier ford car....then......10 second pass in a stripped out f100 short bed stepside.

I agree the bigger brakes would be nice, but not needed.

 

As they say- to each their own. But, for one I doubt there are many 10 second cars running stock brakes, let alone downgraded brakes. Second, I doubt even more that you have a ten second truck. Not because it isn't doable, but because if you did, you wouldn't even consider this downgrade. How much do you think your stripped out pick up weighs? Still not much(if at all) less than 2 tons. My not stripped out 01 reg cab stepside(which is fiberglass not steel) weighed nearly 4500 lbs. I don't see a lot of LTD or Crown Vic drag cars out there, probably for that reason. I'm not saying your brakes won't stop the truck, I'm just saying that your 2 and 2 isn't equalling 4. You're talking fast and slow at the same time.

 

First of all I didn't get on here to get flamed. Second of all.. all I was saying is that the smaller brakes on the truck are comparable to ford auto's (size wise) ie: older mustang, cougar,fairlane,galaxie. I also know alot of guys who own 10 second cars with stock brakes. Yes it is a 10 second truck weighing 3800 lbs, all motor, all day long. The cab is metal and the bed is wood, steel, fiberglass fenders.

As I mentioned earlier I didn't come on here to get flamed, I been on here for quite sometime. I have just grown tired of the people who think they are better then everyone else. You ask a simple question and bam you get flamed by someone who thinks they know it all. So.... thanks for the good reading over the years.
With that I retire my screen name and membership to ford truck forums. Thanks to you scottie for giving me the push I needed.
I hope they start a flamer forum so you can moderate it.