Thanks to the search function and this great web site, I was able to get front discs on my 48 F-68, complete with retaining the 8 bolt wheel pattern. Calipers and mounting brakets with some modification from a 75 F-250, discs and studs new from 77 F-250 4X4. Minor machining on the disc bore to accept the original hub, no need to change spindle. The 16.5 wheels and radial tires are also off the 75, no more widowmakers. On to the back drums!
Pictures in my gallery.
Thanks again guys for great information.

 

Looks awesome, when the day comes that my front drums are no longer any good I'll do the swap, thanks.

 

I like your set up. It looks easy. The center bore on the mounting plate is easy enough to change...but what about the bore on the rotor hub. How much machining is envolved? What holes did you have to fill and redrill on the 75 mounting plate? I read about olyoils set up and yours seems to be easier.
What pads did you use 77 4*4?
I also think irondragon is doing a conversion...I wonder how his set up is going?

 

Mounting plate had to open center by about 1/8 inch total overall diameter, mark with felt pen and used a dye-grinder, The four mounting bolt holes have to be relocated, welded in plugs of 1/2 rod, pilot drill hole and again opened up with dye grinder (welded in section too hard to drill). The rotor only needed the center chamfer opened up by an extra 3/16 to accept the machined surface on the back side of the hub, about 5 min on a lathe. Pads are off the 75 2wd calipers, will be rebuilding and installing calipers today.

 

Sounds too easy...keep this list handy as I'm sure alot of us bigger truck owners want the disc option, but still want to keep the 8 lugs.

 

Is the 75 mounting bracket different then other years, or was it just one you had hanging around? Would other years fit? Why not the 77?

 

A guy I work with blew the rear end out of his 75 F-250 2WD camper special about a year ago, been sitting in his yard since- he went and bought a new ranger. I wanted the wheels, seamed like the brakes would make a good swap as well. My old wheels were the firestone 17 inch. Still had the original 1948 rubber on the front end!!!! rotten much!
The caliper is the heavy duty and goes on the front of the disc, the rear mounting ones may interfere with the tierod and steering arm.

 

I'm happy to see you made it work. Can't wait to try it on my truck. Thanks for the pics.

 

Just an update on finishing up the front disc project. Had some fun today- the 77 4x4discs are a bit fatter across than the 75, had to shave a bit of material off of the caliper back frame, and shimms between the piston body and the back frame. Also, as the original hub had the brake disc on the outer face, I had to reinstall the hub section cut out of the original drum as a wheel spacer to maintain clearance to the calipers. Alway's some little thing when your fabricating something up that wasn't built by the factory!!
I will get more pictures posted tomorrow.

 

It may be a stupid question but I have to ask....if your using the mounts and calipers from a 75 4*2, why use the rotor hub from a 77 4*4? Couldn't you have matched them and used all 75 parts?

 

In retrospect- possibly, but search from previous posts seamed to go with the 77, and when going through the parts lists with NAPA, it looked like the earlier discs were hub assemblies, which would mean that the original spindles etc would have to also be changed out, which would be a major PITA. But if I were starting the job over, would be worth checking out to avoid the caliper problems I had. Pictures uploading now.

 

Did you have any problems with position of the shocks like oilyowl? I also read in some of the searches that the backing plate has to come off a F350 or a F250 with crew cab, otherwise the backing plate is one with the spindal. Can you shed some light. Sorry for all the questions, but I really want disc brakes and and want to keep the eight lugs as well. I'm getting the parts over the next couple months to start once snow flies. There is a rolling mill 20 minutes from the city and older parts are hard to come by. If its more then 20 years, it probably crushed. So searching at times is difficult.

 

All my parts came off of the 75 F-250 club cab-camper special (Caliper bracket, caliper and cooling baffle), other than the disc, linings and wheel studs new purchase, the hub spindle, bearings etc are original. No other fit issues other than what I've already posted.
The 75 rotor is a complete disc-hub assembly, the spindle is larger than the 48, so it was too much bother to try and swap all that on to the original axles.

 

nice upgrade............ looks like a great job

 

OOPS- my bad- wheels turn out really good, but not in!! looks like I DO need to fabricate a bracket to move the shock lower mount slightly inboard to clear the caliper- just so damn enthused with the progress so far- oh well, one more detail to work on.