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Explorer disc brake conversion

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Old Oct 21, 2015 | 06:25 PM
  #16  
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Just curious why you're rebuilding the 9" and not swapping in a complete Explorer axle.
 
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Old Oct 21, 2015 | 06:31 PM
  #17  
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Pulled this axle out of a 84 bronco and I don't have to fab up anything to make it fit. Spring perches are in the right spot, the pinion center is the same as the current axle, the brake lines all match up. Just less fabrication involved. Also don't have stupid C-clip axles and this one was a 31 spline trac loc.
 
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Old Oct 21, 2015 | 11:36 PM
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And everything fits!!! Axles went in and brakes bolted right up! Now to just tweak a few things get things cleaned up and do brake lines, fill and drain plug, and finish the center section. Also need to figure out parking brake cables.








 
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Old Oct 24, 2015 | 09:57 PM
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Welded in a drain plug and got the trac loc all rebuilt and put together.






 
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Old Oct 24, 2015 | 10:43 PM
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Originally Posted by davewild
Welded in a drain plug and got the trac loc all rebuilt and put together.






Looking good.

In 1957, drain plugs were standard equipment in the 9-inch rear end housings. Most but not all '58/'59 9-inch housings got the drain plugs. By 1960, I guess the bean-counters at Ford decided the factory drain plugs didn't need to be installed in the housings anymore.


1959 Ford Fairlane 9-inch housing --err, what's left of it, with the factory 3/8" NPT drain plug.

 
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Old Oct 24, 2015 | 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by loudfords
Just curious why you're rebuilding the 9" and not swapping in a complete Explorer axle.
Originally Posted by davewild
Pulled this axle out of a 84 bronco and I don't have to fab up anything to make it fit. Spring perches are in the right spot, the pinion center is the same as the current axle, the brake lines all match up. Just less fabrication involved. Also don't have stupid C-clip axles and this one was a 31 spline trac loc.

....not to mention the 9-inch is stronger than the 8.8" rear end and gear/3rd member changes are much easier in a 9-inch rear end. The '84 Bronco housing is also the right width for a Dentside. An Explorer 8.8" housing is narrower.
 
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Old Nov 20, 2015 | 03:01 PM
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Picked up parts from the powder coater today!! Now to assemble!


 
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Old Nov 20, 2015 | 06:11 PM
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Looking good!
 
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Old Dec 13, 2015 | 10:44 AM
  #24  
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After seeing your information on getting an '84 Bronco 9-inch rear end with the 'Torino' style large axle bearing flanges, I went to the wrecking yard yesterday and found the same style Torino flange 9-inch rear end under an '81 Ford F150.

It didn't have a Traction-Lok 3rd member but, I have several 31-spline TL 9-inch 3rd members so, that's no problem. The rear end I found has a rediculously high 2.47:1 ratio in it.

I have a set of Explorer rear discs that have been sitting around for years that will go right onto this rear end housing.

The only thing I'm concerned about is the axle lengths. The current (stock) 9-inch rear end under my '69 F100 has equal length axles and equal length axle housing tubes. --Dentside 9-inch rears also have equal length axles/axle tubes.

The '81 F150 Torino style 9-inch has a short side axle/housing tube (on the right side) and a long side axle/housing tube (on the left side). I don't know exactly what this is going to do to the side-to-side alignment of the driveshaft, from the transmission to the rear end (?).











Lots of oil and dirt accumulation on the 3rd member from a leaky pinion seal.




Have you installed the 9-inch rear under your '78 F150 yet, to see what the driveshaft alignment is between the transmission and the '84 Bronco rear end?
 
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Old Dec 13, 2015 | 11:31 AM
  #25  
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Have not installed mine yet, all the measurements I got for spring perch to pinion center line were the same as my 78' F150. Axles when I ordered new ones where only about 1/8" different. From my measurements the pinion yoke is offset to the passenger side on both axles.
 
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Old Dec 13, 2015 | 12:44 PM
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Bumpside and Dentside engines and transmissions were approximately 2" off to the right side of the truck's centerline.

Evidently in the Bullnose trucks, a change was made to put the engines and transmissions on the truck's centerline.

My Bumpside's rear frame rails are 2" inches per side narrower than the Dentside/Bullnose frames, which means I'll have to move the rear end leaf spring perches inward by 2" per side.

....just wondering about the difference in axle lengths and what it's going to mean for the angle of the driveshaft (?).

Thanks for your reply. I would be very interested to see photos of your setup, when you get it installed.
 
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Old Aug 5, 2017 | 08:47 PM
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I found a 1982 F100 that has a 9" and the 5x4.5 boot pattern the other day. I bought the whole truck to get the rear end. I'm planning on doing a similar build and add the Ford Racing M-2300-G2 brake kit to replace my Dana 44. Did you have to replace your axles for this to all work? What rear did you replace?
 
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Old Aug 5, 2017 | 10:47 PM
  #28  
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I did have to change axles because the backspace required for a disc brake setup is different than a drum brake setup.Basically the axle flange is pushed out a little farther on the disc brake setup so it changes the spot where the bearing sits on the axle.
 
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Old Aug 5, 2017 | 11:00 PM
  #29  
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BTW I do have this installed and it fits excellent!! Even added the sway bar from the bronco which was a bolt on item.
 
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Old Aug 15, 2017 | 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by davewild
Ordered new axles today should have them next week. The 84' Bronco housing is the same dimensions as my stock housing except for the bearing ends. Housing length is 60 3/8" from bearing housing end to bearing housing end. Passenger side is 28 1/2" from bearing housing to center line of pinion. Drivers side housing is 32 1/4" from bearing housing to center line of pinion. New axles will be 31 7/8" and 32 1/8" with the longer axle on the passenger side. This will give me a 2.50" brake offset and allow for the explorer brakes or most other aftermarket brakes if I want to upgrade later.

This is an increase if distance from the wheel mounting flange to the rear end bearing end, correct? I was looking at THIS kit from Currie Enterprises and called to verify what axle lengths I would need. The guy I talked to said that if I had the new style large end (I do) that I would not need aftermarket axles. I just want to make sure that I take everything into consideration when rebuilding my axle. The axle i have already has the 5x4.5 bolt pattern has 31 splined axles and is the right width for my '77, so I don't want to spend money that I don't have to.
 
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