Breaks Leaking
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
Kinda like when your Dad was teaching you something and you finally "got it". When your light bulb came on and you looked up at him, that wink he gave you is now us. 
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
I appreciate all the reply's, I have started tearing into the wheels an I see why replacing everything is necessary, the wheel cylinders are packed with rust and crud and are busting open and everything else is so packed tight with crud i have no idea how they were working to begin with. this should be fun....
Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,651
Likes: 60
From: Hemet ca.
Glad to see you on the board. Sorry for the ribbing, that's just me.
As for brakes, your going to learn a lot about them. Stopping is the most important part of the vehicle in my opinion. I talk with a lot of people doing builds, most are young and eager to get started. They usually start talking about performance upgrades, when I ask about their brake's they say "The truck stops fine" they haven't touched them so they haven't a clue as to what's going on with them.
As I tell all who care to listen, if you have a stock setup, get it running right, then make sure it stops as it should. Make sure the vehicle is as safe as it's suppose to be. These trucks stop fine as a stock truck but there is maintenance involved. Remember these trucks were built when there wasn't as much traffic on the road as there is now. Upgrading the brakes to disc brakes sure helps, as I said earlier, the stock brakes work just fine as long as you drive it like it was built to be driven.
Any time you increase horsepower, you need to increase stopping power.
Read the information provided so far, replacing the rubber lines is a must and sometimes forgotten. Replace everything you can, 50 year old stuff does not last forever.
As for brakes, your going to learn a lot about them. Stopping is the most important part of the vehicle in my opinion. I talk with a lot of people doing builds, most are young and eager to get started. They usually start talking about performance upgrades, when I ask about their brake's they say "The truck stops fine" they haven't touched them so they haven't a clue as to what's going on with them.
As I tell all who care to listen, if you have a stock setup, get it running right, then make sure it stops as it should. Make sure the vehicle is as safe as it's suppose to be. These trucks stop fine as a stock truck but there is maintenance involved. Remember these trucks were built when there wasn't as much traffic on the road as there is now. Upgrading the brakes to disc brakes sure helps, as I said earlier, the stock brakes work just fine as long as you drive it like it was built to be driven.
Any time you increase horsepower, you need to increase stopping power.
Read the information provided so far, replacing the rubber lines is a must and sometimes forgotten. Replace everything you can, 50 year old stuff does not last forever.
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Finished up the rear brakes and the master cylinder is staying full now! So the major question would be, what is the Cheapest/best way to get discs on the front without a donor 70s ford? would buying a kit from scarebird (189.00), some dodge rotors(60.00), GM Calipers(100.00???) be the cheapest way to go? i estimate it would cost around 350.00? Am I missing something or is there a better rout to take?
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,399
Likes: 40
From: El Dorado, Arkansas
Finished up the rear brakes and the master cylinder is staying full now! So the major question would be, what is the Cheapest/best way to get discs on the front without a donor 70s ford? would buying a kit from scarebird (189.00), some dodge rotors(60.00), GM Calipers(100.00???) be the cheapest way to go? i estimate it would cost around 350.00? Am I missing something or is there a better rout to take?
I'm sure I have well more than $350.00 total invested in my front disc brake conversion ('69 F100 using a disc brake/I-beam setup from a '77 F100) but, I bought the '77 F100 disc brake donor parts ($125.00) then spread my cost out over time in buying the rebuild parts for it until everything had been gone through and was ready to be installed.
In the mean time, while I was refurbishing the donor parts, I still drove my truck with its all-wheel drums until the time came to swap it over to front discs. This approach gave me an essentially factory setup using parts from a single manufacturer and didn't kill my bank account in the process.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 4,093
Likes: 14
From: Lind, WA- Eastern WA
If you decide to to the kit thing, make sure that you make a folder with all the different part numbers and information. So when you (or the next owner) need to buy a part you don't look silly at the autoparts store. But I got my F350 set up off of a donor. I had never done that type of parts removal before. I printed off the pages (from HIO Silver's tech sticky) studied them, and took a box of tools to the junk yard. Other people in the yard there were coming by and asking me how to do stuff. It wasn't that hard! Just remember to work safe!!! If you don't support that truck correctly, don't expect a warning or "I sorry that I crushed your leg" from the frame.
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Ultraranger, am I missing something as far as parts needed besides the dust shield, rotors, calipers and pads? Or does the spindle need changed as well? also I was planning on keeping the brakes manual.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,399
Likes: 40
From: El Dorado, Arkansas
As far as donor rotors go, not really worth getting them since they will likely be worn/rusty. Brand new rotors are around $35.00 bucks ea. Calipers can be turned in as cores for newly rebuilt calipers along with new brake hoses.
It will also matter if you have manual steering vs. power steering in regards to tie rods, drag links, pitman arms and steering gear boxes.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
I have manual steering, as well as manual brakes, does this mean that I can purchase a new set of rotors and calipers and slap them on? I feel like I am way underestimating this. Im just trying to get some better braking in the front end. also I have never converted brakes before.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,399
Likes: 40
From: El Dorado, Arkansas
I have manual steering, as well as manual brakes, does this mean that I can purchase a new set of rotors and calipers and slap them on? I feel like I am way underestimating this. Im just trying to get some better braking in the front end. also I have never converted brakes before.
If you're going to pull the existing suspension apart to replace/rebuild these items, then it only makes the most sense to go ahead and install the rest of the Dentside suspension components, instead, that were actually designed for the disc brakes and its steering components and to help aleviate component incompatibility issues.
--the forward ends of the Bumpside radius arms are also not designed to accept the endlink brackets for a stock '75-'79 F100 - F350 front sway bar --if you ever had the notion to install one, like I have on my '69 F100 with a complete '77 F100 disc brake front suspension.
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Im about to go to the salvage yard and pick up the brake booster, ms, spindles and brake setup, will putting the I beams (which seam wider) totally mess up my steering? or should I keep my I beams and just replace the kingpin? I wont be putting a sway bar on. I will replace the springs, and shocks when money is available.
Thank you all for you input, it has helped greatly.
Thank you all for you input, it has helped greatly.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,399
Likes: 40
From: El Dorado, Arkansas
The Dentside I-beams are the same width as the Bumpside I-beams so, it isn't going to change the track width.
...I would not recommend using a wrecking yard brake master cylinder. Only buy new (not rebuilt) ones.
...I would not recommend using a wrecking yard brake master cylinder. Only buy new (not rebuilt) ones.
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
What master cylinder do you recomend? also, is it best to just rebuild the kingpins while I am doing this? Also I assume this is the best time to do the I beam bushing and radius arm bushings.....
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,399
Likes: 40
From: El Dorado, Arkansas
I don't know what booster you're planning to use --single diaphragm or dual diaphragm? I can't give a good MC recommendation without knowing this first.