Gentlemen,

I have the best wife in the world....she wants me to ride on disc brakes....so what is the best kit for the price on an original axle??? I don't want to hurt her pockets to much here cause i still will have to pay for it later....


James

 

Fellas,

I need some input here foreal...dont want to buy a kit that nobody has heard of...that is for sure........since mothergoose wants to be nice and support her husband....you know it helps when you buy motherhen a new truck!!!! Okay here is the breakdown....

I want rear disc brakes, updated rearend, better gas mileage for highway travel and have posi??? so what truck has it all with the correct gear ratio where i dont have to do all this extra purchasing of parts...i have like crazy junkyards here in el paso, tx and they love to see me coming with the cc or cb...also what donor vehicle works the best for powerbooster and master cylinder.....HELP!!!!!!!

James

 

James

I can't help you on the straight axle disks. But I believe a Lincoln Versailles is a good donor for rear disc differential. Many brake booster/pedal assemblies will work. I used a mid 70s Ford truck van booster and cylinder. A Volare/Cordoba style donor also works, though it looks real "Dodgey" to me. The Mustangs from around 78-93 are also a very popular donor due to the small booster. That's the one I would use if I did it again.

Last bit of advice is don't call your wife Mother Goose to her face like you did in that post if you want any more truck part funds.

 

Hi James, I had a 9" from a Versallis but sold it and bought a 8.8 from a 99 Explorer. The Lincoln 9" was about 58 " wide and the 8.8 is 60", a little closer to the original Rears width. I also got the booster and master cylinder. The 8.8 out of Explorers have 31 spline axles and come in lots of ratios 3.25, 350. 3.73 and 410. most have traction lock. You will have to move the spring mount to the top. I hope this helps. Ozzie.

 

I too have an 8.8 w/ 3.73 posi and discs out of an Explorer but I hadn't heard that I need to put the spring perches on the top. I have it mocked up with leaf springs in the "normal" position below the tubes. I admit that I'm a long way from having all the body parts back on the frame, but it doesn't look out of whack where it is.

 

James,

I use an ECI kit for the front. The kit consists of F150 rotors and GM calipers. It was an easy installation with the exception of removing and replacing the races on the rotors. Not sure why ECI didn't do this for you. The kit I used was 5.5 lug pattern but you can get other bolt patterns.

If I had it to do again, I would probably only get the brackets and buy the rotors and calipers locally because the shipping on the rotors, calipers wound up being $55 to the southwest.

According to ECI you will need at least 1" bore master cylinder to push enough brake fluid. I'm using a 70 Mustang MC with a mid 80 Mustang booster, but I kept the drums in the back. You would need a different MC if you are going all around disc brakes.

Their web site is http://www.ecihotrodbrakes.com.

I'm sure there are other very good kits out there for the front but I can't speak to them, but I know about 4 people in our club who have use ECI and been very pleased.

Rick

 

As usual,

Thanks gentlemen for all the information provided in this thread...it has helped me to decide on looking in the ol salvage yard for an explorer rearend and choosing a front disc kit....I knew i could count on my TRUSTED forders!!!!!!! Until i find one, i will be rolling still on the ol drums for now but updates will be posted as soon as I find that donor...


James
54 Ford F100 302/AOD
01 Ford Supercrew Triton
03 Mazda Tribute 4cyl (hers) :-) (FORD's Cousin)

 

55Ford lover,

The rear end out of a '57 to '60 F-100 is a 9-inch and will bolt into your '55 with NO MODIFICATIONS. All shock mounts, u-bolts, etc will fit. From that point, any 9-inch center section will bolt in to the '57-'60 housing. (Just make sure the axle spline count is the same) 9-inch rears come in ratios starting with 2.47, 2.75,3.00,3.25.3.50.3.73.4.10 and up. They are about the strongest rear axles made.

There is a company in Castle Rock Colorado that makes a bolt on disc brake kit to fit all 9-inch rear ends. I don't have their name, but they advertise in Street Rodder Magazine almost every month.

As far as a front disc brake conversion, check with ECI (Engineered Components, Inc) 860-872-7046. They advertise a bolt on disc brake kit for your stock axle. They also have a matching power brake kit to bolt into your '55

Good luck, and be safe.

BobJonesSpecial

 

I third the ECI recommendation. It was straightforward and works well. I used a m/c from a Lincoln Continental, but mine is firewall mounted and discs on the front only.

Ozzie, why do you need to move the spring mounts? Mine has the springs under the axle on the stock 9".

Bob
1960 F100
1995 F-150

 

Answer to Texas Bob's ? On my 56 the springs sit on top the axle tube. On the Explorer diff that I have the axle sat on the springs. This may be OK with stock springs and a C-notched frame, but I have reverse eye top leafs. I don't think this combo will have enough travel room between the axle and the frame. Ozzie

 

I bought the CPP power disc brake kit for my 56 solid axle. It stops on a dime. All the brackets, flex hoses, nuts, bolts, bearings, etc. were included and the directions were excellent.

I have only two issues with the kit. The adapter sleeves used to locate the inner bearing did not just slip on after sitting on a lit 200 watt light bulb for an hour or so and there is something squeaking as I drive along. The squeak is realated to the tightness of the spindle nuts. The directions state to tighten the nut something like 15 foot pounds, rotate the wheel and then back the nut off to the next notch to put in a cotter pin. I was taught years ago that Timken type roller bearings required a preload, or at least needed to be snugged up with no slop, and would not function well without it. Putting in some slop in the bearing allows it to shift the races relative to eachother and so it squeaks. The truck also has a tendancy to pull to one side or the other during hard breaking when set up like the directions say to.

One of these days I'm going to have to get back to those spindle nuts and tighten them up a bit...

 

I put the ECI brake kit on my '55 F100. Got the 5.5 lug pattern to use my existing wheels. That is the main reason I chose ECI. I did have some problems with the parts ECI sent and the shipping is high due to the weight of the rotors. If I were to do it again with ECI I would buy the rotors locally. It is a pain changing the inner bearings on the rotors and the ones sent to me did not have a relief cut so you could use a punch to knock it out. ECI said this was an error from the supplier they use. Changing the inner bearing is key to using the Ford F150 rotors and I think ECI should do this before they sell them, just my opinion.

Another thing ECI does not tell you is they want you to remove the grease fittings in the king pins an plug them. Then drill new holes for the grease fittings so they don't interfere with the caliper bracket. That is fine if you are rebuilding the king pins. I found it easier to make a relief cut on the brackets to clear the grease fittings. It does not weaken the bracket and in my opinion should have been done by ECI.

Also ECI does not include brake hoses in their kit so be prepared to hunt those down.

That being said, they work great. Just don't plan on them being a complete "bolt on" mod.