disc brake swap

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Apr 11, 2017 | 11:42 AM

1968f100lover

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disc brake swap

I'm fairly new to owning an F100. Bought a '68 SWB a couple of years ago. It has all drum brakes. A friend has an '80 and '84 with front disc brakes that he is willing to give me the front disc brake/I beams if I can use them. Can this disc brake/ I beams swap be done? Thanks in advance for any info.

Apr 11, 2017 | 12:09 PM

TeachNlive4ever

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From: Garland, Tx

No sir, that year is not interchangeable. 73-79 are your donor years.
I don't know your location but there is a guy in Arkansas that often posts on Craigslist the disc brake conversion you seek.

Apr 11, 2017 | 02:02 PM

1968f100lover

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thanks for the info...I'm in Ellis co. Texas. South of Dallas

Apr 11, 2017 | 02:32 PM

HIO Silver

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From: NorCal

Ya might wanna pick up that 80 rear axle if it has a small lug pattern. It would make good trading fodder for someone doing CV subframe retrofit.

Apr 11, 2017 | 02:42 PM

TeachNlive4ever

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From: Garland, Tx

Hmmm, HIO makes a good point on scavenging. If he's still has the rear end, find out what gear ratio it has.
I'm in Dallas by the way.

Apr 11, 2017 | 05:24 PM

1968f100lover

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thanks for the info. He's not ready to scrap it just yet. I'll ask about the ratio.....it's still got the 300 inch six in it. It does have the 5 X 5.5" bolt pattern

Apr 12, 2017 | 11:26 AM

ultraranger

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From: El Dorado, Arkansas

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1968f100lover

thanks for the info. He's not ready to scrap it just yet. I'll ask about the ratio.....it's still got the 300 inch six in it. It does have the 5 X 5.5" bolt pattern

If the (9-inch) rear end in the truck is behind a six cylinder, good chance the ratio will be a 3.50 or a 3.70:1 ratio.

My '69 F100 with a 240 and a C4 came with 3.50 gears (28-spline single track differential/28-spline axles) I swapped to 31-spline axles and a 31-spline Traction-Lok differential with 3.50 gears.

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Apr 12, 2017 | 11:12 PM

spdcat72

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Joined: Feb 2015

Posts: 294

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Quote:

Originally Posted by TeachNlive4ever

No sir, that year is not interchangeable. 73-79 are your donor years.
I don't know your location but there is a guy in Arkansas that often posts on Craigslist the disc brake conversion you seek.

If you search Craigslist under auto parts general, and search F100, you'll see his adds. He's actually on the Texas side of Texarkana, not far off I-30. He parts out dent trucks, and usually has a disc brake front end. I think I paid him $225 for complete front. Maybe a bit high, but he pulled it, and I didn't have to. He's a nice fellow.

Apr 13, 2017 | 07:05 AM

#10

ultraranger

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From: El Dorado, Arkansas

Quote:

Originally Posted by spdcat72

If it's the person who I think it is, he lists the take-off parts for $250.00. This is as-is, non-clean parts. You also have to consider that this is a complete assembly you're paying for that most likely has rotors that are trashed, calipers that will need to be rebuilt or traded in as cores, brake hoses that will be no good, wheel bearings and seals that will have to be replaced, kingpins/bushings, I-beam bushings and radius arm bushings and brake pads that will need to be replaced. --point being, you would be buying a lot of parts that will be of no use plus, its added dead weight that you'll be paying shipping costs on.

If you're going to convert to front discs and installing the donor front suspension too, all you need are the beams, radius arms, spindles, dust shields and you could get the calipers as cores. The rest should be considered trashed parts that should be replaced with new parts.

I've done this swap twice now --on my own '69 F100 and on a friend's '72 F100.