When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
So I've got a later F150 at the boneyard that I'm going to pull the locking hubs and whatnot off of, to replace the TopHat style that are on my '87. I know I obviously need the locking hubs, I need the Wheelhubs (Which will obviously come with the rotors), I know I will need the axle stub shafts, to go along with the non-tophat hubs. Do I need to grab the spindles as well?
I have top hats on mine. I've read where some say it's easier just removing both swing axles and replacing the whole thing. Makes sense if the donor axle has the same ratio.
I'm thinking about the high dollar new kit from Bronco Graveyard. If you get a used one, it will have a lot of miles, and if been sitting, it will need ball joints, u-joints, new wheel bearings and the other bearings in the hub. Most likely the rotors will be worn out, and so will the calipers, ect, ect.
By the time I pull a used one and replace all the parts, I could just buy all new and do it quicker, and know what I have.
I have top hats on mine. I've read where some say it's easier just removing both swing axles and replacing the whole thing. Makes sense if the donor axle has the same ratio.
I'm thinking about the high dollar new kit from Bronco Graveyard. If you get a used one, it will have a lot of miles, and if been sitting, it will need ball joints, u-joints, new wheel bearings and the other bearings in the hub. Most likely the rotors will be worn out, and so will the calipers, ect, ect.
By the time I pull a used one and replace all the parts, I could just buy all new and do it quicker, and know what I have.
Whoever is telling you it's just easier to swap the entire axle housing assemblies is full of s$#t. The rotors that are on my pickup now are junk, so those were always getting replaced in the first place, I'm just not going to go to the trouble of separating the hubs from the rotors in the junkyard, so I can save $10. Switching from the top hat hubs is basic hand tool stuff, not major surgery.
Whoever is telling you it's just easier to swap the entire axle housing assemblies is full of s$#t. The rotors that are on my pickup now are junk, so those were always getting replaced in the first place, I'm just not going to go to the trouble of separating the hubs from the rotors in the junkyard, so I can save $10. Switching from the top hat hubs is basic hand tool stuff, not major surgery.
That's just what I read on one of the Ford forums. I will need all the parts I mentioned above by the time I do mine, if I ever do, so I most likely will buy the Bronco Graveyard kit with everything new since my son and grandson wany my truck when I get something else or pass on, so I will bite the bullet and go new parts.
That kit isn't too outrageous depending on the bearings. If they're Timken or similar that's decent. If they're a house brand then I'd say that kits a bit expensive.
The axle shafts are about 100 each at Rockauto. Didn't even see the spindle available.
Milemarker hubs are like 150-200 themselves I believe for the premium ones.
But it is nice to have a pick and pull. Get everything for 100 or so maybe. Rotors and joints are cheap.
That kit isn't too outrageous depending on the bearings. If they're Timken or similar that's decent. If they're a house brand then I'd say that kits a bit expensive.
The axle shafts are about 100 each at Rockauto. Didn't even see the spindle available.
Milemarker hubs are like 150-200 themselves I believe for the premium ones.
But it is nice to have a pick and pull. Get everything for 100 or so maybe. Rotors and joints are cheap.
Back when junk yards were a common thing, we had probably 12-15 in a 10 mile radius. They all knew me by name or looks. These days I'm too old and to arthritic to crawl under trucks to drag out 30 year old parts I know will need to be most likely rebuilt anyway with bearings, seals, joints, ect.
If I were still young and strong, junk yard here I come.
Now, I would just as soon get the new stuff and spend a few days doing what I used to be able to do in a few hours.
This site shows several different spindles, and it looks like the top-hat style spindles are significantly different. I would grab a set off the jy donor. Keep in mind at some point Ford went from 6 bolt spindles to 5 bolt for the later trucks. If your knuckles are studded for 6 bolt flanges, you'll want a donor with 6 bolt spindles (or, grab everything knuckles-->out). https://www.blueovaltrucks.com/tech-...b-front-axles/
This site shows several different spindles, and it looks like the top-hat style spindles are significantly different. I would grab a set off the jy donor. Keep in mind at some point Ford went from 6 bolt spindles to 5 bolt for the later trucks. If your knuckles are studded for 6 bolt flanges, you'll want a donor with 6 bolt spindles (or, grab everything knuckles-->out). https://www.blueovaltrucks.com/tech-...b-front-axles/
Thanks, that tells me what I need to know, and what I need to grab off the donor.
Spindles and outer stub shafts are different. As you know the rotors for the top hat hubs are one piece while the other more common style have a two piece rotor and hub. Basically you need everything from the knuckles out. I have never seen where the knuckle had more studs for one type than the other. That would have made it more expensive on the assembly line and if that was the case then you would see new knuckles included in the JBG conversion kit.
Years ago I bought an ‘86 TTB axle for my ‘87 Bronco to convert it but I hardly ever drive the truck anymore so I never swapped it out. Even back then the oddball top hat hub parts were becoming hard to find.
Spindles and outer stub shafts are different. As you know the rotors for the top hat hubs are one piece while the other more common style have a two piece rotor and hub. Basically you need everything from the knuckles out. I have never seen where the knuckle had more studs for one type than the other. That would have made it more expensive on the assembly line and if that was the case then you would see new knuckles included in the JBG conversion kit.
Years ago I bought an ‘86 TTB axle for my ‘87 Bronco to convert it but I hardly ever drive the truck anymore so I never swapped it out. Even back then the oddball top hat hub parts were becoming hard to find.
Notice the spindles in the conversion kit are 6 bolt mounts, so they'd bolt right up to the knuckles on the top-hat trucks (which are 6 stud knuckles), no need to include knuckles in the conversion. Where you'll run into issues is using later model OBS parts to do the conversion, because they are 5 bolt mounted spindles. Ford probably went from 6 hole spindles to 5 hole spindles to cut production costs. Then in '95 they changed spindles again to use a 2 piece wheel bearing seal (still 5 bolt mount spindles). There's also the ABS cutouts on some, though you can use ABS style spindles on non-ABS trucks (my '96 is this way).
Good call on the different stub shafts, great time to go to the latest Spicer 5-760X U-joints in there too.
Yeah, I'm just gonna grab everything from the knuckles out, price isn't that much different from the wrecker. Got a later one I'll be grabbing the later caliper brackets and rotors off of, as I want to switch to the later slider pin style calipers, as opposed to the rubber center split pins. I'd just get everything off that truck, but somebody already got to the hubs.
Years ago, I picked up a spare spindle for the Bronco which is sitting on a shelf. I just went out to check and it has 6 stud spindles same as the knuckles from the ‘86 F-150. If the ‘94 Bronco (w/ 4 wheel ABS) I used to have only had 5 studs I don’t remember. As I see it you would be safe to use ‘95 and newer with or without ABS as long as you used the knuckle outward from the donor truck. You could probably use the newer style calipers as well.
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.
