Hey guys thank you for always being here to help out learned lots but I’m have problems with finding a disc brake conversion with wilwood would the 1979 f100custom brakes work on the 1981 f150 custom an if not what other disc brakes could I use? Thank you!

 

Welcome to FTE.

I dont under stand what it is you are trying to do but I think you have a 1981 F150 Custom and you want to put disc brakes on it?
You want to know if a 1979 F100 Custom disc will fit the 1981 right?

Here is why I dont under stand. The 1981 F50 should have disc brakes on it (front) from the factory.
The 79 & 81 never had rear disc brakes so you cant be asking about that.

With that said what were you wanting to from Wilwood?
Rear disc I would think they would have a kit for as they both have Ford 9 inch rear axles.

Now if it is for the front wanting a larger disc that could be a problem.
The caliper bracket is part of the spindle so new spindles would be needed.
This can be a issue because the 79 / 81 trucks use kingpins and the 81 f100 trucks have 2 different size kingpins so the beams on out are different between the 2 sizes.
Heck DMJ at 1 time did not make lowering beams for the 81 trucks because of the kingpin size deal and think they only make it for 1 size now?

They say you can take the later year ball joint beams on out and swap them into the early kingpin trucks (80-82?) and there may be larger brakes for them?
Look at the F150 Lighting as it may of had factory larger brakes?

So what is it you are trying to do to this 81 truck?
Dave ----

 

Thank you for getting back to me I’m wanting to slamme my 81 f150 an in the process I need new breaks so might as well upgrade to the best I can an get new rims an rubber I’ve had the truck for sometime now an want to show an impress this old neighbour who gave it to me years ago

 

This is going to sound snide but isn't meant that way; what does slamming the truck have to do with Wilwood brakes? You might better off sticking with OE stuff as these trucks are all over and easy to source parts (if you're in a bind). You still haven't let us know if you're working on the front or rear. At this point, I'm assuming the front. I would imagine that Wilwood set the cut-off at 1979 for a reason. The spindle may have changed, for instance. I'm sure they have a Tech line, why not give them a call?

 

Sounds like the OP is wanting to lower the truck and upgrade all the brakes. There may be other sites more involved with customizing these trucks. I'm sure there are sites out there for doing all kinds of customizing. It just depends on how deep your pockets are. Anything can be done, for the right amount of $$,$$$.

 

Yes thank you I just that they emailed me back an gonna a call them soon thank you for the help slamming it I mean lower kit as much as possible with out chopping the the frame I’ve been doing some reading an the bronco might be able to fit just need to catch up on the specks
Thank you again

 

If you want to go really low you will need to install a c-notch in the frame in the back. Otherwise it will just be a mild drop. You will also need the custom front suspension beams up front. You can't just lower these trucks with springs, you end up looking like the old vw beetles with the swing axle in the back. They make the beams up front for I believe a 4 inch drop.

 

This is the only suspension kit I would use to lower a truck thing is if they make one for the 81 as they did not when I looked about 10 years ago.
https://djmsuspension.com/
But as I said in my other post if they dont make a kit get a set of later beams that use ball joints and see if Wilwood makes a larger set of brakes for them and that is the way I would go.
Even if Wilwood dose not make a set of brakes for the later beams they have ball joints and you can make suspension adjustments to them that you cant with kingpin.

Now I have not looked to deep into this next one but there is a Co. that makes a kit to bolt in a Crown Vic front suspension to the 80 - 86 frames.
Unlike the earlier truck frames that are flat where the CV suspension bolts to our turns have a upturn making it hard to "bolt in".
https://team321.com/ncv-page/
I believe this is the Co.

Or if you want to go full custom mount your truck body on a CV frame.
There are a few different ways you can do this.
Look for a thread on one in here think from member Monkey1
Dave ----