I am doing the front disk brake conversion, everything going well. But what about the snap ring on the end of the axle? It doesn't fit now. Do I leave it off, or install a bolt and fender washer on end of axle, like one site suggested?

Mike

 

The Problem is with the spindle seal. There were 2 different style of seals used. If you are doing the chevy conversion where you are just changing the spindels out and not the whole nuckel than you probably tried to put the slinger type of seal between the axel and back of spindle. What you need is a seal kit for a 72 to 75 EB.
The snap ring is mandatory, you have to get the seal right. The snap ring is all the keeps the axel from moving into the housing and the U joint yoke from rubbing.
You must be converting ethier a D30 or an early D44.

 

I had the end of the stub axle drilled and tapped for the fender washer. After that I read about people that did not install the washer and all was well with them. When I build something I am usually pretty ****, I would rather have the washer to limit movement. That part of me comes from working on militaty aircraft. All in all it will come down to what you are comfortable with. The axel shaft realy has no where to go with the snap ring or fender washer not there.

Duane.

 

I havn't done the disc swap but ran into the same problem when converting to Supperior Axels' heavy D44 units. I have a D44 out of a 71 so It used the same spindles and outer axels as a D30. Some time around 72, Ford went to the newer style wich ment a spindle with a different style of seal. Like I said I havn't done the conversion but you probably need the later style outer axel shafts and seal for it to go together like it was stock.

 

My D44 came out of a 74. The weird thing is on the left hand side, the outer axle had two snap ring grooves. The snap ring went right on. The right side isn't being as cooperative. From what my local NAPA tells me, a seal kit for a 74 Bronco is the same as the 76 Blazer.(when talking about the back of spindle seals). Oh well, I'll figure it out. Everything is together, all new brake lines and hoses, proportioning valve(out of a 78 Bronco), MC on, disks done, and ready to go. Now I need to lenghten the brake rod by about a 1" or so. My pedal is halfway down to the floor. It has that much freeplay!

MIke

 

Where did you plumb the prop valve, and did you remove the stock valve?
Did you get the disc setup off of a used rig or did you piece it together with new parts?
I havn't priced the parts individually from NAPA but I'll bet it's cheaper than it would be to order a kit from one of the bronco supliers.

 

I'll lay out exactly what I did. Used parts are as follows: Chevy spindles, Chevy backing plates (the one piece ones), Ford hubs from a 79 F150, proportioning valve from 78 Bronco (keep in mind that I have a 66 that had a single resivoir mc and therefore was never equipped with a prop. valve). New parts: Calipers, Pads, Brake hoses, Master cylinder, Brake line, rotors, seals, and back of spindle bearings. I made a good score at the yard where I got the Chevy parts, next to it was a D44 from an 80's Dodge with new Warn hubs on it and they threw them in for free! The hubs cost $15 ea, the other yard charged me $50 for the chevy spindles and backing plates, so $80 for a total of used parts.

Total price counting new and used around $350.
Napa prices are surprisingly low in my area. It is a really old fashioned place and they even let me open up a charge account. I'll put the prices in I paid. Here they are:

Part #4885611 Rotor $26.14 ea.
Part #24917 Seal $ 4.24 ea.
Part #706527X spindle bearings $ 4.72 ea.(even included 2 axle seals and plastic ring for axle)
Part #4136761 Brake Hose $21.75 ea.
Part #242-2022 Caliper $19.95
Part #242-2023 Caliper $19.95
Part #A1 101529 Master cylinder $24.09
Part #82205 Caliper Bolts (4) $6.74 ea.
Part #SS-728A Brake pads $18.54

I included part #'s to help anyone out who may need the info. Overall, the prices were hard to beat. My local Auto Zone was $7 higher on rotors a piece. So don't believe that the Zone and the other places like it are always the cheapest. With the 'net, it's easy enough to price out. Keep in mind too, most of the kits I looked at still didn't include proportioning valve or mc. $350 includes everthing, all new line front to rear, axles and all, new hoses all the way around, grease, and brake fluid and other odds and ends. No Bronco parts place could touch that price! Test drove tonight and while there is a bit of hard pedal, it stops great!

Thanks.
Mike

 

Mike thats all good info!
It doesn't suprise me that Napa had good prices. They beat Schmucks on everything every day in my town, and allways have most stuff in stock.

 

I have done many GM conversions. I've never installed the snap ring or did the fender washer trick. I've never had any problems from not using them.
From what I've been told, the snap rings were originally used for the Spicer style hubs to keep the axles from sliding out of them
The problem is actually the differences between the Ford outer axle and the GM spindle. The spindle is a little bit taller than the factory drum spindle. It doesn't seem to matter what year the axles were from. Some of the aftermarket stub axles are made for GM or Ford and they are long enough to use the snap ring groove.

Jason

 

I've found out the hard way. The snap ring is a good thing. There is a slipper seal behind the spindle that keeps the water out of the hub. If you don't have the snapring the seal isn't being pulled against the back of the spindle, and water will get into the hub via the inside of the spindle. If this happens you first lose the little needle bearings that help stablize the outer axle. When these go, you trash the outer axle, but before you figure out that the outer axle is damaged you usually have a hub failure on the trail. FYI:-)

 

BoncoJohn, thank you, that is my point exactly. It ether went together as enginered or you just jurryrigged it together and a while from now it will all come back apart. Even if it takes a time or two to get it right, work on it til it is right!. Hell,even if you had to take your stub axel to a shop to get a new snap ring grove turned onto it for a few bucks, at leat you did it right.

 

For some reason the snapring went on the left side, but like I said the outer axle had two grooves in it. On the right side, I disassembled everything again and checked to make sure everything was ok and it was. I took the easy way out. I have a set of standard Warn hubs, so I disassembled it and ground of just under a 1/8" from the gear that slides onto the axle, I guess you would call it the driven gear of the hub assembly. I seriously doubt I hurt anything, and if I did, I would rather sacrafice a locking hub than an axle. (I scrounged these hubs from a 'yard anyway.) I now have the snap ring on. Thanks

Mike