1971 Ford Questions? Please Help!
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Senior User
Joined: May 2005
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From: Willamette Valley
1971 Ford Questions? Please Help!
Hi, I just got a great deal on a 71' Ford F100 that I couldn't pass up! The only downer is it doesn't have Power Steering or Power Brakes. So be honest with me how much do you think it would cost a guy to get that professionally fixed over? Or how much to do it myself and how difficult? Thanks, I really appreciate the help!
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Fort Rucker, AL
You can do the conversion yourself. Find a 73-77 donor truck with disc brakes and take the I-beams and everything attached to them. You won't need the radius arms, though. Replace the kingpins and the bushings then put it on. Power steering is a little more complicated. Get the components for the same truck (73-77), including the steering gearbox and steering column, and make sure you get the brackets.
There's been alot of discussion on this topic and a search will give you more than enough info to do the swap. There's also a couple of tech articles you can refer to.
Good luck.
There's been alot of discussion on this topic and a search will give you more than enough info to do the swap. There's also a couple of tech articles you can refer to.
Good luck.
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Originally Posted by debestuss
You can do the conversion yourself. Find a 73-77 donor truck with disc brakes and take the I-beams and everything attached to them.
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Houston, TX
Originally Posted by jdbanks
Depends on the condition it's in and what shape you want it in.
-J.Banks-
-J.Banks-
-J.Banks-
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Travelers Rest SC
I think going to disc brakes is well worth it. It's not difficult work, just dirty and strenuous (You'll find out why twin I-beams are so tough when you haul a complete Ford front end outta the junkyard by yourself). Be aware that if you bolt in the newer disc brake stuff, you need the brake proportioning valve from a disc brake truck, and the master cylinder is different, too. It bolts on the same way, though. I went to a U-Pull-It yard when they had an all-you-can-carry special, and got everything in one shot. I even brought micrometers and hunted through the yard for a couple fresh brake rotors with some life left in 'em. The discs seem to stop better and straighter, and maintenence is a breeze.
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Personally I don't think the conversion is worth the work. I'll grant you the easy maintenance, but the stopping power really isn't any better. I have/had both, 3/4 tons, 1/2 tons, and now a 1 ton, Fords with front disc and front drum. They all stopped pretty much the same. The main downside to drums is when you get water in them. I believe that the power boster will add plenty of braking power and obviously be far less work.
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From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Originally Posted by Chevy_Eater
Personally I don't think the conversion is worth the work. I'll grant you the easy maintenance, but the stopping power really isn't any better. I believe that the power boster will add plenty of braking power and obviously be far less work.
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Originally Posted by Chevy_Eater
Personally I don't think the conversion is worth the work. I'll grant you the easy maintenance, but the stopping power really isn't any better. I have/had both, 3/4 tons, 1/2 tons, and now a 1 ton, Fords with front disc and front drum. They all stopped pretty much the same. The main downside to drums is when you get water in them. I believe that the power boster will add plenty of braking power and obviously be far less work.
John
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Originally Posted by jowilker
CE, You must not put your truck to the stress test. Only thought that came to my mind is why are all of the vehicles dropping drums and going to 4 wheel discs. I had two 97 Ford Taurus, only difference was the color and one had 4 wheel discs. In a crunch you absolutly could tell a huge difference in having discs on four corners, and I feel you could under normal conditions as well.
John
John
But that's the thing, we're talking trucks here, they're heavy, their stopping distance doesn't compare to cars no matter what kind of brake system they have. Also, keep in mind that our Freightliners, Petes, and Kenny-Whoppers are still running drum brakes. Sure, some semi-truck manufactures expermented with disc brakes, but it never panned out.Don't get me wrong, I like disc brakes just fine, it's just not worth the work for conversion, IMHO.
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Originally Posted by mblayton
I changed my 69 to discs up front and made a big difference in stopping, it's harder to lock the brakes up when you really have to hit them hard because of some idiot driver in front
He didn't have problems locking them up either.
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From: Wimberley, TX
To put power steering on you will need a power steering box, pump, and hoses. You can get rebuilt ones from local parts house. You will need to pull the pittman arm off your old steering box which should be done with a pitman arm puller. You will also need the proper brackets to mount the power steering pump which most likely will require a trip to a wrecking yard. While there, you might be able to the the pump and steering box.