I am putting discs on the rear of my '71 bronco, it will have 3.5 lift and 33s when I am doine restoring it, what disc kit would you recomend? I have a big bearing axle

Thanks

 

I'd reccomend you do a hydroboost brake upgrade then see if you still want to bother with the rear disc setup. I know a couple of guys that are for not doing it first. I did mine for around a $100 with a junkyard booster, new master cylinder and lines. Now with the hydroboost anything more than 1/4 pedal and my brakes are locked up solid.

 

Ken,
What application did you use for your swap, hydroboost unit and master cyl?
Does it have an accumulator?

I have stayed with manual brakes for so long because I wanted the same braking power whether or not the engine was running. I've seen a couple of dangerous situations where someone killed the engine on a steep climb or descent and was not prepared for how stiff the brake pedal became. One was quick thinking enough to stuff it into a tree to stop, but another that I had seen ended up totalled after rolling several times.

Mine has always stopped well, but recently I have been on a few really steep climbs where I was being pushed back in the seat and I couldn't enough pressure on the pedal.

Jason

 

I have heard to convert to disc brakes in front and then use a 78-79 F250 brake master cylinder and stay as manual brakes. Has anyone run that setup? How well dose that work?

 

I used the hydrobooster off of a astro mini van. They have 2 kinds straight or angled. You want the straight. take the ends of the hose fittings on the booster too. I went with the chevy because there are quite a few in the junkyards. Ideally if you can find a booster off a Ford SD diesel it's almost a bolt in affair. One guy I know said it hooked right up to his pedal. For a 302 the chevy conversion isn't too bad. I cut and threaded the end of the booster cut and welded a coupler nut on to the old brake rod to give me some adjustment. I find out that my taller valve covers were an issue. So I built a bracket to hang it out of the way. Hey I can weld and have plenty of scrap steel so why not. Most guys just run the stock angle power brake bracket to get the clearence.
All the modern hydroboosters have a built in accumulator. You get 2-3 good brakes after the engine shuts off before it goes back to feeling like a manual brake. There is an old oddball chevy that has it seperate. Just walk away from them.
The master cylinder was from an early 80's chevy camaro with disc/drum. There is another on for disc/disc.
For the lines I just went to a local hydralic hose shop with the ends and had them braze the ends to AN fittings and put on the high pressure hose. If they ask what it's for tell them it's for steering on a trail rig. Some places don't like to do it for road vehicles.
I know EXACTLY what you mean on the hill climbs!!!! You get 3/4 up and still can't hold it in place with 2 feet! I did a very grease hill climb a month ago and I needed to winch up the rest and I could hold it in place while I turned 3/4 around to get my controller. Try that with manual brakes.
PM me if you want some links to some really good threads pics and part numbers.

 

How did this post get off subject so fast? brownd019 asked about rear disks? What does that have to do with a hydroboost? If someone wanted suggestions on power brake setup are they going to be told them to install rear disks? I am currently building up a set of rear disk parts using a variety of parts. I am not following any one specific conversion, but what I am finding readily available at reasonable cost. I am also interested in other peoples rear disk setups. Not the ones that are sold as kits. When I am finished with my installation, I hope to be able to make some valid suggestions and maybe alternatives to whats currently done.

 

I believe there is a kit to allow you to use 8.8 ford disks off of a Xploder

http://www.streetrodstuff.com/Products/2058/

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts.../%20Components

http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/discbrakes.html

http://www.p-s-t.com/rdbk.html

The one site tells you exactly what parts you need so you can probly get everything from junk yards or find a wrecked X with rear disks.

 

Its not off topic. Someone mentioned going with hydroboost as opposed to converting to rear discs. I simply asked what setup he was running.

Since Brownd019 is only planning on 33" tires, I would consider rear discs overkill. Since he has a big bearing rear, he already has the good 11" brakes, I would convert the front to discs (if it hasn't already been done) and add a good power assist system since most of the braking is being done by the front.

A good functioning and adjusted drum brake will perform as good as a rear disc setup. The big advantage that discs have is better heat disapation and less likely to fade from water.

If you are looking for a budget disc brake setup, here is how I have seen it done.
Use a Chevy caliper backing plate cut down to fit. (somewhere on the net is a pattern)
A Jeep CJ7 rotor. Will have to use longer wheel studs. I have also heard that some of the conversion kits use redrilled rotors from a late 80's Firebird.
The commonly used Caddy calipers with E Brake provisions.

Jason

 

The best reason I can think of to go rear disc is easy cleaning. I get tired of pulling my drums off to wash the mud out! I hear a few guys are running the 8.8 rear discs listed above to get a better e-brake than some of the other set-ups.

 

I agree with RCrawler, Disc brakes have the advantage of dissipating heat at high speeds, In the front, disc brakes when working properly show less pull to one side or other. In the rear the 11 inch factory drums when maintained properly are more than adequate for the weight of the EB.
I had planned on 4 corner discs until I went with a factory vacuum booster and bracket. With 33s my EB stops very well. Including at highway speed.

 

i put some disc on the rear of my 69 shortbed 4x4. used 77-79 4x4 f150 front rotors, mid 70's camaro calipers, and made the brackets, had to turn the axle flange down a lil bit to fit through the rotor, 2002 dodge 1/2 ton front rotors will work too there right under a 12" rotor, but theyll clear the axle, dont know about rim clearance, but i think Duffs rotors are 12" kits. i also picked up some stock rear discs off of a 74 country squire wagon, they will bolt right up to the 9" but the lug pattern is different,im just gonna have the rotors redrilled for my bronco but way easier than the stuff i did for my truck and i think i paid 70 bucks for everything from the junkyard for the wagon stuff

 

The xploder setup works if you have 2 1/4" wide rear brakes, EB's had 1 3/4 and 2 1/4