original brakes
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New User
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original brakes
I was considering a drum to disc conversion but was wondering what you guys thought about using oringinal equipment to get power brakes. Power was offered in 65 which is my truck model but with a single master cylinder. I couls buy these parts for nothing compared to the cost of converting. Would I be nuts to go with the originals?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
original brakes
jpb, I have seen boosters behind the single cylinder at shows, when the hoods were up. I have always felt that you could replace everything relating to the brakes on a truck like that, drive it for three days to get things seated, and your brakes are marginal at best when compaired to more modern systems with the disks. I have always been able to get my truck stopped in time, but it sure is easier with power disk brakes.
MY 2
John
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
MY 2
John
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 240
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From: Ozarks
original brakes
My '65 sure does take a big right leg to get it stopped going downhill with a full load (10000 GVW, 6200 empty). You can feel the brakes fading, too. It has the single circuit master, non power, drums all around. I agree that power discs are the way to go... but are parts available to convert your '65 without swapping out the whole front end?
Meanwhile I think a power booster wouldn't completely FIX the problem but would be a decent "band-aid"... I also was thinking of adding just a booster for now, if I can find one that fits.
Meanwhile I think a power booster wouldn't completely FIX the problem but would be a decent "band-aid"... I also was thinking of adding just a booster for now, if I can find one that fits.
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New User
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original brakes
You can buy the original parts remanufactured from most auto parts stores. I like the idea of being oringinal but I also want to stop. Check out the tech articles for the disc change over. Don't ask John and Ken to discuss it for you, they may never agree. I thought about doing the conversion with all new parts but no parts stores carry the spindles or the proportioning valve. I guess you would have to go with the salvage yard stuff for those. master power brakes offers a complete system but it runs about $1000.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
original brakes
recycling parts from newer trucks, is using original manufactor parts. Ken's disagreement has been wheather you change the whole I-beam or just the end of the I-beam. If you convert to power disks you are using a factory setup that you can go to any parts store and buy renewable parts for.
The vehicles that we drive are a evolution from the early 1900s. In 1965 Ford went to twin I-beams, and didn't stop using them until 1997. Ford used the same basic design until 1979, with improvements along the way. When I need parts for my 66 front end, I just ask for 76 parts instead.
John
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
The vehicles that we drive are a evolution from the early 1900s. In 1965 Ford went to twin I-beams, and didn't stop using them until 1997. Ford used the same basic design until 1979, with improvements along the way. When I need parts for my 66 front end, I just ask for 76 parts instead.
John
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 240
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From: Ozarks
original brakes
John, I hate to pick nits, but I have one of those nits. Or something like that.
Ford did indeed go to twin I-beam in 1965. For the F-100 and F-250. Unfortunately, the F-350 did not get them until '66 or '67 so I always get stuck without swappable later-model parts for my '65! I'm not sure I'd have bought it if I realized what a pain it was going to become...
-Charles
ps I hate this e-mail system, just mail direct:
charlesmorris@erols.com
Ford did indeed go to twin I-beam in 1965. For the F-100 and F-250. Unfortunately, the F-350 did not get them until '66 or '67 so I always get stuck without swappable later-model parts for my '65! I'm not sure I'd have bought it if I realized what a pain it was going to become...
-Charles
ps I hate this e-mail system, just mail direct:
charlesmorris@erols.com
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
original brakes
Charles have you measured the frame yet to see it I-beams could be bolted on?
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
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original brakes
In Ken Payne's article he said that for the disc brake converson on the 65-66 truck you had to use spindles fron a '74 truck only. Does anyone know why you can't use the spindles from the 73-79 trucks? And can you swap the whole I beam and spindle assy. as one unit?
Brad
Brad
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
original brakes
Brad, the only thing I can figure is the pin itself is different. Yes you can swap the complete I-beams as whole units. It is quite simple.
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 1997
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From: Enjoying the real world.
original brakes
I'd rather not be quoted as writing something I didn't, especially after the recent disc brake thread :P. I didn't even hint that a 74 must be used. A quote from the article in the parts list:
"Disc brake spindles - spindles from any year 73-79 F100/F150-250 should work just fine."
Dennis Austin wrote the 65-66 supplemental and said he used 74 spindles. He's given proper credit for his supplemental:
"This section: Copyright © 1998 Dennis K. Austin,"
Thanks,
Ken Payne
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin
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"Disc brake spindles - spindles from any year 73-79 F100/F150-250 should work just fine."
Dennis Austin wrote the 65-66 supplemental and said he used 74 spindles. He's given proper credit for his supplemental:
"This section: Copyright © 1998 Dennis K. Austin,"
Thanks,
Ken Payne
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Admin
[img src="/clipart/logosmall.gif"]
(Click on Profile/Signature to add your own custom signature)
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Ozarks
original brakes
Where exactly should I measure the frame? Width between rails? What dimensions (or mounting holes) am I looking for?
My truck has leaf springs as well as a single beam axle - will this make a difference in choosing a later model front end?
My truck has leaf springs as well as a single beam axle - will this make a difference in choosing a later model front end?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
original brakes
Aw come on Ken, it is in YOUR article. Maybe you should go back and read it just one more time yourself, since you don't like misquoting, and tell us what he did say about using the 74 spindles. I couldn't read that he had used them himself either.
I agree with Brad, and took it to mean that you had to use 74 spindles.
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
I agree with Brad, and took it to mean that you had to use 74 spindles.
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
original brakes
Charles from the bumper to the firewall the frames should be the same. I would measure every thing that could be measured and then compare the measurements to a later model F350 to see if there is a possiability of converting to I-beams and better brakes and matching hubs.
I just suspect that there is an outside chance that you could upgrade.
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
I just suspect that there is an outside chance that you could upgrade.
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
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New User
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original brakes
I didn't mean to start up the whole i-beam or not discussion, I just wanted to know if anyone had used the single master cylindar power booster setup and did it work. I am trying to avoid the front end switch and keep my truck as original as possible. I know the i-beams are the same but my '65 could never have had disc brakes originally but it could have had power. Any thoughts?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
original brakes
jpb as in #1, yes you can do it. If you have to buy the booster at say $150-200.00. I am not at all sure that you will get any bang for your bucks.
If you have a "restored show truck" keeping it all original would be good. If you open the hood you will see the booster. It could have been an option that year but there was only one in a gazillion installed. :-)
IMHO disk brakes are well hidden, unlike chrome added, that draws the eye, and is one of the biggest safety improvements that can be added. Being able to get my truck stopped far outweighted any concern that I had over it's originality.
Unlike peelings they will keep, if you installed the disks you can keep the original parts, (if the head female will let you).
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.
If you have a "restored show truck" keeping it all original would be good. If you open the hood you will see the booster. It could have been an option that year but there was only one in a gazillion installed. :-)
IMHO disk brakes are well hidden, unlike chrome added, that draws the eye, and is one of the biggest safety improvements that can be added. Being able to get my truck stopped far outweighted any concern that I had over it's originality.
Unlike peelings they will keep, if you installed the disks you can keep the original parts, (if the head female will let you).
John
jowilker
66 F100s
In the still cool hours of the night, you can hear chevys rusting away.