Disc Brakes
 

This maybe a stupid question, but I am getting a 65 f100 and want to put disc brakes on the front. I have looked for conversion kits and all I really can find is rear brake conversion kits. Do any of you know where to find a conversion kit I have looked nearly everywhere I can think of.

Thanks

There are ten gazillion posts in this forum that answers your questions.

Basically what you want is a 1973/79 F100 2WD, 1975/79 F150 2WD donor vehicle. The entire disc brake set up can be swapped in with little effort, no modifications required.

MP Brakes, LMC Truck, and others sell new kits or you can do what Bill said above.

Imagine there are number of sources for the front disc kits, recently browsed Summit Performance parts and came across a kit they offer; seems kinda pricey and it did not include the booster or MC, importantly does not include the bracket between the Booster and Firewall? .

Seem to recall FTE 'how to' or 'tech' forum had an article on subject. If able to make the upgrade using a donor truck all the better; speaking from experience, saves considerable time searching and salvaging parts.

Bookmarked an article may find helpful in determining what parts are required; and/or, contact salvage yard and have them remove for pick up??

f100discs

Forgot to note, there are variations to these 'how to' articles!!

GPS Brakes in NY sells the bracket if needed. I got a booster/MC kit from them with the bracket. They may also have front disc kits, not sure. Did not like the adjustable prop valve/dist block it came with though and got rid of it.

This is the kit I used last year on my 65.

Drum to Disc Brake Conversion Kits for 65-72 Ford F100 Trucks | Master Power Brakes

Besides fluid, I think brake lines were the only thing that wasn't in the kit.

Also, search ebay. There was someone selling brackets to mount the calipers onto the existing spindle, and it came with a list for all the other parts you can get from a parts store. I think it took calipers for a chevy astro van, etc. There was a youtube video of someone installing it as well.

Not sure if this was what you were referring to, but ScareBird is a local seller to me. Not too far up the road.

Ford F100 1 2 Ton 1965 1966 1967 Front Disc Brake Conversion | eBay

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Yes. I never bought the kit, but if I were to buy one this is the one I'd get. He was also very quick to respond to my email when I had a question. The brackets are not cheap, but the whole thing winds up being cheaper than some of the other kits if you go this route, and you can choose individual components (manufacturers, etc.) which I like.

Regardless of which route one takes, would it require replacing the I Beams from a later model 73-79 F150 truck??

with the kit I used, or those brackets, no the I beams do not need to be replaced, nor do the king pins need to be removed. All the work is outside of those parts.

No not with these new kits. These kits have a bracket that slips onto the spindle after you simply pull the wheels and drums off. All comes off after removing one nut really.

The new calipers mount onto these brackets then you install the rotors and wheels (bearings, etc) and that's it.

Others talk about pulling the front end assembly off a similar model truck with front discs and swapping it with the 1965's . . . I do not know the intricacies of what is involved with that, but it's pretty well documented on these forums. So, with the kits: no, with a front end swap out . . . I am not sure exactly how that works.

Appreciate the info; this ole timer is about 2 decades behind in these vintage Ford upgrades. It has been many years since swapping to front disc and seem to recall it required swapping the entire front suspension assembly, comparing cost it would seem there's not that much difference with the kit and less labor intensive? Wonder how long I will have to wait before there's a quik fix upgrade to power steering?

I considered the kit because it seemed less daunting than a swap (I am not an experienced mechanic), and where I live they salt roads in winter and can not find any worthwhile donors that aren't rusted out.

I like the look of that Scarebird kit. I have emailed them asking for a list of all the stuff I'll have to scrounge for my F100. I'll post it if I get it.
I have done the donor swap. It is a good option - complete, all Ford, and pretty cheap - but I live in the city and you need space to work, there's a big mess, and the donors are getting scarce.
Eric