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9 inch rear disc brake installation

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by iamflashman, Mar 11, 2011.

  1. tailpipe47
    Joined: Mar 21, 2009
    Posts: 48

    tailpipe47
    Member

    Have checked with Checker, Napa and Autozone and can't find that .25 wider bearing. Have you found that part number yet.
     
  2. tailpipe47
    Joined: Mar 21, 2009
    Posts: 48

    tailpipe47
    Member

    Was walking through Home Depot the other day picking up parts to rehang my towel bar because some people think it is a hand rail and came up with a way of making the spacers much cheaper than Curries. As I was looking for bathroom parts I walked by that rack that we all have seen with the bars of allthread and small pieces of angle iron and sheet metal and I believe the answer to the spacers. Two or three feet pieces of cold roll round bar stock in sizes like 1/4 in. and smaller. With a little heat and a pipe the right size to rap the stock around you have made a spacer. Do it twice and you have your spacers. :rolleyes:
     
  3. Mustangbetts
    Joined: Dec 20, 2013
    Posts: 6

    Mustangbetts
    Member

    I'm newly registered but a long time "reader". Tons of great information.

    I'm in the process of converting my 1972 LTD convertible 9 inch rear end to disk. Right now it is all apart but so far so good. It is nice that the Explorer brake hose fitting is 3/8 24 just like the LTD (not metric!). So I'm using the left backing plate on the right, right on the left to position the E brake assemblies on the bottom - consistent with the original setup. I'm thinking that I will be using the Explorer E brake cables as the original will be too long and too much trouble... to be determined.

    I found also that with this big bearing rear end with 1/2 inch backing plate bolts, I could rotate the backing plate where two holes line up (diagonally) and needed only to be drilled out to the 1/2 inch size. The other two holes then line up in an almost solid portion of the backing plate to be drilled. It only gets into the original smaller holes a little bit.

    Last thing for now though is that when I mock it up, my axles allow the rotor to push into the backing plate slightly. Not good... So I will be putting the 1/4 inch spacer inside the housing end as opposed to the outside so the axles are held out. Shouldn't be a problem in terms of seating in the carrier - lots of meat into it already.

    I'm also concerned about using round bar for the spacer as the prior poster suggested. Seems like it would press on the seal part of the bearing and not the outer race - destroying the bearing in short time...
     
  4. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    If you have access to a lathe, it would be best to make your own spacers out of bar stock.
     
  5. Crusty Nut
    Joined: Aug 3, 2005
    Posts: 1,834

    Crusty Nut
    Member

    I've done this on several cars. You need the spacers. Curries are the most money. But you can get them for $20 from most of the axle venders on ebay. For $20 its not worth it to me to make them.
    These are a bolt on if you have a "torino" style axle end with a 2.5" off set. Other that that, it requires minor grinding or adjustment.
     
  6. Mustangbetts
    Joined: Dec 20, 2013
    Posts: 6

    Mustangbetts
    Member

    my concern right now is the rotors pushing into the backing plate. I can grind off that inner "lip" of the rotor that scrapes if you are referring to that. Then I have to hope that the E brake shoes still fit inside as well...

    And no doubt that spacers are needed. for sure
     
  7. Are the caliper bleeders pointing up or down? When you bleed your brakes rotate them slide them over the rotor bleed then reinstall .
     
  8. Mustangbetts
    Joined: Dec 20, 2013
    Posts: 6

    Mustangbetts
    Member

    The left and right calipers stay as they are. only the backing plates are swapped to get the E brake cables on the bottom. brake bleeders stay in the pointing up position.
     
  9. Mustangbetts
    Joined: Dec 20, 2013
    Posts: 6

    Mustangbetts
    Member

    I completed the swap to Explorer rear disk brakes. As always, it is not as "simple" as you would hope... Some things I ran into:

    I replaced all the wheel studs to longer ones due to the added thickness of the rotor. They were kinda too short already anyway for aluminum rims (original steel rims were very thin comparatively). But the new studs have thicker back areas so they would rub on the E brake shoe return spring. I opted to remove the spring and hope the shoes would "return" with only the one spring left on it when the E brake is released. The shoe adjuster side spring is still there too - no problems.

    I had to remove the inner lip of the rotors as the axle flange must be in a little more than with the Explorer. It was rubbing on the backing plate. This issue also created the "spring rub" mentioned above. Had a friend put the rotors on a lathe and machine it off.

    Surprisingly, the caliper hoses have 7/16-24 threads which matched the old 1972 Ford LTD brake line fittings. I mounted the hose ends on the axle shaft and routed the brake lines to the hose fittings. No problems.

    I used the Explorer E brake cables and the Explorer bracket that mounts the front of them to the frame. This seemed to be the easiest route and after fabing up a connection part for the original pull cable to attach to the Explorer cable, it looks to work properly.

    Getting those spacers to go in with the backing plate while inserting the axle (with E brake shoes installed) is tricky. Managed to get them into the backing plate and carefully push the axle in to place. By the way, you do not want to mess with the shoes and parts with the axle installed. Very difficult to manage the shoe springs as there is little room with the axle in.

    Bled brakes and time to test. E brake actually works as good or better than original stuff. I'm very pleased with its operation (and the shoes are returning properly with the one spring removed...)

    Drove around and determined that there is very little pressure being applied to the rear rotors. Hard braking barely warms up the rotors and the "rust" surface is barely getting polished off by the pads. I'm gonna guess that there is no residual valve involved with the current setup as they are certainly not "dragging" back there. So my next step is to acquire and install a master cylinder from a mid '70s Thunderbird that had 4 wheel disc and see if that improves rear disc braking pressures.

    Disc brakes sure look better back there and hopefully with the new master cylinder they will perform better too!
     
  10. Mustangbetts
    Joined: Dec 20, 2013
    Posts: 6

    Mustangbetts
    Member

    To wrap this up, I located a 1976 Ford Thunderbird 4 wheel disk master cylinder ($16.99!) at O'reilly's auto parts and installed it. This corrected the rear disc braking problem and the system seems to be working very well.

    All in all, about $200.00 for the total cost of conversion. Not bad.
     
  11. 42merc
    Joined: Dec 19, 2010
    Posts: 894

    42merc
    Member

  12. Would you happen to have a part number on those wheel studs?
     
  13. Mustangbetts
    Joined: Dec 20, 2013
    Posts: 6

    Mustangbetts
    Member

    I used Dorman 610-290 wheel studs. Got them at Summit for $18. Pressed in nicely. I did however have to drill out the rotor stud holes to the size of the stud as they protruded through the axle flange 1/4 inch. No problem. I almost used Dorman 610-260 which would not have required the rotor stud hole drilling but I preferred the extra length and "meat" of the 610-290s.
     
  14. Thanks!
     
  15. I assume the rear end you are using in your original post is off an early Ford big bearing 9" from a passenger car, not the new Torino or the truck, right? Also, did you ever find the part number for the bearing? I ask because I have a '60 Galaxy big bearing rear end that I'm getting ready to do this upgrade to. Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2015
  16. looking to put 2006 e-150 8.8" disc setup on my 72 f-100 9" rear going in my 50 mercury 5 on 5.5" pattern would this be a bolt on swap?
     
  17. stealthcruiser
    Joined: Dec 24, 2002
    Posts: 3,748

    stealthcruiser
    Member

    I did not recently, but did you read this whole thread?
     
  18. Canus
    Joined: Apr 16, 2011
    Posts: 102

    Canus
    Member

    55 Dude, I THINK the 2006 used a metric bolt pattern rather than the traditional 5-5.5 inch pattern therefore you would have to redrill the rotors for the 5-5.5" pattern.
     
  19. read the pattern because metric in 2008! and yes i have read the thread and certain info is weak and not backed up with pictures. not gonna tear apart good differential if parts won't work as i have plenty of work ahead already. i have followed threads in past only to discover they were bullshit!
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2015
  20. deathrowdave
    Joined: May 27, 2014
    Posts: 3,518

    deathrowdave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from NKy

    Bolt pattern is a bit different . Only issue I see is redrill rotors
     
  21. Gammz
    Joined: May 10, 2015
    Posts: 806

    Gammz
    Member
    from Lincoln Ne

    Son and I went to the u pull it today. We got our rear disks of a 1999 explorer. All the bits to do a swap on our 59 small bearing 9". The explorer even had a 3.73L tag on the diff cover as luck would have it so I pulled that for my F-150 daily driver. Gotta get the parts all cleaned up and get stuff bolted on.
    I have one question tho. I have read the thread a few times, and I seem to get lost in translation about the "spacers" Would someone kindly help me out with this?
     
  22. If I'm not mistaken the spacer goes' between the bearing retainer plate and the bearing.
     
  23. I had a machinist make this tool to center the caliper bracket with the axle flange and elongate the holes on the caliper bracket. This diff is an early small bearing 9". And the disc brakes setup is off an '03 explorer.
     

    Attached Files:

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  24. Gammz
    Joined: May 10, 2015
    Posts: 806

    Gammz
    Member
    from Lincoln Ne

    That's a awesome piece!!!!!!!
     
  25. Gammz
    Joined: May 10, 2015
    Posts: 806

    Gammz
    Member
    from Lincoln Ne

    One other question. Wheels??? 15 inch rim at least with this set up?
     
  26. Gammz
    Joined: May 10, 2015
    Posts: 806

    Gammz
    Member
    from Lincoln Ne

    Would you happen to have the dimensions of the tool you had made? I have access to a shop to make one for myself.
     
  27. 2.835 and 3.150. The brake caliper has the same diameter as a big bearing Ford. So if you have a big bearing Ford this is almost a bolt in. And yes, 15" wheels will work with this setup.
     
    Gammz likes this.
  28. Gammz
    Joined: May 10, 2015
    Posts: 806

    Gammz
    Member
    from Lincoln Ne

    Getting closer on my explorer brake swap!!! ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1438553050.271603.jpg ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1438553076.387948.jpg ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1438553093.921565.jpg
     

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