Technical Trying to ID rear suspension in a 46 Studebaker. Updated rear brake question 2-24-19

This 1946 Studebaker M5 truck was previously used for drag racing and it has a 9 inch narrowed Ford rear end with what appear to be small bearing axle flanges. Axles are 31 spline Strange Engineering with lug bolt pattern 5 x 4 1/2. using 3 inch long fine thread bolts. The rotors and brake calipers are stamped Ford. The rotor is 11 1/2 inches in diameter and the caliper is the single piston type. My differential has the number D28W-C stamped on the housing. Gears are 4:11. It also has a 4 link suspension with coil over shocks. The Ford caliper mount is free floated on the axle.

I am trying to determine yr make and model of vehicle this came from?

 

D28W-C, no tag, no identification.......

 

the Lincoln Versailles and Ford Granada used the small axles with disc brakes, the big Lincolns and Tbirds used the 5" bolt circle and big bearings. This is late 70s stuff

 

if you go to rockauto.com you can look up cars by year/make/model, and get part numbers and dimensions for stuff like rotors, bearings, etc.

 

How does the D28W-C break down? There are no tags on this rear end. The housing has this number stamped on it.

 

doesn't tell us much, actually.

you get more useful info out how things look, and how they measure, than from some of the casting numbers. And all you can find out about the casting numbers on the center section, is what that came from, and most 9" fords that are built for race cars or hot rods have a different center chunk than they started with.

 

I would guess that every part of that rear assembly came from a different vehicle. That rear was specifically for that truck. Casting numbers on the calipers will maybe tell you what they are. The rotors will probably require searching the dimension charts.. There are quite a few small shops that assemble rear axles. Some take a used rear and build it to your specs with those parts, Some have parts on the shelf and make up a rear from scratch.

 

And that looks like what you have. That's the style of housing used in those cars, and that's the right brakes. It appears the housing was narrowed and braced for racing, and you have aftermarket axles. The center section could be out of any 9", a pic of the front of it showing the web design would somewhat help to narrow that down.

The brakes will be the problem; Ford only used these a few years, as they proved to be troublesome. These had a lash-up that mechanically applied the emergency brake via the caliper piston. There's a special tool needed for caliper service/pad replacement also. These rears were very popular for a time, until owners found out what a hassle the brakes were. They're generally avoided these days...

I believe there's a kit available to install rear discs off a Ford 8.8" rear onto the 9", much better design. Check your axle flange diameter before ordering to make sure the rotors will fit your aftermarket axles.

 

There is no emergency brake on these calipers.

 

The Lincoln Versailles had 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern 10.66 inch rotors. These are 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern 11.5 inch rotors. I need to find out which vehicles had this pattern with a 11.5 inch rotor?

Most of the 11.5 inch rotors have 5 x 5" bolt pattern.

 

Yes, most of the external e-brake parts are missing. But the large 'fitting' on the visible side (in the pic) of the caliper where the piston bore is would be where it would connect. There should be a shaft sticking out, that shaft rotates to apply the brake. You're missing the lever and cable/bracket assembly.

Nothing OEM from Ford came with the 4.5 bolt pattern on the 11.5 rotor for a rear application. But your axle assembly is far from stock, so it's hard to say what's gone on with it... somebody may have done some mixing and matching.

 

Thanks Steve. Looks like the rotors are aftermarket kit but who's I don't know and there is no markings to tell me. These rotors are 11.5 inches in diameter with 5 x 4.5 and 4.75 bolt hole patterns. Do you happen to know which vehicles had the rear brake brackets mounted on the axles like this one does? In order to get the bracket off, the wheel bearing has to be removed.

 

those cars...

 

I have something like this I believe. http://www.catalograck.com/ImgVD/SSB/A110-18.pdf pictures 1 - 5

That being said, the only way to use a different set up means I have to cut the caliper brackets off the axle?

Assuming this is correct then what is the best rear brake kit to replace it with? Not interested in changing out axles or rearend. Axles are Strange Engineering and this 9 inch rear has been narrowed and reinforced. It has 4:11 gears as well.

 

you might see about pressing the wheel bearings off, removing the brackets, and installing new bearings...but I suppose you could cut off the brackets instead, if you want

 

I was going to suggest it might be easier to track down the builder and ask them what parts it uses.

 

I tried to do that but got nowhere. Previous owner lived in Daytona Beach and he bought the truck from South Beach Classics in Miami. They claim to have no records. I know before Miami the truck was registered and titled in Dayton Ohio and I have the title number but no owner name and tag office won't give it out. So I am stuck trying to figure it all out.

 

I was able to determine the axles have 2 bolt patterns of 4.5 with 7/16 x 20 studs and 4.75 with 1/2 x 20 studs.

The rotors also have 2 bolt patterns of 4.75 inches and 5 inches. So these rotors are set up for 4.75.

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/9-inch-rear-disc-brake-installation.569272/

You can also buy ready-to-go backing plates from Currie, then all you need is the rotors/calipers and various small parts.

 

I determined the calipers are from a 77 to 80 Lincoln Versailles. I bought 78 Lincoln Mark V 5 x 5" rotors and then used my old rotors as a template by bolting the top hats together and then drilling the 4 3/4" stud pattern with a 9/16ths bit. Most likely that is exactly what the previous person did.

 

Trying to install calipers and pads back on the new rotors and cannot get them on. I tried depressing the piston with a C clamp and that doesn't seem to do anything to collapse the piston. 77 to 80 Versailles "old" calipers and new pads using new rotors from Mark V.

Not sure what I am doing wrong?


I am close to just chucking the whole thing and buying a brand new kit.

 

Those calipers need to be screwed in not pushed in. Then they have to be adjusted for the right clearance.After that the hand brake part of the caliper adjusts the brakes .You must have the hand brake connected and use it to keep the rear brakes adjusted.
You may have hurt the internal adjusting parts when trying to squeeze them with the clamp.
Yes they are a pain. Good luck.

 

Are you talking about the E brake? This truck has no emergency brake.

 

Is this what you are talking about

 

Yes

 

I appreciate the advice and I went and rented the kit from Autozone. Piston either would not budge or it's as far as it will collapse. New rotors won't fit between new pads.

This is how I feel right now!

 

If the pistons are frozen, it might just be easier to get some rebuilt calipers. I think you can still get them, but will need to be ordered. Looked up on roackauto, Raybestos FRC4093 and FRC4094; or Centric 14161505 and 14161506. Calipers are left and right so you need the two P/Ns. I used 77 Versailles as the donor lookup. They will have core charge, so need to send the old ones back.

 

This is why these discs are no longer popular. If you try to press them in, it damages them internally. You need the special tool...

If you're not going to run a E-brake, you'll be better off with buying an aftermarket kit with different calipers.

 

If you want to use these calipers, you will need to install one.

 

Pistons in original calipers are frozen. I bought new ones from Oreilly. The new ones have the brake line connection and bleed screw in a different spot but the rest is the same. When attaching the calipers to its bracket do you need to put some type of grease where the two make contact (see photo)?

For future reference a 1 5/16ths inch socket fits the piston perfectly and you don't need the cheesy rental tool with the two small tits that bend or break.