I am just in the planning stages of a build, truck is not even here yet but I am trying to gather parts. I want to add power disc brakes to the stock front axle. Truck is a 41 ford. Speedway has a kit with the factory 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern. Will the factory 16 inch wheels work with this? I did a quick search but came up empty. Anybody do this swap?
Somebody somewhere sells discs that look like finned drums. Keep it at least looking traditional! I personally like manual drum brakes
I'd just put F2 12 inch brakes on it and if you want it to look kool add some Buick drums. They will stop just as well as disc brakes.
If it is a full fendered truck with a dropped axle, no ones going to know it has disc brakes unless they are lying on the ground looking under it. I had heard the early Ford wheels work with discs but can’t confirm that, it’ll be good information to know.
They say the kit isn't compatible with stock wheels, though I'm not certain why. The OD of the wheel interface surface doesn't leave a ton of contact area outside the bolt circle, but it's comparable to the 1960s Ford drums on the 9" rear on the '48 sedan I'm currently working on. I know of a few other people running stock 16" early Ford wheels with the Speedway kit, and a few others going together, one guy who had some 1/4" thick steel spacer plates made to just a little bigger OD than the rotor wheel surface OD to gain a little more area there. Best I can say is try it out, bolt a wheel on, look for clearance issues, etc, and look at the wheel mating surface. The differences in early Ford wheels may present a problem with some and not others. Edit: To be clear, I am working on finishing up the chassis on this current '48 project, and have early Ford 16" solids bolted onto the Speedway 5 on 5-1/2 disc kit with no apparent issues, though I've yet to drive it.
I am building this truck for my wife. She wants power steering, power brakes. The truck will look the part but I want this thing to be as reliable and effortless as can be for her.
I'd take a look at P&J's Power Stoppers with the 5.5 BP. More money but much better quality, require no spindle adapters and don't move the wheels out. I have them on my 40 coupe along with a P&J pedal assembly with booster and they work great.