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Brake Questions

rharrell

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
193
Loc.
Benton, LA
I am in the middle of a frame off restoration and I have a few questions regarding brake upgrades:
1. I would like to use a hydroboost. Who has the easiest conversion for this and will it work well for a front disc/rear drum setup?
2. Who has the easiest conversion to front discs?
3. I was told by a local mechanic (not that familiar with EB's) that on some of the Ford rear ends, if the axel breaks, the wheel will fall off because it is held on by a "C-clip". Is this true, and if it is, how do I identify which rear end I have?
4. In reading about the rear brakes, there appears to be two different stud sizes. What does that mean, and again, how do I tell which I have?
I have a '74 with Dana 44 front, Ford 9 in. rear.
5. And lastly, I need some opinions regarding the best brake setup.
 

aughtsix06

Jr. Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
89
Loc.
kaneohe,hi
Take a look at the Bronco Tech articles on the left side of the page. or do a search and you should find more than enough information for what you are needing. Once you have gone thru all of that, if you have some specific questions that you just can't find answers to then i am sure that some of these guru's will have no problems steering you in the right direction.
 

70_Steve

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 13, 2002
Messages
8,317
1. I would like to use a hydroboost. Who has the easiest conversion for this and will it work well for a front disc/rear drum setup?
Easiest will be to install one of the hydroboost kits from any one of the vendors. Or HydraTech Braking (see web site). If you source the individual parts yourself, you will wind up doing some fabrication yourself.
2. Who has the easiest conversion to front discs?
Chevy disc conversion is the easiest. Or the disc setup from a 76/77 EB Dana44.
3. I was told by a local mechanic (not that familiar with EB's) that on some of the Ford rear ends, if the axel breaks, the wheel will fall off because it is held on by a "C-clip". Is this true, and if it is, how do I identify which rear end I have?
Find a new mechanic. Ford 9" doesn't use c-clips. There were actually three different variations of 9" used through the years in EBs. See Wild Horses catalog for a discussion of which you have. http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/category/rear_axle
4. In reading about the rear brakes, there appears to be two different stud sizes. What does that mean, and again, how do I tell which I have?
I have a '74 with Dana 44 front, Ford 9 in. rear.
Different stud sized and spacing for the retainer plate. See the same Wild Horses catalog for a discussion on which one is which.
5. And lastly, I need some opinions regarding the best brake setup.
Best brake setup for what? Front, rear? "Best" is a very relative term... What are your requirements?
 
OP
OP
rharrell

rharrell

Full Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
193
Loc.
Benton, LA
Best brake setup for what? Front, rear? "Best" is a very relative term... What are your requirements?[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the info. Best setup would be for a street machine, some mud offroad (not many hills here in Louisiana) and I'll feel fairly safe to let my sons drive it occasionally. As you can see, I am leaning toward a Wild Horses or JBG front disc, leaving the stock rear drums and using the Hydroboost setup with heavy duty power steering pump from Wild Horses. I don't want to move the rear shock setup.
 

chuck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,474
Loc.
Ingram, Texas
1. do you need hydroboost?
2. I like the ford conversion and Duff's is the only one that has all new ford parts, it seem everyone has the chevy conversions
3. That is a chevy thing, the fords use a press collar just after the bearing to hold the bear to tha axle.
4.The stock rear wheel studs are all the same as far as I have seen. I use a diff. stud for my rear disc brake conversion and guess all the other conversions do also.
5. MY opinion, 35" and down vac. ass. brakes will work fine and hydroboost is over kill, over 35" hydroboost might be better. I have a hydroboost in the works now for those that have a diff. opinion.
Drum in the rear with disc in front are better that drums all around and disc all around are better that drum/disc. This is my opinion and the opinion of the auto industry.

I am in the middle of a frame off restoration and I have a few questions regarding brake upgrades:
1. I would like to use a hydroboost. Who has the easiest conversion for this and will it work well for a front disc/rear drum setup?
2. Who has the easiest conversion to front discs?
3. I was told by a local mechanic (not that familiar with EB's) that on some of the Ford rear ends, if the axel breaks, the wheel will fall off because it is held on by a "C-clip". Is this true, and if it is, how do I identify which rear end I have?
4. In reading about the rear brakes, there appears to be two different stud sizes. What does that mean, and again, how do I tell which I have?
I have a '74 with Dana 44 front, Ford 9 in. rear.
5. And lastly, I need some opinions regarding the best brake setup.
 

Kenny

Full Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2002
Messages
301
70_Steve pretty much nailed it.

I'll also add something regarding your 9 inch rear end. Since you mentioned that you have a '74 EB, there's a pretty good chance that you have a 9 inch that is often referred to as the "medium" bearing rear end. Most of the time (66-73 & 76-77), 10 inch drums are small bearing and 11 inch drums are big bearing, but I believe 74-75 had 10 inch drums with big bearings......hence the medium bearing name (even though it used big bearings).
 

70_Steve

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 13, 2002
Messages
8,317
Thanks for the info. Best setup would be for a street machine, some mud offroad (not many hills here in Louisiana) and I'll feel fairly safe to let my sons drive it occasionally. As you can see, I am leaning toward a Wild Horses or JBG front disc, leaving the stock rear drums and using the Hydroboost setup with heavy duty power steering pump from Wild Horses. I don't want to move the rear shock setup.
Front discs will give you the biggest improvement, whether they are power or not. The selection of a master cylinder will also have the biggest effect on braking. This has to take into consideration manual, vacuum assist or hydroboost, and drum/drum, disc/drum, or disc/disc. A good master cylinder can be found for any of those combinations. If you're considering playing in the mud, then you may want to consider front and rear discs, as the mud plays hell with drum brakes, getting packed up inside, etc.
 

chuck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,474
Loc.
Ingram, Texas
I think some 74s, all 75s and some 76s came with the new style big bearing. The bearing is 3.15" like the other big bearings butthe retainer plate bolt patern is 3.58" across and 2" in the side and had 11x2" brakes. They are so mixed up now that is always good the check before ordering axles or bearings.
 

chuck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,474
Loc.
Ingram, Texas
I don't want to move the rear shock setup.[/QUOTE]
To install rear disc brakes you only move the bottom of the shock, no cutting or welding needed.
 

Mark

Contributor
Bronco Klutz
Joined
Aug 29, 2003
Messages
5,414
Loc.
NW Indiana
I would install power front disc first and drive that around and then determine if you want to upgrade to hydroboost.
I think adding rear disc is only marginally more effective than rear drum. 70% (approx) of your stopping power is the front brakes.
I would go to Hydroboost front disc/rear drum before front disc/rear disc.
 

chuck

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 14, 2001
Messages
6,474
Loc.
Ingram, Texas
Rear disc are great in some conditions like going down very steep hills because they tend to not lock as easy as drums do but as far as stopping power there is not much diff. The most bang for the buck is power ass. brakes. Even with drums all around you should be able to lock them all with ease. Next I would go for the front disc because they will stop straighter cold, hot or wet. Then the rear disc if you want. Also do 1 part at a time so you don't have a problem figuring out where the problem is when you get it all together and have no brakes.
 
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