78 F250 dana 44 Knuckles with high arms

[DEEPWOODS]

I got some 78 F250 knuckles with the high arms on them .5 bolt spindles .How do making the F150 brake caliper work looks like the caliper bracket will work but the caliper will hit the knuckle.

 

[SteveL]

Are you trying to put this on an eb dana 44? I've only heard of the f-150 stuff fitting.

 

[DEEPWOODS]

Yes I want to use them on my bronco they are off of a 78 F250 Dana 44 . the back side at the top is different I can post up some backside pics . I am sure some broncos are using these

 

[DEEPWOODS]

Knuckle pic the top one is f250 the bottom one is f150 . Notice the upper spindle bolt on the F150 is outside

 

[SteveL]

Do you have the spindles out and brakes from the f250? Maybe you can run that. There must be a reason you dont hear of f250 knuckles or brake swaps. I thought part of it was bolt pattern for rims. F250 are usually 6 or 8 lug. Surprised nobody else has chimed in.

 

[RH]

From the picture it looks like ball joint spacing is different

 

[DEEPWOODS]

Ball joint spacing is the same . I think it would take too big of a notch near the upper ball joint and weaken it .So I can't figure out how others are using these for the high arms unless they work with the chevy disc brakes and not the ford

 

[reynard101]

It takes some work but the dual piston calipers can be used with a 5 on 5.5 set up.

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250060

 

[SteveL]

Are you sure guys are using those for high arms?theres an aftermarket company making high steer knuckles. Rousch or Reid racing maybe.

 

[DirtDonk]

So I can't figure out how others are using these for the high arms

I'm with Steve. Are you sure others are actually using these? Don't remember any other discussions about it myself. Doesn't mean it hasn't been done of course, but I sure don't remember any.
Wouldn't it just be easier to use the existing knuckles and go TRO rather than replace the knuckles to get that higher arm location? Or are you intending to take the high arms and still go TRO and just wanted Ford disc brakes?

unless they work with the chevy disc brakes and not the ford

Possible, but still would require some extra fab work and additional thinking because you can only use the Ford spindle and caliper bracket with that five-bolt knuckle. Larger bore and only five studs holding it in place.
Is the Ford F150 spindle the same as the F250? If you have the spindles, how about finding a number on the side of the flange?
Either way, will the Ford spindle be the proper length and work with the same bearings and caliper spacing as the Chevy disc brake components?
Sure, it's a Ford hub and rotor, so it might just work. But seems there are enough dimension questions to do a lot more checking and double-checking to be sure.

We can check wheel bearings and seals from the books, but fewer people have the spindle numbers and specs. And I don't remember anyone re-drilling a GM caliper bracket to work with a Ford 5-bolt disc brake knuckle.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[79INA69]

Pretty sure we already talked, but if not, here goes. The super cab F150 knuckles look similar to the F250 8 lug knuckle except for a larger cut out to allow the 1/2 ton calipers to bolt on. If you are using the 8 lug F250 knuckles they have a different spindle that uses the 2" D60 inner bearing on a smaller 8 lug hub specific to Ford. The chevy 8 lug (big bearing hubs are larger and run a larger locking hub. The 8 lug D44 from Ford uses 1/2 ton outer bearing and 1/2 ton locking hub. Ball joint spacing is the same, 30spl axle and spacing is the same. It even shares the same 1/2 ton grease seal. The track width is 67.5 on the 8 lug D44 vs 65.5 on the 1/2 ton D44. I believe the difference is made up in the hub spacing for the larger brake space needed. Your only option in my opinion is to possibly modify the 8 lug hub. Either redrilled to 5 lug or spacer/adapter. The factory caliper bracket can be ditched in favor of a custom 1/2" plate bracket with the Chevy spacing, in fact Im pretty sure the D60 caliper bracket is the same as the 8lug D44. Barnes 4x4 sells such a bracket for D60. My advice would be to do as I did and run the complete 8 lug set up and either run 14b FF outers on your 9" or swap to an 8 lug rear. They make 5 lug D60 hubs....

 

[DEEPWOODS]

I have the Chevy front brakes now .I had a lot of trouble with the brakes back in March and April . They still don’t work very well kind of mushy. I have a 78 F150 HP Dana 44 to put knuckles on it will need a gear swap and run full width or cut down.

 

[79INA69]

2 options for chevy calipers that are over the counter. JB6 and JB7. 7 is the bigger 3.04 piston, 6 is 2.87 or so. You can run over the counter 78 T Bird Ford calipers that are a larger piston direct bolt on to your 78 D44. All of these options set up properly should be adequate to stop 37" and smaller tires. Hydroboost is pricey and more complicated but effortless when set up correctly. Like I said, the 78 D44 is identical housing for 1/2 and 3/4 ton, so it is a direct
bolt on for swapping to 8 lug outers. The 8 lug factory calipers are large 2 piston unit that is the same on D60 from Ford. Pedal feel comes down to getting the preferred ratio of Master cylinder bore to caliper piston area. Are you only looking to swap your front outers to change the brake set up?