Disc Brake Conv. Swap the Knuckles?

[FyreBronc]

Ok, so I tried to do my homework and ran a few searches, but no specific references to this portion of the conversion. Does anyone have any advice as to wheather or not to go with the Ford disk brake conversion in which you swap out the knuckles or stay with the original knuckles and go for the cheaper set-up? This is for a budget concious build that will hopefully evolve over the next 20 years with mild to moderate wheeling, but i want to keep the family safe first. Any experience with either setup? Thanks in advance!

 

[cupcake]

Id go with the chevy 1/2t parts. And either add the spacer to the ford spindle or used the early checy spindle or turn down a late one.

 

[slyjki]

Id go with the chevy 1/2t parts. And either add the spacer to the ford spindle or used the early checy spindle or turn down a late one.

I agree go chevy! U end up with alot more clearence for future tierod options. I went ford. hidesight is a bit--!

 

[7elk]

I went with ford F150 and have had no trouble.

 

[TBS-POPS]

The chevy conversion is the easyist. you can find a used kit for around $250-300. If you swap knuckles, you add to the cost of the conversion and extra stuff like new ball joints etc. and the extra labor...Inexpensive swap is knuckle out swap off '80 on bronco and f-150 TTB front ends. CHEAP at local pick-and-pull yards...YES, all the parts swap off those stupid front ends that nobody wants!!

 

[Pokey71]

cupcake......

Where can one get his hands ahold of hese spacers. i have every part for the chevy swap except the chevy spindles and backing plates..

 

[onebadd73]

Here's the list I used to convert my dana 44 drums to chevy disc. I got this from the So.Cal Bronco's website in their tech folder.Keep in mind this is a few year's old and prices may have changed. Frank


Here's all the prices and part #'s These parts are all purchased from Auto Zone. You'll also need chevy spindles from an early to mid 70's blazer and backing plates. I used 74 chevy blazer parts.
ALL PARTS ARE LIFETIME WARRANTY
#024196 0524 performance friction pads comp set $27.99
#095745 C503 RH disc brake caliper $12.99 +$10.00 core=$22.99
#095752 C502 LH disc brake caliper $12.99 +$10.00 core=$22.99
#048859 5492 brake rotor/hub comp. $30.99x2=$61.98
#788737 set 37 wheel bearing,Timken $13.99x2=$27.98
#788422 set 45 wheel bearing,Timken $13.99x2=$27.98
#704049 H5002 brake guide bolts $6.99x2=$13.98
#001799 313938 banjo bolts 7/16"x20x1 1/16 $1.99x2=$3.98
Total$209.86 without tax.Minus core charge of $20.00 new total=$189.86

 

[rjlougee]

I've done both conversions on EBs and truthfully there's very little difference in stopping ability, etc... I would say the Ford setup provides a little better braking, but most find it's not worth the extra expense.

For the "budget conscious" the Chevy conversion is better.

Where the Ford conversion shines is when/if you upgrade the front end to the larger (Spicer 760) U-joints vs. the stock EB size. The Ford knuckle has a much larger hole in it that will allow a broken U-joint/axle out much easier than the EB knuckle.

If you can get the whole axle reasonably, then you can swap the larger U-joint shafts in and be better off (the passenger side needs to be cut down/resplined, $50 at Moser last I looked).
Joe

 

[rjlougee]

#048859 5492 brake rotor/hub comp. $30.99x2=$61.98

Has anyone got even close to this price lately?? I've been needing another set for a conversion, but the last I priced them out they were at least 2x that price.
Joe

 

[FyreBronc]

I had an idea in the back of my small brain to swap to the cro-mo axles with the 760 u-joints in the future. I'd guess that the stock klnuckles do no allow the larger joint to be installed. That may be a determining factor. Looks like more research and a trip to man's disneyland (Pick-n-Pull) Thanks for the different ideas. I'll take a lot of pics and post em asap.

 

[thegreatjustino]

Has anyone got even close to this price lately?? I've been needing another set for a conversion, but the last I priced them out they were at least 2x that price.
Joe

Cheapest I have found is about $75 per assembly at Kragen

Bendix Brake Rotor (Front; Splined Hub) Part Number: 141951 $42.99
Bendix Brake Rotor (Front; Disc only) Part Number: 141214 $30.99

 

[gpete]

Ok, so I tried to do my homework and ran a few searches, but no specific references to this portion of the conversion. Does anyone have any advice as to wheather or not to go with the Ford disk brake conversion in which you swap out the knuckles or stay with the original knuckles and go for the cheaper set-up? This is for a budget concious build that will hopefully evolve over the next 20 years with mild to moderate wheeling, but i want to keep the family safe first. Any experience with either setup? Thanks in advance!

I have done the chevy conversion which was very easy if i was going to use a dana 44 for heavy off road using aftermarket axles with larger u joints i would do the ford conversion that way i can also benefit from the larger holes in the knuckes and the 1976 T- Bird calipers that are much larger than the fullsize bronco calipers

 

[Pa PITT]

Rotors

I stuck a fat hog when I found my hub and rotor ass..Our auto zone closed out on them I got mine for 24.99 each ...Not long after that they were nearly 100 each ...
...FYERBRONC...Read my last post in the other post above ...

 

[FyreBronc]

I stuck a fat hog when I found my hub and rotor ass..Our auto zone closed out on them I got mine for 24.99 each ...Not long after that they were nearly 100 each ...
...FYERBRONC...Read my last post in the other post above ...

Gotcha, Had not heard of that before, but that is why I stopped just reading and started asking. You guys are all very helpful. Probably gonna go with the Ch*vy set up. It sound like the most practical for my app.