Ford knuckles or Chev disc brake upgrade?

[GrillMaster]

Ford knuckles or Chev disc brake upgrade? Which is better? Why?

 

[mortimersnerd]

Chevy is an easier swap because you don't have to replace the knuckles. Also, you'll lose a little tie rod clearance with the Ford knuckles as the mounting point is about an inch lower than stock. Will also increase the angle on the drag link, possibly contributing to a tiny bit more bump steer (this is not a big deal). Not sure about this, but you may be able to retain your (really strong) stock Spicer hubs with the Ford parts. I'd go Chevy if I had the option. I went for the Ford parts because I found them on Craigslist really cheap and wanted to swap out my ball joints anyway. Search Craigslist for Dana 44 and keep emailing people selling complete or part axles about whether they'll sell just the parts you need. I found mine in about 2 weeks for $75 with everything I needed.

 

[GrillMaster]

I hear there is an advantage when changing axles with the ford knuckels. I may go the craigslist route or I may just buy the $500 chevy conversion kit from horsepowersales on ebay.

 

[ET]

Ford knuckle has a bigger opening that helps especially if you have HD axle shafts. You can also run 70's tbird caliper w/ ford knuckles.

 

[NYLES]

f150 knuckles turn inward away from the wheel, more clearance, shorter tie rod bout 3"

 

[RustyShackelfor]

all Ford

 

[stlo]

the ford knucks will be like the 76-77 bronc...the spindle bolts is a bigger pattern than say using the stock 44 drum knucks....and yes there is alot more clearence to get an axle out if you broke it...but ive ran both and so far have been able to get them out broke...knock on wood....toms is having a sell at 529$ for there kit with stanl.steel outer lines...i would go that route rather than the ebay just for the simple fact if you break something you can just order the rite part from toms for there kit...just a thought

 

[JohnT]

I did Ford , Cheaper , a little clearance on the tie rod , no biggie , replaced with TRO kit , Everything is new . Except for the spindles , and shafts . Found everything I needed in a U pull it yard .

 

[stlo]

JohnT is right you can go and get the stuff out of the pull it yard...i have done it myself plenty of times!!!!...but to be honest im just tired of doing it for so many years...lol...sometimes its jsut nice to open boxes with everything you need and bolt it on and go...lol....in the early 90's thats about all you could do is shop in yards and find whatr you needed...but as i get more lazy i guess the big bronco dealers for parts have put together really good kits turn key that a normal guy can afford

 

[GrillMaster]

do either of them stick the tire out more or less than the drums?

 

[bax]

do either of them stick the tire out more or less than the drums?

No that is the same.

 

[broncnaz]

actually I believe the 78/79 ford knuckles do cause the track width to increase about 1/2". I've done both swaps and really the ford conversion will probably cost you about the same as a new GM kit will. Unless you happen to get a whole ford setup with all good parts for next to nothing.
GM kit pretty much bolts on with no other parts needed. Ford conversion requires new ball joints and tierod bushings or modifcations. I did mie and developed a small amount of bumpsteer with a 2.5in lift it was hardly nocticeable but did give me a excuse to do a TRO swap.
All said and done in most cases I would rather do the gm conversion. I like my ford conversion but it did require more work.

 

[NYLES]

ford chevy its all dana!!!!!! go the easiest route you find first!

 

[broncnaz]

Actually the brakes are not dana they are bendix.

 

[NYLES]

dana design? your funny!

 

[Oatmeal]

I did my GM brake conversion about 24 years ago before it was popular to go that route. There was this article in Off Road magazine (when they still did real off road articles) about a guy in Englewood Colorado (Alan Dunn of High Country Performance) and his really trick '67 Bronco, Crazy Horse. It had a home built full float axle and a GM disc brake swap so, I called him for info and did my disc swap. Anyway, I bought a Blazer K5 D44 for a $180 and took the spindles and calipers......(wish I would have known about the shafts back then) and sold the rest for $100 because, it was a lot easier and (as you see) cheaper;D than using the Ford parts. Now days you'd be hard pressed to find any solid axle 1/2 ton Ford trucks and/or '78/'79 Broncos in the wrecking yards but loads of Chevys. Go to the yards and pick up a K5 or K10 axle for $150 and you'll end up with all the parts you need (except hubs and rotors) for the brake swap.....spindles, calipers/brackets, brake hoses and a set of axles (you'll have to have them cut down) that'll give you the stronger u-joints and allow you to run the outer snap ring on the Warn hubs (if you're running those) or retain you stock Spicers. It's such a simple conversion, why pay so much for a kit when all those parts are just waiting to be picked%)......just my 2 cents-----------Hans

 

[broncnaz]

dana design? your funny!

No actually bendix designed to fit dana as the same bendix design also fits the gm 10 bolt front axle as well.

 

[GrillMaster]

Hmmmmm. my buddy is about to upgrade his blazer axles. What years work? His must be around an '88.

 

[broncnaz]

If it has a straight axle then you can use the backing plates and calipers. The spindles will be slightly different though as they take a larger inner bearing but you could get the spindles machined to fit the smaller bearing.

 

[JoeJoe]

I thought about this long and hard.My buddy ended up giving me knuckles out from a 79. But like anything it still cost money. I have gathered all my parts to do it and sand blasted and painted what need it. Cost so far ball joints,$78,hub and rotors $170,bearings $39,seals $10,knuckle shims $35, calpipers $ 70,pads $12. You dont have to buy new everything by while your doing right!!Hopefully everything will go as easy as planed rounding up buddies for next weekend.