Rear disk brake questions

[bushman_22]

Ok guys, I have been a lurker on here for a while. Now I have some questions. I have a 73 bronco with a 5.0 from an 88 tbird . I am in the process of doing a front and rear disk brake conversion with hydroboost. I am using the lincoln mark v rear disk brake stuff for the rear and 1/2 ton ford for the front. Before some of you want to know why. It is because I have had them sitting in my shop for 3 or 4 years ( I have two set ups and 2 bronco's) I have read a lot of posts on this conversion and everything looks good except the rotors. Some of the posts are using the car or 1/2 ton truck rotors and turning the outside flange down. Not really wanting to do that.I have looked at the explorer rotors and my concern on them is they are not a vented rotor and don't know if that would make the caliper pistons operate too far out of there bore. Is there a different set of rotors that anyone has successfully ran. Redrilling the 5 on 5.5 pattern is not a concern of mine. Also is there any preference to the placement of the caliper (ie: Front or rear of the axle) I know these questions are old but noone seems to repost after their conversion is complete and actually tested.
Thank you
Bushman

 

[Apogee]

Welcome to the ranks of those with their own threads.

Location of the caliper is irrelevant from a performance standpoint, so position them with whatever works best with respect to your shocks and any other potential interference points. Wherever they go, bleed screws point up

As for rotors, good luck with that. I got nothing except to not use those components, so that's probably not what you want to hear.

 

[DirtDonk]

I would go with your gut feelings though. If the rotors that came from the Lincoln were vented (thicker), and you're going to use those calipers, I'd think you have to use vented rotors of at least somewhat similar dimensions.
The Exploder rotors are fine from a performance standpoint for most people in a Bronco, but you'd have to use Exploder calipers too.

Other than confirming what you thought, I don't have an answer either. From what I understand, unless someone's come up with an alternative, you're either going to have to machine the axle register down to fit the rotor, or open the rotor up to fit the axle. AND maybe open up the wheel bolt pattern too.
And speaking of which, since you were going to have to do that as well, to the Lincoln rotors, why don't you want to open up the bore?
Just curious.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Actually, it was either TOFIC or Oleguy, or someone else here, that was using a standard front rotor from either a Bronco or a Jeep, and was having good luck with it. Not sure where he added or subtracted material for spacing, or what, but someone was doing it I think.
Maybe they'll chime in when they see this.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[bushman_22]

I guess I am not saying I won't turn the axle register down. I would prefer not to if possible. I am still searching for some other solution. I did find some dodge 1/2 ton rotors that were a beautiful fit, no machining necessary, But were to thick to fit the calipers over. I'll keep watching this thread and see if anyone posts anything. It would be nice to know exactly how much material is left outside of the stud when you machine the axles down if I have to go that way.

Bushman

 

[TOFIC]

I used the rear rotors off a crown vicky 95 vintage.
turn out the hat to slip over the axle and redrill for the bronco axle pattern
easy as that - - - and now onto the Tcase mounted park brake
TOFIC

 

[DirtDonk]

I did find some dodge 1/2 ton rotors that were a beautiful fit, no machining necessary, But were to thick to fit the calipers over.

Just out of curiosity, were they thin enough that you could have turned them down a few thou, to get them to fit?

Paul

 

[toddz69]

Ok guys, I have been a lurker on here for a while. Now I have some questions. I have a 73 bronco with a 5.0 from an 88 tbird . I am in the process of doing a front and rear disk brake conversion with hydroboost. I am using the lincoln mark v rear disk brake stuff for the rear and 1/2 ton ford for the front. Before some of you want to know why. It is because I have had them sitting in my shop for 3 or 4 years ( I have two set ups and 2 bronco's) I have read a lot of posts on this conversion and everything looks good except the rotors. Some of the posts are using the car or 1/2 ton truck rotors and turning the outside flange down. Not really wanting to do that.I have looked at the explorer rotors and my concern on them is they are not a vented rotor and don't know if that would make the caliper pistons operate too far out of there bore. Is there a different set of rotors that anyone has successfully ran. Redrilling the 5 on 5.5 pattern is not a concern of mine. Also is there any preference to the placement of the caliper (ie: Front or rear of the axle) I know these questions are old but noone seems to repost after their conversion is complete and actually tested.
Thank you
Bushman

On the two separate occasions that I ran the Lincoln Mark V calipers on the rear of my truck, I used two different rotors. When I first did it, I ran the Lincoln rotors and had the axle flanges turned down. When I did it the second time, I was running a Warn FF kit and ran the early '80s Jeep CJ rotors. Since I didn't have a semi-floating flange to turn down with that setup, I can't tell you what the difference on the i.d. of the hats was, but offhand I'm guessing the Jeeps was larger than the Lincolns. I don't think I'd try and run Explorer rotors with the Lincoln calipers because of the large delta in thicknesses. If you want to try another candidate that is thicker than the Explorer rotor and probably large enough to slip over your axle flange w/o machining, look at the front rotor on a Geo Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick. Already 5x5.5.

Todd Z.

 

[bushman_22]

Well I contacted Dutchman today (they are local for me) And asked them what the minimum material outside the stud would be safe for turning the axle flanges down. They said no less than 3/16". Then I went to the parts house and started opening rotor boxes. It looks like the easiest solution is the front rotors off of my wifes 94 Centurion. They have a 6 5/8 internal opening, offset looks correct, and will require a little surfacing to get thickness correct. And they are already 5 on 5 1/2.

Thanks for the input guys

Bushman

 

[DirtDonk]

What was the part number on that rotor? Seems to me that it would likely fit other applications as well, since the Centurion was a limited production item.

Paul

 

[bushman_22]

Actually the front rotors from her Centurion would be 94 F150, as the front half is F150 and the back half is Bronco. However in the past we have found that none of the rotors (including Ford were correct) I had to ask on of the Techs at Ford what to do. He said " Oh yea, ours aren't right, we get them from NAPA. Went to Napa and purchased them and they were indeed correct. I don't have the number handy but I can get it for you when I get out to the shop tomorrow.

Bushman

 

[Oatmeal]

.........I was running a Warn FF kit and ran the early '80s Jeep CJ rotors.........
Todd Z.

Sorry for the hijack but, I have a Warn FF'r and am doing rear discs, have all the parts (Cadillac calipers, Warn brackets) but, no instructions. With those rotors they won't fit over the hub so, are they opened up to fit (hope not) or are they mounted on the backside of the wheel flange with longer wheel studs?:?.....haven't started the install yet but, kinda looking for a heads up. Thanks!-----------Hans

 

[chuck]

If you want a bolt on setup with E-brake look here www.bcbroncos.com/rearbrakes08.html the rotor mounts to the back side of the axle flange. The rotor mounts on the back of the hub for the warn FF I believe. I will look around and see if I can find the instructions.

 

[DirtDonk]

Actually the front rotors from her Centurion would be 94 F150, as the front half is F150 and the back half is Bronco.

Oops, sorry bushman, I was thinking you meant some kind of rear rotor for that rig. Buddy of mine had one, but his was all 8-lug F250 stuff, with (I think) a Sterling rear axle. The Sterling probably had discs on it already, and I just wasn't thinking in terms of a front.

So the standard Centurion was 150-based then?

Thanks

Paul

 

[Oatmeal]

If you want a bolt on setup with E-brake look here www.bcbroncos.com/rearbrakes08.html the rotor mounts to the back side of the axle flange. The rotor mounts on the back of the hub for the warn FF I believe. I will look around and see if I can find the instructions.

Thanks, Chuck. I was actually able to download a pdf I found.....searched several times before with no luck?:? Anyway, if anybody needs it: http://www.biobug.org/jeep/cj/ref/Warn-Brake-Instructions.pdf ----------Hans

 

[bushman_22]

The Centurions came in C150's (1/2 ton with 351w) and C350's (1 ton with either 460's or diesels). What I have found is that the C150's are a lot rarer.

Bushman

 

[bushman_22]

Update!!! Got the axles and rotors back from the machine shop. Ground out an old axle bearing for a slip fit mock-up bearing. Everything seems to fit real well. I will have to change studs to help center the rotor and the rear shock on my James Duff quad shock set-up is in the way. I think I can just move it to the inside of the shock bracket. It should be fine since this is going to be a daily driver, not so much wheeling.

Bushman

 

[OX1]

Actually the front rotors from her Centurion would be 94 F150, as the front half is F150 and the back half is Bronco. However in the past we have found that none of the rotors (including Ford were correct) I had to ask on of the Techs at Ford what to do. He said " Oh yea, ours aren't right, we get them from NAPA. Went to Napa and purchased them and they were indeed correct. I don't have the number handy but I can get it for you when I get out to the shop tomorrow.

Bushman

I used those rotors with Mk VII calipers and had to turn down the axle flanges on my 31 spline Yukons. They fit on stock axle flanges?

 

[bushman_22]

No, I had the machine shop turn down the flanges 3/16". Still left me with 9/40" of material outside the stud (just shy of 1/4"). I have read some posts where some people have had axle flanges that measured out to 6 5/8" from the factory. That's roughly how big the inner diameter of the rotor is.

Bushman

 

[OX1]

No, I had the machine shop turn down the flanges 3/16". Still left me with 9/40" of material outside the stud (just shy of 1/4"). I have read some posts where some people have had axle flanges that measured out to 6 5/8" from the factory. That's roughly how big the inner diameter of the rotor is.

Bushman

OK, just curious. I have had no problems with mine turned down, but it is mostly a street truck on 33's. I did snow wheel it once with some nice full throttle bouncy hills. Granted that was all on a supposedly allow, set of shafts.