rear caliper options, need specific info

[philofab]

E150 rotors should fit because they've got all that extra space for drum-in-hat parking brakes but will they clear a 15?

I didn't realize you were looking for small rotors. In that case won't a Bronco front rotor slide over?

[toddz69]

E150 rotors should fit because they've got all that extra space for drum-in-hat parking brakes but will they clear a 15?

I didn't realize you were looking for small rotors. In that case won't a Bronco front rotor slide over?

Without machining on the axle flange, I doubt it would. Assuming the axle flange in the rear is about the same diameter as the front hub (maybe a little less).

Todd Z.

[Jbfab]

Whatever rotor slip fits over the front could be made to fit the back by idling in gear on jack-stands and turning down the flange to the same OD as the flange on the front hubs with an angle grinder. It's not exactly a hard to do or expensive process so spare axles wouldn't be a problem.

I did that to fit explorer disks way back when. Now i have fancy yukon axles and dont want machine them if i dont have to. My axles isnt even in atm, so figuring a way to use this trick again could get interesting. The dodge rotors dont fit but will take less work to make fit then the bronco rotors. Ill go to the parts store with my axle in hand and try fitting things up.

What was the year of the sidekick rotors? I assume that suzuki.

[toddz69]

Whatever rotor slip fits over the front could be made to fit the back by idling in gear on jack-stands and turning down the flange to the same OD as the flange on the front hubs with an angle grinder. It's not exactly a hard to do or expensive process so spare axles wouldn't be a problem.

I did that to fit explorer disks way back when. Now i have fancy yukon axles and dont want machine them if i dont have to. My axles isnt even in atm, so figuring a way to use this trick again could get interesting. The dodge rotors dont fit but will take less work to make fit then the bronco rotors. Ill go to the parts store with my axle in hand and try fitting things up.

What was the year of the sidekick rotors? I assume that suzuki.

1998 Suzuki Sidekick would be a good choice. Looks like they're a whopping $25 ea. on rockauto.

Todd Z.

[VintageIronFab]

On the subject of rotors. On my Excursion I couldn't keep from warping them. Not wanting a NAPA raping on their premium units I ended up using Bosch Quiet Cast from Oreillys- they are a lifetime guarantee as well are cheaper and with about 8 months and about 6k miles they are still aces.

[toddz69]

Here's a link to a commercially available kit that uses the Varga calipers:

http://ssbrakes.com/i-10092681-disc-bra ... rotor.html

Todd Z.

[arse_sidewards]

Here's a link to a commercially available kit that uses the Varga calipers:

http://ssbrakes.com/i-10092681-disc-bra ... rotor.html

Todd Z.

For $700 I can do a lot better than that by DIYing. I've got access to a machine shop, punching holes in steel plate is nearly free to me.

E150 rotors should fit because they've got all that extra space for drum-in-hat parking brakes but will they clear a 15?

I didn't realize you were looking for small rotors. In that case won't a Bronco front rotor slide over?

The master plan is to stick with 15s until I can built up FF and trussed a E250 8.8 to D60 outers (got a D50 lying around) hybrid. An F350 vacuum booster will happen at some point as well. I'm not sure what's happening in the front it's safe to say both ends will be 8x6.5 and 4.10 eventually which will be soon followed by M998 24-bolt rims, Hutchinson run-flats and whatever nearly bald 16.5 takeoffs the local tire shop will let me have (which is why I won't be running magnesium or PVC inserts). So, yes, small rotors are a necessity. As you may have noticed from reading the thread, I'll have no shortage of clamping power. I may need to use a larger master cylinder in order to push enough fluid to make use of a huge rear brake setup and will likely need a proportioning valve set for a huge rear bias in order to send enough fluid back there for the calipers to do much (otherwise I'd basically be stopping on the fronts only).

Eventually I plan to move the rear brakes to the drive-shaft so I can use less clamping force to get the same brake torque at the wheel, which effectively upgrades the front brakes. Using one less caliper worth of fluid may let me downsize my master cylinder (probably to stock from whatever my upgrade is) and increase pressure all around.

[philofab]

I once though about running Humvee wheels so I could get super cheap 36-37" tires. Then I weighed one.... they are heavy!

[arse_sidewards]

I once though about running Humvee wheels so I could get super cheap 36-37" tires. Then I weighed one.... they are heavy!

And you probably didn't weigh one with the rubber insert...

I want nothing to do with 37s. I don't wanna hack my fenders and IMO they're too much extra wear on the vehicle. I'm gonna stick to 33 and down for cost reasons, not like I won't have plenty of weight from the rubber beadlock. Used 35s are overpriced anyway because of all the brotruckers and mall crawlers putting them on their crap.

[Jbfab]

Just got back from the parts store, 04 E150 rotors fit perfectly.

[Baja]

E150 rear rotors in the 99-04 vintage may work.

Philo, or anyone else -

I got a set of 2002 F150 8.8 calipers, brackets/backing plates and brake lines for next to nothing the other day, hoping that I can use them on my 95 Bronco 8.8. I know that the axle flanges on the 02 F1 are 5 on 135mm, so I wanted to ask everyone a few questions to see if this will work.

1) Will these calipers bolt onto my housing and work?

2) Besides re-drilling the 02 rotors, can I use the 2004 E-150 5 on 5.5 13" rotors on my axle flanges and have them line up okay with the 02 F1 calipers? (Note: I have 17" wheels)

3) If I have to use the re-drilled 02 F1 rotors, will they fit over my factor axle flanges?

I looked on Napa and aside from bolt patterns, I noticed that there are some slight differences between the 02 F1 and 04 E-150 rotors, like height, rotor thickness. The center bore is the same though.

Thanks

[ChaseTruck754]

Sorry I can't help you on the dims, but another way to double check sizes like what you are after is to head to the parts store with your calipers or a tape measure in hand & ask for the parts in question then take the measurements you want to compare. Maybe take your drum off the bronco to measure the stock axle flange. A little more work than asking here, but if no one here knows off hand it is an easy way to find out. That is how I got my list of 5x5.5 slide on rotors & their dims = a few trips to the vato zone with my calipers in hand.

[Baja]

Crap! You're supposed to say....Sure, they'll work like a charm! lol

Thanks though. I will hold out another couple of days for an answer, because I can't touch it until the weekend. If I have to do research this weekend, it means nothing will get done until another weekend. If I find out otherwise, I will let everyone know what I find.

[birdco85]

I know I'm bringing back the dead, but it's time for me to start getting this 9" together. I don't want to re-gear the 8.8 so I'm going to build the 9" 3rd the way I want, that way down the road when I go wider I wont have to build a new 3rd, just get new axles. The stock drums are shot and will probably cost more to rebuild then to convert to disk. I am really liking Paul's setup, hopefully he'll chime in, with the Thunderbird calipers and the fact they take a 1" thick rotor. Stock rotor on the T-bird is .95" thick and the rotor on the 95 Bronco is 1.03", so I'm hoping that would fit. I guess I could go have the parts guy start putting stuff on the counter so I can verify. I'm definitely keeping the parking brake, and hear nothing but bad about the El Dorado calipers, could be from people not using the e-brake enough though.

So I have a couple questions, would this bracket work?
http://www.aa-mfg.com/caliper-bracket-241
I'm not sure what the bolt spacing is on the T-bird calipers but these brackets have 3-3/4" spacing. I can make brackets but would prefer to not have to seeing as I'm going to be homeless no later than Sep 10. Our house is supposed to close escrow then and will be living at the in-laws. So basic assembly and fabrication is a possibility (I'll be taking my welder) but cutting and grinding will not be. No telling how long we'll be there, looking for a new house, so my wife (seriously) figured while we don't have a mortgage I can start doing stuff again to the Bronco! Any help is appreciated. Or other suggestions.

[toddz69]

I don't believe those brackets will work with the Varga calipers like Paul used. I believe they used a thru-hole in the bracket that the caliper bolts to (the bracket listed has threaded holes).

Todd Z.

[ChaseTruck754]

Darrin - read this on the el-do parking break calipers. Been a long time since I originally saw it & I didn't re-read it now, just searched out & grabbed the link, but from what I remember this guy very thoroughly goes through & give the el-do calipers a fair shot & test & they fail miserably. Then he explains why from his findings. At least that's what I remember reading...

Might be a few pages before the real write up on the parts begins

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/98686 ... rsion.html

[birdco85]

So what would you recommend? Brakes aren't my specialty.

[mustube]

I have a 9 inch in my bronco with dodge front rotors, and el Dorado calipers with weld on caliper brackets. I picked the dodge rotor because it slips over the axle just like the drum did with no machine work at all, and had some el Dorado calipers laying around. I can't say I use my parking brake a lot because my bronco is still trail only but I haven't had any problems with them the few times I have.

[birdco85]

So I was talking to a buddy last night who does Demo Derby, and he drives a 75 Lincoln Mark IV. I noticed he had a bunch of brake parts in a box in his garage a while back so I asked him if he still had the rear disks from the car. He does and said they're mine if I want them. I've been reading that the Mark V is what you want the brakes from so I started looking up part numbers and the Mark IV and V share the same caliper. I'm not sure if the mounting plate is the same though. Also, the rotor is 10.5 in diameter, 2.43 tall, and .95 thick, but 5x5 lug pattern. The 95 Bronco is 11.71 in diameter, 2.56 tall, and 1.02 thick, obviously correct lug pattern. Has anyone done these brakes? Seems simple enough. My axle is from an 81 so it's the "big new ford" style. I'm not sure when they switched from the "old big ford" style so the backing plate might not bolt up. As far as the rotor, I know I can always have the Lincoln rotor re-drilled but I really want a bolt on deal. I know the chevy calipers would make everything a bolt on deal but I want the parking brake and am not going to take my chances with El Do calipers.

[arse_sidewards]

Once my NVG271 is no longer buried under other projects I'm going to look into welding a flange onto the tail-housing. The cable operated drum from pretty much anything should work well since it's got the axle ratio helping it out. For those with a 9" and low gears even a golf cart drum on the pinion might do the job.

Another option is making a doubler tail-housing for a slip yoke 1356 (search on pirate), skipping the step where you cut off the side of the case and installing the parking brake off a F-superduty (which uses cable operated drum assembly that bolts to a 4wd tail-housing instead of a transfer case, the F-superdutys had D80s with discs and no parking brake so they got one on the drive-line). There's some obvious reasons (weight, length, availability of parts) that that route wouldn't be ideal for most here but the option is out there.

Worst case scenario you just can't change pads and rotors at the same time. Give it a try. If it's close enough you can probably get it to work with some slight modifications. I have no idea about the backing plate or mounting brackets though.