Disc Brake Conversions

[Overkill]

How did it go?

Well, after almost four weeks of trying to talk to the guy who posted the add for the axles on Craigs List, I can finally answer your question on how it went. The short version, not good. The longer version, I don't think that he really wants to be bothered selling them. He doesn't like to answer his phone or his texts and won't return calls. The first time that I managed to talk to him, he told me that he had both front and rear disc brake conversion kits, all new bearings, races, seals and everything needed to completely rebuild the axles. It turns out that he only has the conversion for the rear axle. There are no new bearings, races or seals. He refused to ship and I would have to make the 1900 mile round trip to pick them up. I asked if he would sell me just the rear conversion kit and offered him $350 plus $50 for shipping. Nope. He paid $1000 for everything and that's the only way that he would sell it. Oh well. I'll just have to start the search again. Thanks for the heads up on the add. I'll let you know if something else comes up.

[Mikel]

Well, after almost four weeks of trying to talk to the guy who posted the add for the axles on Craigs List, I can finally answer your question on how it went. The short version, not good. The longer version, I don't think that he really wants to be bothered selling them. He doesn't like to answer his phone or his texts and won't return calls. The first time that I managed to talk to him, he told me that he had both front and rear disc brake conversion kits, all new bearings, races, seals and everything needed to completely rebuild the axles. It turns out that he only has the conversion for the rear axle. There are no new bearings, races or seals. He refused to ship and I would have to make the 1900 mile round trip to pick them up. I asked if he would sell me just the rear conversion kit and offered him $350 plus $50 for shipping. Nope. He paid $1000 for everything and that's the only way that he would sell it. Oh well. I'll just have to start the search again. Thanks for the heads up on the add. I'll let you know if something else comes up.

Sorry to hear. The guy has had those for sale for a long time and looks like it will remain that way.

[Mikel]

If at some point shipping is the only thing in the way, I can drop the parts off at a Fastenal. Clinton is 20 minutes from where I live.

[JimmieM725]

I can give you photos and measurements when I get home I have front and rear on my truck but I'm keeping them.

Look up rar disc key (I misspelled it in post) it has pic and dimensions of rear ring that disc brake bolts to. Its from a heli conversion

[Overkill]

I'm Sorry I haven't replied to your offer until now but this is the first time that I have been on the site since my last post. That is really a very generous offer you made. The problem is that I don't know where I would keep three extra axles. I really don't have a whole lot of room here. Once again, thank you very much for the offer of your time and efforts.

[Overkill]

I'm very sorry that I haven't answered your offer until now but I haven't been on this site since the beginning of July. I want to thank you for your very generous offer. The problem is that I just don't have the room to store three axles that I don't have any use for. All I need are the disc brakes. Once again, I really appreciate you offering your time and effort. Thank you.

[Overkill]

I'm very sorry that I haven't answered your offer until now but I haven't been on this site since the beginning of July. I want to thank you for your very generous offer. The problem is that I just don't have the room to store three axles that I don't have any use for. All I need are the disc brakes. Once again, I really appreciate you offering your time and effort. Thank you.

Yeah, I know Mikel, I responded to you twice. I thought that I lost the first one so I wrote it again and then both of them popped up. Sorry.

[Overkill]

I can give you photos and measurements when I get home I have front and rear on my truck but I'm keeping them.

Look up rar disc key (I misspelled it in post) it has pic and dimensions of rear ring that disc brake bolts to. Its from a heli conversion

Hey Jimmie, like I told Mikel, I haven't been on the site. If the offer still stands, photos and measurements would be great. During the last month I pulled the bed off the frame and have been doing some customizing on it and prepping it for paint. I've also been working on my motor getting it ready to bring it in to be dynode. I'm sorry that it has taken so long to get back to you.

[bigprojectm715]

I am of the axle swap crowd, but I keep hearing how well the very large stock drum brakes can work. I bet putting a large vacuum booster or hydroboost would make things much better for you.

Next time your heading down the road take a look at almost any tractor trailer or dump truck, 100,000 lbs and drum brakes all around

[jeeper]

The vacuum will increase the psi at each wheel cylinder considerably and the hydro boost will increase the psi at each cylinder by more than a thousand psi over the vacuum booster. That's why the pedal pressure is so much easier.
Could you tell me a little more about the Ford cylinders and the Chevy shoes? What vehicles are they from? Do you have to do any modifications for the swap?
Are you running the stock size tires? Thanks a lot for your input.

I'm not trying to start an argument I'm trying to learn. How does a hydo boost increase the pressure in the brake line? My master cylinder still functions the same way while it is bolted to the hydro booster as it would if it were bolted to the firewall. By my thinking the only thing the booster is doing is multiplying the torque I apply to the brake pedal and transferring that to the master cylinder. The master cylinder is pushing the fluid to the brake cylinders in both cases. The only thing I can think of is maybe I can't physically push the pedal hard enough by human strength to create the same pressure?

The modifications I did are mods that are documented here on the zone.

Ford cylinder swap here:
Wheel Cylinder Conversion

Chevy shoes mod here:
Wheel Cylinder Conversion