Started the disc brake conversion

[flyboy2610]

Well, I finally started getting front discs on Frodo. The drums were just not doing a good enough job, especially pulling a loaded bump trailer. So rather than do a brake job on drums, which I don't really want anyway, I'm switching him over to discs. I got most of the stuff I need already, and I have new calipers coming. I have what I have found out are late/post 72 calipers, but got a really good deal on some remanned Cardone '69 calipers, so I decided to go with the year of the truck. Besides, that'll make it easier to remember what year disc calipers to get parts for! (Important when you're pushing 50.)
So today, I got Frodo up on jackstands, put new Gabriel Gas Ryder Lt shocks on the front, and pulled the MC.
I probably could have gotten more done, but I got a late start and had a couple of errands to run this afternoon.
Frodo on the jackstands:



I really wish I had a nice concrete surface to work on, but as you can see, I don't!
The Gabriel Gas Ryder LT's:

No more MC:

I was going to install the booster brackets and booster, but when I went to get the brackets, I discovered I hadn't painted them yet!
So here are the brackets temporarily in place on the new booster:

Question: In the above pic, do the brackets go mostly towards the top of the booster, as on the left, or mostly to the bottom, as on the right?
Tomorrow, I start getting the old drum stuff off of there!
This may be sacrilege, but I have decided to have all new brake lines installed by a shop. I just don't want to be crawling around in the dirt doing that. My body isn't too happy about the idea, either! If I had a shop, and the truck pretty well torn down, it would be a different story. But as it is, once all the hardware is in place, Frodo will go on the hook to a shop to have all new lines and hoses installed.
The rear drums will probably have to wait for springtime.
Here's Frodo when I went in for supper. He looks a bit sad, as if to say "NO!! Don't leave me out here like THIS!!!"
Sorry, old friend. I'll be back in the morning.

[FORDification]

Since a picture's worth a thousand words, there's a couple thousand:

[flyboy2610]

Thanks, Keith! That's just what I needed!

[robroy]

'Evening FlyBoy2610,

I'm really enjoying these fabulous photos, and your truck looks pretty well-preserved. I look forward to following your progress!!!

And I don't blame you at all for not wanting to do the brake lines. It seems that no matter what I've tried, every brake line I've bent myself turns out looking pretty goofy, and it's a lot of difficult, tedious finger-work.

Robroy

[flyboy2610]

Well, today I pulled all the drum components off the truck, got the dust shields and brackets mounted, installed the booster brackets and booster, and removed the vacuum fitting from the intake manifold.

This how the spindles looked when I called it a day yesterday:


I pulled the drums off first.


The passenger side slid right off without me having to retract the brake shoes. I doubt they were making much contact on that side. The driver side was a different story, however. The brake shoes would not retract, so I tried to pull the drum off like I had done the passenger side. It took some doing, but I got it off of there!
I found this:

Notice that deep groove in the drum. I'm thinking that groove was there when the PO put on the current set of brake shoes, and just didn't want to replace the drum.
The reason I say that is because there was a pronounced ridge on the brake shoes:

If you look close, you can see that the shoe is cracked across it's width. Here's a better view:

I hate to think what could have happened if that shoe had let loose while driving. It would have locked up the truck!

Once the drums were off, I took out the bolts holding the backing plate to the spindle and just removed all the brake hardware still attached to the backing plate. I saw no good reason to tear it all apart.


Here's a shot of the brake line bracket. The end of the drum brake hose looks exactly like the end of the hoses I was sold for disc brakes, so I should be OK there.


Here is the bare spindle after everything was removed:


I next mounted the dust shields and caliper arm brackets using new grade 8 bolts, lockwashers, and nuts:


On to the brake booster!
First I installed the brackets, using a photo that Keith graciously posted to get them installed correctly.


Then I mounted the booster itself:


At this point, I am planning to leave the MC off, and let the shop that does the brake lines bench bleed and install it.
I think I have broken Frodo's heart by leaving him up on jackstands like this. He seems to be bleeding:


The leak is right under the crossmember, so I'm guessing it a line or hose.
One more thing to fix!
Tomorrow I plan to check out the hub/rotors I bought and see if I need new bearings, and how thick the rotors are. If everything checks out OK, I'll grease them and get them ready to go on the truck. I hope to have Frodo in the shop by next week.

[colnago]

Great photos! Keep 'em coming!

Joseph

[flyboy2610]

Tonight I went to put the new bearing races into the hub/rotors I got from fordman (I believe that's where I got them from.) I got the outer bearing races installed all the way down to the shoulder in the hub with no problem. The outer races are Timken 15245, the outer bearings are Timken 15101, and the inner bearing/race combo is Timken Set 45 (LM501310-LM501349.) The inner bearings and races that were in there were for a Dana 44 front axle, which a 2WD like mine simply doesn't have.
The problem I am having is with the inner bearing races. They simply will not go all the way down to the shoulder in the hub. They started easily enough into their bores, but I just CANNOT get them down to that shoulder, not even with a 3 pound sledge persuading the install tool. I can get them about .200" down below the first lip in the race bore, but that is as far as they will go.


Are they meant to go all the way to the shoulder you see below the race? If so, any tips for getting them there? I would like to get the bearings greased and the hubs installed tomorrow.
(P.S. I have a couple of good leads on people that can make the brake lines for me! )

[flyboy2610]

Well, I ran into a small hiccup with the inner races and hubs, but I think I got it sorted out.
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =5&t=61513

I got the hubs installed today.
I test fit the hubs and bearing to be sure everything was going to end up in the proper place.

Despite the inner race not going in as far as I thought it should, everything lined up OK. The castellated nut lines up well with the cotter pin hole, and there is no interference between the rotor and the caliper mounting arms.


Being confident that everything was going to work, I pulled the hubs back off, greased the bearings (Oh, what fun THAT always is! Brings back memories of childhood!), and installed the grease seal.

The seal is a Timken 6945-S. The gap between the seal lip and the rear of the inner bearing is about what I recall the gap betwen the old seal and bearing being. One more reason to be confident that the bearing race is, in fact, as far in as it should be, despite my earlier misgivings.

I next re-installed the hubs, after putting some grease in the cavity between the bearing races and putting a light coating around the machined portions of the spindle. (NOT the nut threads!) Installed new thrust washers, spindle and castellated nut, and cotter pins. These all came in a set I got from NAPA, part number 615-172.1, underneath that it says 304991.1, spindle lock nut kit.


I followed the bearing pre-load instructions from here:
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... ut#p224934

There is no play in the hubs, no interference between parts, and the rotor sits centered between the caliper bracket mounting arms, although the angle on this photo doesn't show it.


Then I installed the dust caps, part number 735-1404 from NAPA.


My new calipers should be here Monday or Tuesday. Then I just need to paint them install the flexible brake hoses, and get them on the truck. I am getting a vacuum tee from fordman.
Once Frodo is back on the ground, I need to install the proportioning valve on top of the power steering gearbox. Then it's going to the shop to have brake lines installed!
I will be so glad when I have my truck back!

[robroy]

Good evening FlyBoy2610,

Excellent photos!!! I can't wait to hear your thoughts on how the truck's different when it hits the road again.

Robroy

[flyboy2610]

Sorry it has been so long since I updated this!
We are busier than a bunch of one legged butt kickers out at work, and after doing anything to further this project, I'm too tired to get on here and post! 58 hour work weeks are not a lot of fun!
Any way, I got my new calipers from Cardone. They are numbers 18-B4228 and 18-B4227. These are 1969 Calipers. The brake hoses and bleeder valves I got for a '69 fit these calipers, while they wouldn't fit the late/post '72 calipers I have.


Here is a picture of the calipers themselves drying after painting. I thoroughly masked off all rubber parts and stuffed painters tape down the bleeder holes to keep out the paint.


The calipers and brackets painted and ready to assemble.


Brake pads installed.


The pads are kept separated by a spring, through the center of which passes the brake pad mounting bolts. The springs have a 'hook' on the ends that fits into a corresponding hole on the brake pad. This keeps the spring from spinning, and keeps everything properly aligned.


A picture of the assembled calipers and pads.


The brake pad bolts all have a shaved head on them. This must go towards the caliper itself, since if the nut was towards the caliper, it could cause some clearance issues. They might be OK, but this way, there's plenty of room.


Both calipers assembled. This shows the proper orientation as they would be viewed from the front of the truck. The caliper unit itself is towards the frame, while the bracket is towards the wheel. Also, the bleeder valve is on the front of the caliper, and the hose is on the rear side.


Here is a good view of how it all goes together.


The caliper bracket and pads mounted on the truck.


I don't have the hoses on the calipers yet, that will be my next job. Then they will go on the truck.
Now for the proportioning valve.
I got the front piston assembly to come out. I unscrewed the front cover and tapped the valve with a plastic mallet and it came out.


This is what it looked like. It is all gunked up, and the rear seal is totally shot.


The rear piston assembly will NOT come out no matter what I try! I have tried tapping it out with a nail from behind, I have tried compressed air, I have tried the beating it on an anvil routine. It just won't budge! Given that is stuck so badly, and that the seals are shot, I decided to break down and get a new one from NPD. They have this style for $59.95, so I have a new one coming. The bracket is painted black and is drying as I type this.
Shouldn't be much longer and Frodo can go have new break lines installed!

[onetuford]

Nice work! Nice pics, thanks for sharing!

[flyboy2610]

Well, I had Frodo towed to the shop today to have the new brake lines installed. I sure look forward to having him back. It's going to be nice to get of the Sir Pumpsalot brakes he used to have. My right leg was getting plumb wore out!


Next spring: New seats and new rear brakes!

[robroy]

Congratulations on reaching this step! I love the action photo.

Since you drove your truck prior to this upgrade, it will be great to hear your impression of the before/after with this change!

[flyboy2610]

Epilogue: I got Frodo back from the shop Friday afternoon. They did a nice job putting brake lines on. They did have to cross the lines to get the rear (larger) MC reservoir feeding the front disc brakes.
Frodo stops SO much better now!
It only takes a steady push of the pedal, instead of three or four pumps, to get a nice braking action. The power brake booster works perfectly. When the engine is off and I put my foot on the brake pedal, it doesn't depress very much, but when the engine starts the pedal sinks a couple of inches, so I know it's working.
I brought Frodo home and hooked him up to the bump trailer, which had a good load of tree limbs and brush. I drove him to work at 4:30 the next morning, and at 1:30 when I got off work we headed to the dump. He seemed very happy to be back to work again, and he handled that trailer better than he ever has in the past.
Next spring I will do the rear brakes. I'm already accumulating the needed parts and supplies for that task.
When I turn 55 in 5 years, I'm going to start looking for one of these:

Guess who's going to pull it?
I wish I had done this a long time ago! But better late than never, I suppose.

[robroy]

Good afternoon Flyboy2610,

Excellent report!!! I'm glad to hear that your new brakes rock--I know I sure love the discs on #50! And that boat looks like just what you need to give Frodo even more of a purpose in life.

Robroy