disc brakes on econoline spindles

chimp koose · November 02, 2021, 01:23:10 AM

here is what I did to make disc brakes fit my econoline spindles . Windstar rotors , turned the econoline hubs down a bit to fit them over . Speedway weld on disc brake caliper mounts modified to fit spindle mount holes . Spacers machined and threaded so they are tightened up and then the brackets can be bolted up . GM metric calipers . Calipers are front mounted as they will not clear the steering arms out back .

enjenjo · November 02, 2021, 08:14:14 AM

Those speedway brackets do come in handy. Are those the Metric calipers or the big ones? I have some more or less universal ones that I had cut from 1/2" material so I can mill them to offset the bracket from the spindle without welding. They were Laser cut with the holes uncut, but marked with the laser. They are set up for 11" rotors.

chimp koose · November 02, 2021, 08:47:02 AM

Metric calipers . The brackets were about $10 each making it hard to justify making my own instead

.

kb426 · November 02, 2021, 10:01:07 AM

Creativity just takes a little more time.

jaybee · November 05, 2021, 11:23:19 PM

Slick and very helpful. Are the spacers welded to the brackets?

chimp koose · November 06, 2021, 11:44:02 PM

Actually the spacers are threaded so they will be torqued on to the spindle . The brackets can then be attached with nuts . likely castle nuts , My thinking is that the spacers threaded onto the spindle back will act more like a part of the spindle . Might be more sturdy that way as the bracket will have less angular movement/force on the fasteners ?

chimp koose · November 06, 2021, 11:49:59 PM

I was actually looking at the car tonight wondering if it would be better to attach the bracket to the top of the spindle rather than the front . That would make the brackets slightly shorter from attachment holes in the spindle to the caliper bolts . Also it might make brake line routing cleaner/easier . The down side to that is that the bracket attachment bolts would be closer together as the backing plate holes are closer side to side than top to bottom .

chimp koose · November 06, 2021, 11:52:43 PM

Its been a while since I did this work and the brackets are put away . From the pictures it is evident that I can not mount the bracket up top as there is no room with the king pin boss in the way .

enjenjo · November 07, 2021, 09:37:57 AM

Front mount is fine. If you top mounted them how would you bleed the caliper? The brake torque is applied to the axle the same regardless of caliper mounting position.

chimp koose · November 07, 2021, 04:32:02 PM

Was pondering because it may have been easier to route brake hoses . Front back top are all the same as far as braking torque

jaybee · November 07, 2021, 09:30:29 PM

Quote from: chimp koose on November 06, 2021, 11:44:02 PM
Actually the spacers are threaded so they will be torqued on to the spindle . The brackets can then be attached with nuts . likely castle nuts , My thinking is that the spacers threaded onto the spindle back will act more like a part of the spindle . Might be more sturdy that way as the bracket will have less angular movement/force on the fasteners ?

Got it. Now that I read the earlier comment more carefully I see that and I also notice the spacers are threaded. Besides the other benefits you mention there are fewer parts to line up all at the same time. Thoughtful design.

chimp koose · November 08, 2021, 08:31:13 PM

It helps to have a machine shop at my disposal

all it costs me is time . Now if I could just afford more time....

chimp koose · March 03, 2022, 10:22:00 PM

Pictures 3 and 5 show the modification needed to fit the spindle to the axle boss . The spindle needed to be opened up to go over the axle . I made a boring bar that piloted on both spindle bushings with the cutter between , set to the right diameter for the bearing that goes on the bottom of the axle . I lined up the spindle in the mill and held the boring bar in the collet . I turned the mill spindle by hand with the draw bar wrench and fed down manually using the digital readout to cut to the "spot face " to the perfect depth . The hand feeding assured there would be a nice surface finish on such a wide facing cut .