The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Disk Brakes on a 3600 part 2!

Hi All,
I am going the 1984 ford disk brake route. I bought the calipers and there are no mounting holes in them!!!! I know they must be held in by the caliper bracket but I can't invision how it is done. Can someone explain it to me?
If you are interested in what I have been up to, go to this site.
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e187/Sawmill/108-0820_IMG.jpg
Rick

They probably have the "V" shaped edges to them, eh?? If so, they take the wedge to hold them in. Basically, two plates held together with rubber between. You line up the caliper "V" with the caliper mount "V" to form a diamond hole. The wedge is then tapped into the hole ( on both sides of the caliper ) to hold it in place. I think on the Ford, the caliper mount is part of the Ford spindle.

Got a pic??

I take that back. Looking at the hardware kit picture, it looks like the GM type where you have a flat spring and a bracket that slides into place. A shouldered bolt then holds the bracket in place.

I agree, I looked it up as well. I find it very unlikely that these calipers were used in a conversion... The bracket that overhangs the rotor is part of the spindle and a "key" and spring secure the caliper in this spindle bracket. In order to make a bracket that would hold this caliper, and bolt to the orginal spindle backing plate holes, would be a ton of work. I am not even sure a bracket could be made out of plate and standard shapes that would be stong enough to suppor the caliper given that the bracket bends to overhang the rotor. Angled castings yes but welded 1/4" plate at right angles, I don't think so. I am not willing to do it. I think I will look for calipers that are made to bolt to a vertical plate, like the ones listed in the vendor magazines. I guess this is what I get for blindly believing, but it is okay, it is the challenge I like!
Rick

Have a look at some 2000-4 Ford F450 - 550. Dual piston, big and a nice flat boss that takes a bolt!!

Rick, I missed the 1st part of the forum & I need to ask some questions (catch me up to speed, please) ! I have a '53 3/4 ton
(3600) GMC & I would like to install disc brakes in the front,
I have retained the stock front suspension (leafs etc.) & would
like to keep it that way. I have installed a upmarket power brake
unit that seems to work well, but have been unable to find a
"disc brake" conversion for her, any help would be appreciated !

______________________
Old mechanics never die, they just drive old trucks to the end !!

labluver,
Way too much has gone by for me to attempt to catch you up, I would be typing for quite a while. A better approach would be for you to use the search function. Just search for 3600 disk brakes and you can read all about it. Once you have done that, you are more than welcomes to get involved!!!

Hey NMSmith,
I want to to stop a truck not a train! I have a serious question for you. How about using a 1984 Chevy C20 caliper? It looks like the same caliper that is used in the 6 lug conversions. What you think?
Rick

Yep, that should be a single piston caliper. Probably the same as for the 1 ton. Should use a couple of bolts to mount also. Check the width of the 1984 Chevy C20 rotor as compared to the 1984 Ford rotor you are going to use. Also, compare the diameters of the rotors. If they are within fractions of an inch of each other, the caliper should work fine. If you can't find that info, I can do it on Monday.

I think you can use the same caliper with rotors of different sizes within several inches. It's the shape of the pad you use that should kinda match the radius of the rotor you use.

Sure. The more important measurement will be the rotor width. You don't want the piston to pop out. Especially at the end of the rotor life.

I am committed to the 1984 f**d rotor because it uses the bearings that can be made to work with the 3600 spindle. It has a diameter of 12 9/16 inch with a discard thickness of 1.180 or so. The rotor for an 84 chevy is 12 1/2 in diameter with a discard thickness of 1.215. I can't use the rotor because of the bearings but it seems to me that the caliper should work on the ford rotor. This means that the caliper piston may end up extending .045 beyond what it was designed to do but I don't see this being major, and if there is a concern, the pads could be backed with .020 shim stock to make it up.
That is where I am, what do you think?
Rick

That or you just service the pads a little before they are due. Do 'em at maybe 5/32" instead of 3/32" At least after the second or third turning.

We have a design flaw problem with International 4700 juice brakes ( besides that they never should have used juice brakes.) If you let them wear to normal life, the phenolic pistons tended to pop out. So we just upped the standard to changing them out a 1/2" for the rears. The pads come new at almost 1" thick. Problem solved, just a tad more PM.