The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop S10 Spindles using Ford Rotors

I want to use Ford Granada rotors on a S10 spindle to have the same bolt pattern as the 9 inch Ford rear end. I plan on using a Scott Danforth built cross member that uses S10 A-arms, spindles, brakes, springs and R&P steering. His cross member will accommodate a 292 6 cylinder engine with clearance where as most all of the MII type cross members have been documented to have clearance problems with the 6 cylinder engines when installed in a Chevy AD truck. Most solutions were to raise the engine to clear the oil pan and steering. The Mustang II based cross members use the MII spindle with GM rotors which is the opposite of what I want to do. I have found that the front rotor bearings are interchangeable. The S10 bearings will fit the Granada rotors. Speedway has brake pad spacers for the .810 Granada rotors to use with the stock GM calipers. My question is would a brake lathe be able to turn down the 11 inch Granada rotor to 10.5 inch GM rotor size so it will fit the S10 spindle/brake caliper. My other alternatives are to have the Chevy rotors re-drilled to the Ford bolt pattern or look at a Wilwood conversion kit for the S10 which runs about $800.00. Any comments would be appreciated

Any machinist with a couple of brain cells to rub together should be able to set up a brake lathe to do that. You'll need to use the "drum" cutting tool and feed system and set up the cutter to turn an outside diameter instead of the internal cut on a drum. Take light cuts and measure often.
Jerry

"Any comments would be appreciated"
Okay, here's mine,why not have the Ford rear axles redrilled to the Chevy bolt pattern and put S10 Blazer dual piston calipers up front. Wilwood brakes would be nice if you had a big horsepower V8 that you planned on running hard, but with a 292 six,I think it's overkill. Find another place to spend that $800.00.

The dual piston S10 calipers use a different steering knuckle than the standard single piston, the mounting systems are completley different. They aslo use a different wheel bearing arrangement, with the dual piston type using sealed hub assemblies (like a FWD car or late model 4x4) and the single piston using the old style spindle/tapered roller bearings. The rotor is also different.
Now to my opinion, I would either get the rear axle redrilled to the Chevy pattern, or the rotors redrilled to the Ford pattern, either way would be fine. While turning down the rotors as Jerry says would definetly work, I would be concerned about the reduction of the brake surface area as well as the cooling fins inside the rotor, it could cause some strength and cooling issues, as well as reduced braking power.
One other option, dual pattern wheels. Many aftermarket wheels are made with 2 and sometimes 3 bolt patterns. That could be a viable option.

LONGBOX55 you are correct. What I should have said was, since your buying a crossmember kit designed to use (but not included in kit) S10 A-arms, spindles, and brakes, why not consider looking at getting the parts you'll need from a S10 2WD Blazer. '98-02 S10 Blazer 2WD trucks used dual piston calipers. Yes, you need the complete setup, spindles, bearings, rotors and calipers, but they simply bolt on in place of the stock S10 setup.

I would also be concerned with modifying a rotor for the same reasons you mentioned.

Appreciate all your comments. Evaluating the least expensive would be to have the front rotors redrilled. To redrill the rear I would have to have the axles as well as the drums done which would be more expensive than only the front. I have found the S10 dual piston calipers/spindles is about $300 in my area. Probably it would be better if I went with a GM rear axle instead of the Ford so everything is the same. I thought I could use some old tricks of mix and match to keep the costs down but maybe not. Thanks again.

As long as the pads and calipers fit the reduced-diameter rotor properly, and you don't lose any swept area under the pads, I fail to see how taking approximately 1/4" off the radius of a rotor would create a safety hazard. It's probably worth cutting up one rotor for a trial fit just to see how well it works. Find a junk rotor at a salvage yard to do your cut-n-try work before you butcher up any new ones.
Jerry

I agree with you, Jerry. The only reason I bring up any safety concerns is that I'm not 100% sure of the differences between the two rotors. If the hat section is the same size, and the vanes are full depth (I've ran into them that only went 1/2 way on the vanes), then there shouldn't be an issue.
I do think you've got the right idea, try it with a junk rotor first. Alos, if it does work, make sure you use a good quality new rotor, sometimes the aftermarket ones are made different that the oe, liike the reduced vane depth I mentioned.

I had a machine shop redrill my rotors.....they charged me $25.00.......dave

Just had to add my two cents, since nobody has covered it yet:

What about replacement parts years from now? Will you be able to remember what you did? Can you find the detailed records that I'm sure your keeping along with your truck build? Do you still own the truck ten years from now and will the next owner cuss you?

Just my thoughts

Craig

Craig, I keep a list on the computer and print out a new copy after I make a couple changes. I include the part # and "what year/make/model you have to ask for to get that part. So, I keep a copy on the computer, one printed out in a folder and once I start driving them I keep a folded copy in the nice new glovebox.....its a PITA but it does help. I refer to the one on my 37 pickup that I finished 10 years ago...as recently as a month ago for a belt.

Awesome idea, Alvin! So far I have a box of parts boxes and wrappers in the bed of my truck. I haven't gotten around to the clear, concise list yet! My mainconcern with the brake rotors is having to get something machined rather than just buying something off the shelf. Looking up a part number is easier than getting the work done too.

Craig