95-97 Disc Upgrade Question

Gayle Force · Oct 25, 2015

When upgrading my 2WD 1983 Ranger to a 95-97 knuckle/disc setup, do I need to upgrade to the 89-97 Radius arm as well or can I use the original ones?

I am aware the beam is different, I will be ordering a 89-97 drop beam set.

Thanks

85_Ranger4x4 · Oct 27, 2015

Dunno on 2wd but for 4wd people keep the older style radius arms to keep the same shock mount and to keep the same stabilizer bar setup (that is kind of inside the beams)

2wd's may be different but 4wd's are a bolt in swap.

tomw · Oct 28, 2015

What is the benefit of changing the knuckle? Is the 95-97 series something special, or is it just parts availability?
Is this is done to get disk brakes vs drum?
tom

JoshT · Oct 28, 2015

Gayle Force said:
When upgrading my 2WD 1983 Ranger to a 95-97 knuckle/disc setup, do I need to upgrade to the 89-97 Radius arm as well or can I use the original ones?

I am aware the beam is different, I will be ordering a 89-97 drop beam set.

Thanks

Yes, you can use the original ones. There are some minor differences, but nothing that affects how they connect or function. IIRC it's the difference is how the lower shock mount is made.

tomw said:
What is the benefit of changing the knuckle? Is the 95-97 series something special, or is it just parts availability?
Is this is done to get disk brakes vs drum?
tom

All Rangers** have had disk brakes in front. 95-97 2wd Rangers have a dual piston caliper. All earlier 2wd Rangers had a single piston caliper. The way that the steering knuckle connects to the beam changed in 89, so 89-97 beams are needed to do the swap. So, by swapping the later model components you get a little bit of a brake upgrade.

Is the upgrade worth the effort, I can't personally say since I've never done it. A lot of people have and they seem to think that it is. In a case like Gayle Force, he is buying beams to lower the truck any way, I say it is definitely worth the added price to upgrade at the same time.

** Some people will argue that the early full size "Ranger" trucks had drum brakes all around. Prior to the introduction of the Ranger in 83, the name was used for a trim package. Those early trucks weren't Rangers, but it is a source of confusion because some refer to them that way.

85_Ranger4x4 · Oct 29, 2015

It also turns the part that the brake pads wear on into a replacement part.

With the side pin setup they can wear their slot in the knuckle and then move, get cocked in there and bind up. My parents '94 Explorer had that nasty habit, would rip the chunks of the lining off and tear the heck out of the rotors.

With the bolt on calipers (95-97) you can simply replace the caliper mounting bracket as opposed to the whole knuckle.

It is just a much more modern brake setup.

I wasn't specifically shopping for one (my '85 is 30.5 years old and the factory slide pin brakes work perfectly) but when a '95 Ranger axle with the right gearing came up sale I jumped on it, the updated brakes were a nice addition.

don4331 · Nov 24, 2015

tomw (and whoever else is interested):

The change to '95-97 knuckles allows further brake upgrades:

The stock '95-97 uses 10.28" rotors/matching caliper; the '98+ Ranger can have exact parts (There is minor difference - 98+ rotors have 2.83" hub registry so you need 98+ rims; pre-'98s have 2.50 hub registry).

But '98+ Rangers can have 11.28" rotors/matching caliper (actually that isn't 100% true: caliper is identical from '95-'11, it is the bracket that the caliper mounts to which spaces the caliper out 0.500", but you can't buy the bracket separate, although you can just pull it at wrecker). Hopefully, that makes sense...

A further upgrade is the '02-05 Explorer Sport Trac RWD, which has 12" rotors, calipers in which the pistons are another 2mm larger and brackets which make it all fit (0.250" further out than the Ranger ones). Now, RWD Sport Tracs being rare in wrecker yards, I had to shell out for new parts...

And there is significant difference between 10.28" rotors with 46mm pistons and 12.01" rotors with 48mm pistons! (About 1/3 more power)

Note: The Sport Trac solution does require 16" wheels with 2.83" hub registry; the OEM 14" wheels no longer work.

ATX · Nov 24, 2015

Ok so since I've done the knuckle swap on my 94 rwd ranger with 97 parts . I can upgrade to the sport trac rotors with sport trac caliber brackets and still use my 97 calipers ? I'm at the jy often and can get the brackets . Rotors I'd get new from the parts house with my work discount . With the 5.0 in there now . Every bit helps

I just wanna go fast [emoji48]

don4331 · Nov 24, 2015

ATX:

Theory says yes.

I know:

You can swap the Explorer calipers onto the Ranger brackets, I have that on one of my other Rangers
The Sport Trac RWD Rotor is identical to larger Ranger, just 0.73" larger O.D.
So, existing caliper should bolt into 2WD Sport Trac brackets...

Bleeding brakes is a bit of pain, but why not leave the calipers in brackets, take whole thing and get the slightly better calipers too?

I want to stop better than my 331 goes; so Sport Trac upgrades in front and Explorer discs in rear...

ATX · Nov 25, 2015

Yeah I may get the calipers . Just my brakes are coming soon in the front . So since I'm getting new rotors . May as well upgrade . Brackets at my jy I go to are cheap . Calipers they charge a bit for some reason . Maybe I'll just grab them anyway . It's a night and day difference since I did the 96 expo diff swap with disk . So bearing would still all be the same to I guess . Thanks man for the great info for sure .

I just wanna go fast [emoji48]

JoshT · Nov 25, 2015

Check out the tech library. All the brake upgrade info is in there.

I think I get how Don came up with what he said, because I was looking at similar to upgrade my '99 4x4 a little while back. Unfortunately he's got it wrong where the 95-97 is concerned.

Been a while since I looked into it so memory is a little rusty, but 11.28" inch brakes are not a bolt on option for the 95-97 Rangers. The 12" are not bolt on either even if you could get a set of the brackets that gumby (rps member) used to make, the spindle had to be ground down for the bracket to install.

The only bolt on upgrade currently available for your 94 is the 95-97 components. The 12" sport track can still be done if you are comfortable with your welding skills, the info is in the tech library.

ATX · Nov 25, 2015

Yea ive already got 97 stuff bolted on just figure a cheap lil bolt upgrade on top of that would be cool since I need new rotors , but if it's not no biggie. Am looking for a better master though since the expo 8.8 swap . Stops fine but feel it could get a lil firmer petal out of it

I just wanna go fast [emoji48]

JoshT · Nov 25, 2015

Have you tried an expo master?

ATX · Nov 25, 2015

No , have a used one on my shelf here at the shop that I was for the 96 5.0 donor . Don't really wanna throw a used one on . so since I'll buy a new one mostly I heard some year f-250 , etc would work with a bigger bore . Been a while since I've looked in the brake tech section . Came across this thread in my unread and thought someone found a new option .

I just wanna go fast [emoji48]

95-97 Disc Upgrade Question

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