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armadillon
Member
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2011
- Messages
- 945
- Reaction score
- 12
- Points
- 18
- Location
- Austin, TX
- Vehicle Year
- 93
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 3.0L
- Transmission
- Automatic
Apologies in advance for linking to Pirate4x4 and other sites. I noticed there is lots of unlinked information out there and I wanted to throw this out to be helpful.
This is NOT a step by step article, it's meant as basic guidance and theory to how the conversion is accomplished.
For those searching for Ford 9" (9 inch or nine inch depending on how you searched) there are a number of things I've found. Please excuse me if you've already discovered this information. I just like all of it together.
This information is mostly intended for Solid Axle Swaps using a Ford 9 Inch Rearend using the 5x5.5 bolt pattern, but the same information can apply to the 5x4.5.
The tech library shows where to get a 9" rearend. From what it shows, I keep seeing information on just the Ford cars and some very early broncos, and it seems most of them will have a 5x4.5 bolt pattern. For those of us that notice that our rearend ISN'T on the list (like a 1978-1979 Ford Truck or Bronco) we get a little confused.
If you google "Ford 9 Inch Rearend Information" you come up with a variety of sites. A rather helpful one I found was this: http://kevinstang.com/Ninecase.htm
If you have the Small Bearing (SB) 9" rear off of an old Ford car listed on the Tech Library with the 5x4.5 pattern, you'll probably find via searching that the Explorer 8.8 brakes will work and you can use rotors from a variety of cars like the Ford Crown Vic from certain years. The 5x4.5 bolt pattern is great if you're stuck with that up front with a Dana 28 or 35 or 2WD Twin I Beam (TIB). But what if you've got a Dana 44 or other 5x5.5 bolt pattern FRONT end? You'll need the Big Bearing (BB) 9" rear off of a truck/bronco. We want to keep our 5x5.5" pattern so the Explorer disc conversion setup won't work.
In comes a number of options I've seen.
Find a rotor from a different year with the same bolt pattern. I've seen people use D44 front rotors, Suzuki Sidekick front 4x4 rotors, Jeep rotors, Dodge rotors, all sorts of things. The idea is to find a rotor with a rotor hat that will fit over or ALMOST fit over the axle flange and will slide right over those 5x5.5 wheel studs. This usually results in the....more interesting cheap method. People will rotate the rear axles and grind about 1/16" off (or however much is necessary) and the rotor fits right over the flange. They then fabricate a caliper bracket and weld it to the axle housing or even bolt it to the end of the housing flange.
The caliper is once again up to you, I've seen plenty that had no E-Brake and some with. It's far more common to see the non-E brake conversion since it's a little less complex. I've seen Cadillac El Dorado calipers or Seville, and also the Sidekick or other Suburu setups that have an ebrake backingplate/caliper bracket combo.
After the calipers and rotors, they throw on the necessary pads, brake lines, and some claim to use stock proportioning valves, others swap them in from other setups. I also see that most people tend to swap out the master cylinder, but you'll have to research that. Also up in the air and you'll have to do a little more searching.
Why all these options? Some people went for the most inexpensive rotor, others for what was on hand that would fit. The kits you find on websites are usually like 400+.
Regardless of the fact, I'm going to post some threads I've found on pirate and others that mention the conversion. Because I don't want some n00b like me running across a thread and being blind.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=508076
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229934
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229934
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-471948.html
If you want to just buy the kit: Check out:
www.speedwaymotors.com
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/SSBC/Custom-Brake-Kits/SSBC-Disc-Brake-Conversion-Kit-for-Ford-9-Inch-Large-Bearing-Ends--_-Rear-_-A110_2/564761/
and plenty of others if you do a google search.
Please let me know of anymore information I've missed and I'll edit this post and throw it on. Also, Mods, please let me know if this thread is just a waste of space.
This is NOT a step by step article, it's meant as basic guidance and theory to how the conversion is accomplished.
For those searching for Ford 9" (9 inch or nine inch depending on how you searched) there are a number of things I've found. Please excuse me if you've already discovered this information. I just like all of it together.
This information is mostly intended for Solid Axle Swaps using a Ford 9 Inch Rearend using the 5x5.5 bolt pattern, but the same information can apply to the 5x4.5.
The tech library shows where to get a 9" rearend. From what it shows, I keep seeing information on just the Ford cars and some very early broncos, and it seems most of them will have a 5x4.5 bolt pattern. For those of us that notice that our rearend ISN'T on the list (like a 1978-1979 Ford Truck or Bronco) we get a little confused.
If you google "Ford 9 Inch Rearend Information" you come up with a variety of sites. A rather helpful one I found was this: http://kevinstang.com/Ninecase.htm
If you have the Small Bearing (SB) 9" rear off of an old Ford car listed on the Tech Library with the 5x4.5 pattern, you'll probably find via searching that the Explorer 8.8 brakes will work and you can use rotors from a variety of cars like the Ford Crown Vic from certain years. The 5x4.5 bolt pattern is great if you're stuck with that up front with a Dana 28 or 35 or 2WD Twin I Beam (TIB). But what if you've got a Dana 44 or other 5x5.5 bolt pattern FRONT end? You'll need the Big Bearing (BB) 9" rear off of a truck/bronco. We want to keep our 5x5.5" pattern so the Explorer disc conversion setup won't work.
In comes a number of options I've seen.
Find a rotor from a different year with the same bolt pattern. I've seen people use D44 front rotors, Suzuki Sidekick front 4x4 rotors, Jeep rotors, Dodge rotors, all sorts of things. The idea is to find a rotor with a rotor hat that will fit over or ALMOST fit over the axle flange and will slide right over those 5x5.5 wheel studs. This usually results in the....more interesting cheap method. People will rotate the rear axles and grind about 1/16" off (or however much is necessary) and the rotor fits right over the flange. They then fabricate a caliper bracket and weld it to the axle housing or even bolt it to the end of the housing flange.
The caliper is once again up to you, I've seen plenty that had no E-Brake and some with. It's far more common to see the non-E brake conversion since it's a little less complex. I've seen Cadillac El Dorado calipers or Seville, and also the Sidekick or other Suburu setups that have an ebrake backingplate/caliper bracket combo.
After the calipers and rotors, they throw on the necessary pads, brake lines, and some claim to use stock proportioning valves, others swap them in from other setups. I also see that most people tend to swap out the master cylinder, but you'll have to research that. Also up in the air and you'll have to do a little more searching.
Why all these options? Some people went for the most inexpensive rotor, others for what was on hand that would fit. The kits you find on websites are usually like 400+.
Regardless of the fact, I'm going to post some threads I've found on pirate and others that mention the conversion. Because I don't want some n00b like me running across a thread and being blind.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=508076
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229934
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=229934
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-471948.html
If you want to just buy the kit: Check out:
www.speedwaymotors.com
http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/SSBC/Custom-Brake-Kits/SSBC-Disc-Brake-Conversion-Kit-for-Ford-9-Inch-Large-Bearing-Ends--_-Rear-_-A110_2/564761/
and plenty of others if you do a google search.
Please let me know of anymore information I've missed and I'll edit this post and throw it on. Also, Mods, please let me know if this thread is just a waste of space.
Last edited:
