Rear drum break upgrade to disc brake

[Am88rangerxlt]

Hello everyone so I just purchased a rear disc break conversion kit for my 1988 ranger XLT 2.9 liter. The kit is from SSBC KIT # A114 and the instructions they give are not very helpful the diagram they sent is not the best quality so it's difficult to make out the details of the parts is there any one that has purchased the same kit and completed the installation please let me know what the process was for you

 

[JoshT]

Based on pictures of the kit on SSBC website, it looks like they just packaged the mustang rear disc conversion. If that is correct, this might help:

Ford Ranger / Bronco II Rear Disc Brake Conversion - The Ranger Station

By: DangerRanger01 This modification only works on the Ford 7.5-inch and 28-spline 8.8-inch axles. IT DOES NOT work on the: 2002 FX4 Off Road 2003~2007 FX4 Level II (but NOT FX4 Off Road) 2008~2009 FX4 Off Road (only when equipped … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

 

[Am88rangerxlt]

So would I have to use the driver's side flipped over on the passenger side and vise versa

 

[JoshT]

I have no idea. I've never used the kit you are talking about or done the Mustang brake swap. The components look similar, so I was hoping those pictures might be able to help you make better sense out of what you were given with the kit. They aren't exactly the same though. For one I highly doubt that SSBC intended for you to have to cut the caliper brackets to install the kit and those pieces are shaped different.

In the link I posted, cutting and flipping the bracket is being done because it is being bolted to the inside of that axle flange. I imagine that was needed to align the caliper to the rotor using the OEM bracket. The kit you have was most likely intended to bolt to the outside of the flange and has the needed offset built into the bracket. More like the "North Racecars Bracket" section at the bottom of that page.

 

[rubydist]

You can mount the bracket to put the caliper in front of, or behind the axle. Depending on which you choose, you need the opposite caliper - you mount the caliper with the bleed port at the top in any case. If you ask 10 people, you will get roughly 5-5 about whether the caliper should be ahead of or behind the axle. If mounted behind, applying the brakes reduces the load on the outer axle bearing, and if mounted ahead, it increases the load on the axle bearing. One would think that reducing the loading would be the obvious answer, but its not necessarily the case - if you brake at the right loading, you take all the load off the axle bearing and that can cause chatter with the small clearance that is in the bearing and reduce bearing life. On the other hand, increasing the load on the bearing is an issue if the total loading can overload the bearing. So, pick your poison there is really not a "wrong" answer.

 

[JoshT]

You can mount the bracket to put the caliper in front of, or behind the axle.

Just to clarify, when I was talking about in front or behind and inboard or outboard I was talking about the flange in this picture.

I was not talking about if the caliper should be forward or aft of the axle, relative to the truck.