brake brackets

[Dav]

i am on the verge of converting my 88 ranger to rear disc brakes. i have almost everything i need. i was going to cut the brackets as shown in the 'how to tech' section. the numbers on my brackets, off a 2004 mustang, end with AD instead of the BA in the article. any problem here?

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Pictures help in situations like this, but to my knowledge the brake parts used for the swap are 94-04

 

[mikkelstuff]

As to the Mustang rear disc brake conversion, I have written an extensive journal with photos documenting my experience with this project including the gottcha's. For anyone wanting an e-mail copy, just send me a PM.

 

[Dav]

As to the Mustang rear disc brake conversion, I have written an extensive journal with photos documenting my experience with this project including the gottcha's. For anyone wanting an e-mail copy, just send me a PM.

think i sent you a PM asking for your journal. BUT, i am so inept with a pc i'm not sure if i did it right. so this is a follow up (i've been in this club for a few years and only discovered the icon that let's me quote your message 3 minutes ago! )

 

[Dav]

well, i started working on the conversion.. i have an 89 parts truck to try things on so that i can drive the 88 until i have everything ready
i cut one bracket as instructed in the 'how to' section. then i stripped the brake off the 89. rather than go thru the messy hassle of pulling the axles, i just cut the backing plate into pieces. the bracket fit nicely.. but the anti squeal bracket doesn't fit at all. first 'gotcha'. looks like the e-brake will be the second one.
the e-brake cable has a kind of basket clip to hold it to the backing plate. it didn't survive the removal. it also is too long from the clip to the end. was i supposed to get the cables from the mustang? they went into the console to the handle instead of to the pedal. and how do you get that clip out without desstroying it? is there a special tool for cable removal?

 

[Bird76Mojo]

This has all been documented on various Ranger forums before. The Ranger e-brake cables will work with a spacer made from a small piece of tubing, to take up the extra slack/length. It's not ideal but it works. The anti-moan brackets only fit tightly on certain diameter axle tubes, but should still work on the smaller tubes regardless?

As for the "basket-clip" I just kept prying at it with a screwdriver until it came loose. I had to get one side of the "fingers" ready to come out of the hole, and then pry on the rest until they all were ready to go through the hole. It did take a good bit of patience. I suspect a correctly sized split box end wrench (line wrench - commonly used for brake line removal) would help in that task. Maybe even a fuel disconnect tool.

 

[Dav]

had not thought of the fuel line tool. or the brake line one, either. and i'm not a patient man so the e-brake line is junk. but then, so is the rest of the truck; i bought it to get the later heads for when i do the motor rebuild.
the problem with the moan brackets is not diameter, it's length. it's too long to fit between the axle flange and the spring plate. apparently some models, or maybe just some people, don't use them. how important are they? and does the rear end really moan without them?

 

[Bird76Mojo]

One way to find out. lol