Rear disc swap underway! Questions, tips.

[Mr Ed]

Hi all!
I'm about 1/2 way (I hope) a rear disk conversion on my 2002 Ranger using an explorer axle and have a few questions and a tip or two to share.
First off, it's not too difficult to this point, which is the new axle is under the truck, ready to bolt up. Here's the first tip: Get longer U-bolts than you might think you need. I have a 1" or so add-a-leaf, and I matched the length of my old U-bolts to the new 3 1/4" diamater bolts (remember the new housing is bigger). Well, between the increased housing size and the flat-bottom Ford U-bolts, my new ones are exactly 1/2" too short.

The other "tip" so far, maybe more of a warning or question, is get the tie plates from your donor Explorer (the plates that the U-bolts go through above the springs). I could not seem to find tie plates anywhere to fit the 3 1/4" Explorer housing. So I went back to the junk yard and scavaged the Explorer plates. The "problem" with these is that they have a shock mount that protrudes off of 1 corner. It doesn't seem like it will be in the way, but it's ugly. Anyone have thoughts on that?

I used the advaice from the tech article to set the spring perches (align them above the old ones, use a dial angle finder to set a 6 gegree pinion angle, I wnet with 7 for the add-a-leaf) and measured and set the new shock mounts off the dimensions from the old axle. So far so good. Everything lines up!

My main question is regarding the brake lines. The Explorer set up does not work, as the center line that goes up to the frame is too short. This is due to the placement (off to the drivers side) and the length. The Ranger set up won't swap over directly, as the hard line attaches directly to the wheel cyclinders on the drums. Anyone have any advice on how best to run the long center line and attach it to the hard line?

I'll try and post pictures later today, it might better illustrate the brake line complications.

Thanks!

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

For the spring plates, grab some off of an f150 that has an 8.8 rear. They fit perfectly with no shock mounts built into them.

 

[Yellowsplash]

Ditch the drivers side hose....Grab a passenger side brake hose from the parts store and mount in on the drivers side and run new brake lines to the top of the differential and connect it to the t-block and hose the ranger had originally. Problem Solved.

The explorer spring u-bolt plates do work if your orientate them correctly. As said, you can use F150 plates, or even get some from ballistic fabrication.

 

[Mr Ed]

YellowSplash,

You're a genius! I wish I could have figured that out on my own!
That will solve the brake line issue. Now, on to the parking brake:
I have the Explorer cables from the brakes all the way up to the pedal. My plan is to connect it in to the stock cable about mid-vehicle. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Regarding the spring plates, i was actually able to use the stock plates. I only had to squeeze the U bolts a fraction onf an inch to slide them in. I'll re-asses this, but it seems to be fine. My past experience with lift kits and longer U bolts is that you have to squeeze fit them in to the plates anyways.

Had the driveline balanced and rebuilt, bolted it in, so it's ready to go!