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Author Topic: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?  (Read 5647 times)

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Offline Pinto5.0

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73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« on: October 08, 2013, 12:54:11 AM »
I'm trying to plan ahead so I have a question about spindles. My 73 has front drums on it. I have Wilwood calipers so I plan to make my own mounts.
 
Will Granada rotors fit the drum spindles or do I need to swap disc spindles in their place?
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Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2013, 07:57:57 AM »
Great, I stumped the masses again?
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Offline bbobcat75

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2013, 08:12:17 AM »
seems like when it comes to the early spindals and rotors to the later models everyone is a little confused and not sure!! its always a "try it out and let us know!!"
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Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2013, 08:37:47 AM »
Yeah, after the 71 is home I can pull a rotor & a pull a drum on the 73 & go back & forth with a digital micrometer to compare. I just figured someone tried it before. Making a caliper mount has to be done for either spindle but this would save me from finding a set of 73 only disc spindles.
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Offline OhSix9

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2013, 06:15:41 PM »
no they won't fit. there are no caliper brackets available and the early spindles use the small spindle shaft, 74 and up spindles use the large shaft making the bearings different which allows them to work.

check out these guys,   https://scarebird.com/     they may have a setup that will work with the early models.  neat thing here is you will retain the 4 bolt spindle hubs and you just use a 4 bolt rotor that sits on top, their brackets appear to adapt cavalier calipers to the job, seems to me you would need ball joint adapters to make the late model spindles fit on the 73.  (don't quote me on that i am just going off the top of my head)
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Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2013, 07:38:41 PM »
no they won't fit. there are no caliper brackets available and the early spindles use the small spindle shaft, 74 and up spindles use the large shaft making the bearings different which allows them to work.

74-up rotors will fit 71-73 early disc spindles by cutting 30 thousandths from the rotor surface to run the early calipers. Here's the write up.
 
http://www.fordpinto.com/pinto-faq/how-to-install-5-lug-9'rotors-on-71-73-pinto/
 
Here is the link for running Granada rotors on early spindles.
 
http://www.fordpinto.com/pinto-faq/front-disc-brakes-(4-5-lug)/msg6498/#msg6498
 
I just need to see if drum spindles measure the same as disc spindles. I don't need to buy any caliper brackets since I plan to fab my own from 3/16 steel to fit my Wilwood calipers.
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Offline PintoMan1

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2013, 07:52:06 PM »
I did this on my '73. I went with the 2" drop spindles, had to have the tie rod end hole reemed out just a bit to fit the '73 tie rod ends. '74 & up I used 9" 5-lug rotors. the bearings are the same. meaning I used '73 inner & outer bearings. the bearings are not different. I also used '77 bobcat calibers and brake pads, which are also the same for '74 & up models. also had to change the brake lines, which are different from drum to disc.
I have a new set of disc brake spindles if interested (stock height). also a set of used '77 bobcat disc brake (stock height) spindles.
Glen
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Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2013, 08:07:46 PM »
I did this on my '73. I went with the 2" drop spindles, had to have the tie rod end hole reemed out just a bit to fit the '73 tie rod ends. '74 & up I used 9" 5-lug rotors. the bearings are the same. meaning I used '73 inner & outer bearings. the bearings are not different. I also used '77 bobcat calibers and brake pads, which are also the same for '74 & up models. also had to change the brake lines, which are different from drum to disc.
I have a new set of disc brake spindles if interested (stock height). also a set of used '77 bobcat disc brake (stock height) spindles.
Glen

I have both stock height & 2" drop spindles for 74-up already. I'm just curious about the drum spindle size compared to disc. Only the shaft that is machined & threaded so either the drum or disc rotor slides onto it, rather than the entire part. I need to measure both types & compare
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Offline jeremysdad

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2013, 08:39:12 AM »
Parts stores make no distinction between the two types as far as bearings and seals. That indicates to me that the spindles should be the same, however, it is never a bad idea to measure and be sure. I would think the rotors would fit the drum spindles directly (if using early rotors, at least).

Clarifying for myself: You are wanting to put early rotors on an early drum spindle? Or disc spindles in place of the drum spindles? I would think the disc spindles would be a direct swap, as I can't see the logic in Ford using different ball joints/tie rod ends, etc. If it were me (since you're going to have to make mounting brackets anyway) I would almost just start with the stock drum spindles and go from there (but it is  early, and I need more coffee lol).

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2013, 09:24:42 AM »
Parts stores make no distinction between the two types as far as bearings and seals. That indicates to me that the spindles should be the same, however, it is never a bad idea to measure and be sure. I would think the rotors would fit the drum spindles directly (if using early rotors, at least).

I never thought to check the bearings. Yeah, that should indicate they are the same shaft.

Clarifying for myself: You are wanting to put early rotors on an early drum spindle? Or disc spindles in place of the drum spindles? I would think the disc spindles would be a direct swap, as I can't see the logic in Ford using different ball joints/tie rod ends, etc. If it were me (since you're going to have to make mounting brackets anyway) I would almost just start with the stock drum spindles and go from there (but it is  early, and I need more coffee lol).

You're exactly right. The drum spindles are already there & if a rotor bolts right on I can make a caliper bracket to fit rather than swap to a disc spindle. I already have these 11" Granada rotors & Wilwood calipers so if they fit the drum spindle I don't have to find the 1 year only disc spindles.
 

 
That would make my life really simple.
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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #10 on: October 11, 2013, 02:33:22 PM »

I never thought to check the bearings. Yeah, that should indicate they are the same shaft.
 
You're exactly right. The drum spindles are already there & if a rotor bolts right on I can make a caliper bracket to fit rather than swap to a disc spindle. I already have these 11" Granada rotors & Wilwood calipers so if they fit the drum spindle I don't have to find the 1 year only disc spindles.
 
 
That would make my life really simple.

That's why I throw out ideas/questions about my projects here. Sometimes little details or possible simple solutions get lost in my 'overthinking stuff' habits. :)

I hope it works out for you in the simplest way it can! :)

Offline Pinto5.0

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Re: 73 drum brake spindles to disc brakes?
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2013, 09:02:36 PM »
That's why I throw out ideas/questions about my projects here. Sometimes little details or possible simple solutions get lost in my 'overthinking stuff' habits. :)

I hope it works out for you in the simplest way it can! :)

Thanks. I had this overly complicated to the point of swapping to a late crossmember just to run 11" brakes. I have a tunnel rammed 302/T-5 combo for this car & the thought of stopping it from 125+ mph on puny drums or 40 year old single piston 9" discs seems insane to me. I have 10.9" Wilwood discs for the 9" rear so a front upgrade was mandatory. I also have a new in the box Wilwood 11" 74-up disc kit that will work if the Granada rotors fit but I'd have to make caliper brackets for that so I'll save it for another car instead or sell it off.
 
I have glass fenders, hood & bumper to offset most of the added V8 weight so the ride height on stock springs/spindles should be exactly where I want it. If I can ever get this car on my "TO-DO" list I should be able to rock & roll on it. I may just halfass it just to get it moving under it's own power then dig in piecemeal as time permits. I know stripping it to a tub & trying to do the whole car right the 1st time dooms it permanently to "PROJECT DEATH" so getting it running & then playing with it while upgrading in stages will keep my head in the game.   
'73 Sedan (I'll get to it)
'76 Wagon driver
'80 hatch(Restoring to be my son's 1st car)~Callisto
'71 half hatch (bucket list Pinto)~Ghost
'72 sedan 5.0/T5~Lemon Squeeze