[Cannon]

the question is what is the best way to go here, I see a lot of guys doing the f-350 thing. If this is the way to go what years of F-350 parts would be best used with as little fabrication as possible.

I am getting tired of not being able to stop, time to make this change.


Thanks guys!

 

[Guest]

It depends, what rear ends do you have?
Are they stock, or have you done any conversions?

 

[Lookinfurfun]

Clicky on Brians web site

 

[equin]

Clicky on Brians web site

I, too, need to upgrade the brakes on my 86. I've read Brian's brake page - excellent pics and info. But I also came upon this article at ford-trucks.com:
http://www.ford-trucks.com/articles/oct2001/brakeupgrade.php

I noticed that on Brian's page, stock Bronco calipers were bought. But the Ford-truck article recommends upgrading to bigger calipers if the stock master cylinder and booster are replaced with an F350 master cylinder and booster. It gives an explanation on bigger volume, but less pressure with the bigger bore master cylinder, requiring a bigger caliper?

I don't know much about brake systems, so I don't know. But is it correct to recommend upgrading to bigger calipers if you swap in an F350 master cylinder and booster? And if so, will the stock steel rims still fit with the bigger calipers? Better yet, will the 15x10 black rockcrawler rims fit with the bigger calipers? If not, which aftermarket rims will fit over the bigger calipers?

 

[equin]

Never mind my questions. I re-read part of the article and the 3rd to last paragraph claims that a 73-78 Ford Thunderbird caliper (bigger than a 78-79 Bronco caliper) has the same clamping force as an F350 caliper, but still fits inside the 5 lug, 15" wheel.

 

[equin]

Anyone else do the Thunderbird caliper, slotted rotor and F350 master cylinder/booster swap? Any other bigger calipers that have the same fittings as the stock Bronco lines?

 

[85f150]

how much help would just upgrading the booster and master cylindar really be...i know brian did the rear cylindars off of a f350 but what would the point be...are they larger bore or what? i just am wondering how much good this actually does, and if it is worth the effort to do because i would love to have better brakes without upgrading the axle...i was also looking into a rear disc swap

 

[equin]

That's an excellent question. Unfortunately, I know very little about brake systems, so I don't know. I'm like you. I'd like to know how to improve the brakes and stopping power of my Bronco, cuz the few times I could get it to run, it was scary trying to stop it!!

Anyway, the article at that Ford-truck.com website claims that the OEM 11" vacuum booster (forgive my braking ignorance, but is that the same thing as a brake booster?) on a 78-79 Bronco is to weak in pressurizing the hydraulic system. I don't know if the later Broncos use the same booster as the 78-79 Broncos do, but the braking power on my 86 Bronco is extremely weak, so I assume that they probably do use the same brake booster. The article goes on to claim that a 79 F350 dual diaphram booster provides twice the power output. It then says that an F350 master cylinder is needed because the stock one has a narrower bolt pattern and will not fit the F350 booster. It also says that it has a bigger bore, but I'll admit I did not really understand the physics explanation on volume and pressure necessitating bigger calipers that should be used with a bigger master cylinder. Hopefully someone with more knowledge and experience with brake systems will post and educate me some more on that!!

 

[equin]

how much help would just upgrading the booster and master cylindar really be...i know brian did the rear cylindars off of a f350 but what would the point be...are they larger bore or what? i just am wondering how much good this actually does, and if it is worth the effort to do because i would love to have better brakes without upgrading the axle...i was also looking into a rear disc swap

By the way, I did a search on rear disc conversions and came upon a few interesting threads. One of the posts said that an exploder rear disc brake is of a different lug pattern than our 5 x 5 pattern. So I guess you'd have to address that issue. But yes, if there's a way to improving stopping power without changing axles and without alot of modifying, then I'm all for that!

 

[85f150]

yea i understand that, i just don't understand how pushing more pressure not a volume of fluid out is going to help....i mean you are totally using all your pressure if your pedal isn't in the floor....or at least that is what i would think but i am looking for real world actually swapped answers...