OK, two ways to look at that. I have a 66 with about 400,000 miles on it, including some autocross competition, no problem yet with the less beefy spindles.
65-66 style spindles, with more beef, are available new.
The reason I was concerned about that, is because back in high school one of my I6 spindles broke off for no real apparent reason after hitting a dip in the road a little hard. Back when I got the Granada stuff, I did not realize that beefier stock type spindles were available.
Well, time to throw my 2 cents in on it... even though it seems to be over.
I hate the Granada setup. They are a single piston floating caliper. That right there is enough for me to say no to Granada brakes on my car.
If you want a beefier spindle take a look at the later Mustang spindle, I believe 1970 and up. The spindle is stronger and the out tie rod is beefier as well (if memory serves). Using a drum spindle you can still bolt up the early K/H 4 piston brakes.
Dennis over at discbrakeswap.com is a forum member and has been helping people on here for a long time. He makes a good quality product and is a good guy. Also, his prices are fair.
The stock '68-'73 Mustang front disc brake setups were also of a single-floating caliper design. The '68-'73 Mustang single-floating caliper design was also produced by K/H. The '68-'73 Mustang disc spindles/brakes are very close cousins to the '75-'80 Granada/Monarch front disc brakes. The '68-'73 Mustang disc spindles share the same splash shield and caliper anchor bracket mounting point dimensions as a Granada. --with the exception that the upper caliper anchor bracket mounting hole on a '68-'73 disc spindle is for a 9/16" bolt and the upper hole on a Granada spindle is for a 1/2" diameter bolt. All other critical mounting points and overall dimensions remain the same between the '70-'73 Mustang disc spindles and the '75-'80 Granada spindles.
'68/'69 Mustang disc brake spindles had thinner pins and smaller outer tie rods than the '70-'73 disc brake Mustangs. '75-'80 Granadas have spindles with the thicker pins and larger tie rod holes like the '70-'73 Mustang disc spindles.
In photo link below: On the left is a '73 Maverick drum brake spindle [same as '70-'73 Mustang drum brake spindle]. It features the larger spindle pin and larger outer tie rod hole. On the right: '75 Granada disc brake spindle. Same basic design as '68-'73 Mustang factory disc brake spindle except it too has the larger spindle pin and larger tie rod hole like a '70-'73 Mustang disc spindle.
'69 Boss 302s were the first to get the disc spindles [for the floating-caliper design] with the thicker pins and larger tie rod holes. Spindle pin and tie rod holes increased to the same larger dimension on regular-production Mustangs starting in 1970, --for both drum and disc brake-equipped Mustangs.
The '75-'80 Granadas share the same front end width and suspension geometry as the '67-'70 Mustangs. This is why Granada disc brake systems are a direct bolt-on to the '67-'70 Mustangs. They are not a direct bolt-on, if using wrecking yard Granada spindles, to '65/'66 Mustangs, due to the '65/'66 Mustang's 2" narrower track width.
--The steering arm angles of the Granada spindles will be off for a '65/'66 Mustang. This would be the same problem you would encounter if trying to use '67-'73 Mustang spindles [disc or drum] on a '65/'66 Mustang. The problem for the steering arm angle can be made to work on the '65/'66 Mustangs by shortening the tie rod adjuster sleaves and shortening the threaded length on both the inner & outer tie rods on both sides, but steering arm angle would still not be totally correct on a '65/'66.
However, there are [new] Granada spindle castings available to adapt Granada discs, to pre-'67 Mustangs, that have the correct steering arm geometry cast into them to alleviate the problem of trying to use incorrect-geometry wrecking yard Granada disc spindles on a '65/'66.
Recent installation of Granada discs I installed on a 6-cylinder [formerly 4-lug drum] '67 coupe.
Before:
After:
Stock '68-'73 Mustang floating-caliper front disc assemblies pictured below. Notice the similarities between these and the Granada disc brake system:
Intersting and appreciated to many, you show the last picture with the bigger 68-73 Mustang rotors, and the correct hubs that fit the Mustang, not the Granada.
Dan @ Chockostang
What hub/rotor combo did you use to get that mounted up ?
...Most people who are converting their older Mustangs to discs have no intentions of running their stock, skinny, factory wheels and tires, anyway. Wider/taller aftermarket wheels have no problems fitting over the Granada rotor's hub. For the very small percentage of people who would retain their skinny, stock wheels/tires, the Granada hubs can safely be machined down to the same diameter of the '68-'73 rotor's hubs to accept the stock wheels.
Not true. The stock 14" 64-73 drum wheels will not clear any Granada combo, rotor pilot trimmed or not. The 68-80 type rotor would need to be trimmed to 10-5/8" OD and caliper moved inboard to fit. Also, your premise about most converting to disc also going aftermarket rims is skewed - we sold hardly any Mustang/Falcon/Fairlane conversion kits till we revised it fit inside the stock drum wheel - now they are a sales mainstay.
We also sell a version that allows conversion from 4 to 5 lug disc and retaining your stock 4 lug drum spindle. As previously stated the only real weak point of the 1960-66 4 lug spindle is the dinky A1 outer bearing - which we change out for the 70-later A12 bearing.
What is the everyone's opinion on the stainless steel brake corp. front disc brake setup? How does it compare to the k/h setup? I have the SSBC front brakes and they have the 4 piston calipers. My dad and I installed them years ago and I can't remember if we changed out the spindles from the stock v8/drum units.
You are talking about the SSBC version of the K/H disc brakes as used on all 65 66 67 Mustangs, all 66 67 Fairlanes.
SSBC are repos of the 4 Piston setup to the point of parts replacement being factory Ford replacement.
No, you did not change the spindles as the SSBC setup fits the V8 Spindles exactly same as the Assembly line did in 65 66 67.
Excellent quality Disc Brakes.
Dan @ Chockostang
What is the everyone's opinion on the stainless steel brake corp. front disc brake setup? How does it compare to the k/h setup? I have the SSBC front brakes and they have the 4 piston calipers. My dad and I installed them years ago and I can't remember if we changed out the spindles from the stock v8/drum units.
Guys,
Can I assume from what I'm reading here, that I can use the 4 piston OEM style K/H brakes on the 1971 Maverick I'm getting that has 5 lug drum brakes? It sounds like the stuff will bolt correctly to the Maverick spindles?
TIA,
Gene
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