I found this article below its just the text but I was interested in knowing if anyone used ultrastang brackets on a vintage stang to convert from drum brakes to modern brakes from a modern five lug stang? How does it work is it difficult?
Lincoln Mk VII Rear Disc Brake Conversion for Early Mustang & Ford (8- & 9-inch Rear Ends)
Some back ground on how this conversion all came about...
Back in 1997, I had an '89 5.0L Mustang GT. Like all the '87-'93 GT/LX 5.0L Mustangs, mine had drum brakes on the rear. I went to the wrecking yard and pirated a set of axles and disc brake assemblies from a Lincoln Mk VII.
However, before I could get around to installing the Mk VII rear disc components onto the rear of the '89 GT, the GT was stolen --never to be recovered.
Move ahead now to 1999...
In 1999, My friend Randy Rawls brought me his '67 Mustang notchback and hired me to install some Granada front disc brakes on it --like the ones I had on my own Mustang, and like I had installed on several other Mustangs in this area.
Randy knew that at some point, later on, he was going to want to install some rear disc brakes on his Mustang. However, at that time, he simply couldn't swing for a set of high-dollar aftermarket rear discs.
We talked about how it would sure be nice if there was a more economical (wrecking yard) alternative to the high-priced aftermarket rear discs.
This is when I started thinking about those Mk VII rear discs I still had in the shop that was supposed to be installed on the now defunct '89 GT.
(continue next column) After taking some measurements of the end flange on a 1959 Ford Fairlane 9-inch Small Axle Bearing Housing (same as '65-'73 Mustang 8- & 9-inch rear end housing), and taking some measurements from the Mk VII rear disc components, I sat down and began sketching out a bracket design that would allow the Mk VII rear disc assemblies to be adapted to the earlier Ford's rear end housing.
I took it from a sketch, and then transfered it to a template, and then to an actual adapter bracket.
Once I saw everything would infact bolt up, I just kind of pushed everything aside and shelved the project.
Move forward now, to the middle of January, 2002...
Glen Buzek & I had been talking (via e-mail to one another) for nearly a year by this time.
Back in January of 2002, we both discussed the fact that we both wanted to do the "Explorer" rear disc swap on our Mustangs.
I knew this Explorer swap (with a few modifications) would work on the particular version of Versailles rear end I have under my '68, but after receiving some photos of the rear end under Glen's '65 Mustang, (1980 Granada 9-inch Small Axle Bearing drum brake rear end), I knew the Explorer rear disc swap wasn't going to work on Glen's 9-inch Granada rear end housing.
It was at this point that I told Glen about a project I had worked on concerning adapting some Lincoln Mk VII rear disc brakes onto the housing ends of an early Ford rear end --without any brackets being welded on! ...this was all strictly bolt on stuff!
Glen was very interested in this prospect, and asked if I would send him more details on it.
One thing led to another, and the end result is what you are about to see in the pictures that follow!
OPERATION: "BINDER GRINDER". FROM STOCK REAR DRUMS, TO LINCOLN MK VII REAR DISCS!
(Click on any of the following pictures, and an enlargement will appear in another window)
Stock'65-'66 Mustang drum brake assembly and 28-spline axle from an 8-inch rear end installed in a 1959 Ford Fairlane 9-inch Medium Bearing rear end housing. (This '59 Ford 9-inch housing formerly owned by ultrastang).
With the drum & axle removed, it´s time to take the parking/emergency brake cable loose. Remove the cable's end from the rear shoe's lever, then remove the cable from the drum brake's backing plate. TIP: Notice the small diameter hose clamp on the barbs of the parking brake cable. This is a trick I discovered that helps tremendously! Tighten the clamp just enough to compress all the barbs, then pull the cable out through the backing plate hole.
Presto!
Now, with the parking brake cable loose, the drum brake backing plate can be removed once the (4) bearing retainer nuts are removed (on a Small Bearing Housing, it will require a 9/16-inch socket).
Don't forget to take the brake line loose from the drum brake wheel cylinder.
Now, you can pull the axle out of the housing. While the axle is out, this is a good opportunity for you to check the axle bearing condition. Place your thumb on the outer portion and give it a swift spinning action.
If the bearing freewheels for more than 1½ revolutions, REPLACE IT!
These sealed bearings are lubricated for the life of the bearing and should have a fair amount of "drag" or "resistance" to spinning freely. A bearing that freewheels indicates that most of the original lubrication has been lost.
In this picture, I'm pressing the new bearing onto the axle (axle bearing for this application is BCA p/n RW-207-CCRA).
After the new bearing is pressed on, it´s time to press the retainer on.
Notice the old retainer to the left. I took a die-grinder & removed a few thousandths from the I.D. of the old retainer.
I then used it as a tool to press the new bearing onto the axle with. Since the bearing retainer lines up perfectly with the bearing´s center hub, this keeps stress off of the axle bearing (see previous picture).
Note: DO NOT press BOTH the bearing & the retainer on at the same time!
Remove the old axle seal & install a new one. New axle bearing & axle seal are ready for action!
Time to put the axle back in the housing.
Slide the end flange spacer (takes the place of what used to be occupied by the old drum brake backing plate) & the new end flange gasket on (in that order). (Small Bearing end flange gasket is under Fel-Pro p/n 55001).
Put the axle assembly back into the housing.
TIP: when putting the axle back in the housing, hold up on the axle to keep the full weight of it off the axle seal as the axle is slid in. Dragging the full weight of the axle across the seal leads to premature seal failure & causes leaky seals!
With the 3/8-inch bolt installed through the housing flange, slide the spacer over the bolt's threaded end.
Now, its time to install the (4) 3/8-inch bolts through the access hole (in the axle flange) and then through the housing's end flange.
When all the 3/8-inch bolts and spacers are in place, It´s time to install the main caliper anchor plate adapter bracket.
Slide it over the (3) 3/8-inch bolts and up against the spacers. (do not tighten the 3/8inch bolts yet).
Take one of the splash shields and drill a 25/64ths-inch hole in the center of the shield where the inner curve fits around the axle tube.
Install the shield with the 2½" long 3/8-inch bolt sticking through the hole in the lower left-hand portion of the housning end flange (looking at the left side of the vehicle).
Place a 3/8-inch flat washer & nut on the bolt and tighten it up just enough to put tension on the splash shield so that it doesn't flop around.
Line the inner curve up evenly around the axle tube, then clamp the shield to the caliper anchor plate adapter.
Using the ½" upper hole in the anchor plate adapter as a guide, drill a ½" hole through the splash shield. (go slow, so the ½" drill bit doesn't tear the hole in the thin metal of the splash shield as the drill bit passes all the way through).
After drilling the ½" hole in the upper portion of the shield, stick one of the 12mm bolts through this hole to keep things lined up.
Now, drill the lower ½" hole through the splash shield.
Unmodified splash shield on the left. Modified shield on the right.
1.) 25/64ths-inch hole in center, near inner curve where shield fits around axle tube.
2.) ½" holes on either side of the trailing portions of the shield
3.) "Notch" to clear lower caliper anchor plate adapter bolt/nut.
After priming, painting & reinstalling the splash shield next install the caliper anchor plate to the adapter.
Start with the bottom hole and insert the M12 x 1.75 x 35mm bolt from the backside with the threads facing outward.
Start the threads into the anchor plate, but don´t tighten the 12mm bolt yet.
Next, the parking brake cable anchor bracket has to be installed.
Start by placing (5) 3/8-inch washers (shims) over upper right-hand bolt in the housing end flange, then place the smaller hole in the bracket on the upper right-hand bolt sticking through the end flange (looking at the driver's side of the vehicle).
Rotate the parking cable bracket forward so the ½" hole in the bracket aligns with the ½" hole in the splash shield & caliper anchor plate.
Install (3) ½" flat washers (shims) between the bracket & the back of the splash shield. Insert the M12 x 1.75 x 50mm bolt through the holes and thread the bolt into the caliper anchor plate hand tight.
Once all the brackets and bolt-on items are in place, the bolts can then be torqued.
The 3/8"-24 nuts should be torqued to 29 ft/lbs. (approx. 40 N-m). The 12mm bolts should be torqued to 110 ft/lbs.. (approx. 150 N-m).
Install the anti-rattle spring and the inner brake pad.
Install the Lincoln Mk VII 11 1/4" rotor.
Install the outer brake pad.
Lincoln Mk VII Rear Disc Brake Conversion for Early Mustang & Ford (8- & 9-inch Rear Ends)
Some back ground on how this conversion all came about...
Back in 1997, I had an '89 5.0L Mustang GT. Like all the '87-'93 GT/LX 5.0L Mustangs, mine had drum brakes on the rear. I went to the wrecking yard and pirated a set of axles and disc brake assemblies from a Lincoln Mk VII.
However, before I could get around to installing the Mk VII rear disc components onto the rear of the '89 GT, the GT was stolen --never to be recovered.
Move ahead now to 1999...
In 1999, My friend Randy Rawls brought me his '67 Mustang notchback and hired me to install some Granada front disc brakes on it --like the ones I had on my own Mustang, and like I had installed on several other Mustangs in this area.
Randy knew that at some point, later on, he was going to want to install some rear disc brakes on his Mustang. However, at that time, he simply couldn't swing for a set of high-dollar aftermarket rear discs.
We talked about how it would sure be nice if there was a more economical (wrecking yard) alternative to the high-priced aftermarket rear discs.
This is when I started thinking about those Mk VII rear discs I still had in the shop that was supposed to be installed on the now defunct '89 GT.
(continue next column) After taking some measurements of the end flange on a 1959 Ford Fairlane 9-inch Small Axle Bearing Housing (same as '65-'73 Mustang 8- & 9-inch rear end housing), and taking some measurements from the Mk VII rear disc components, I sat down and began sketching out a bracket design that would allow the Mk VII rear disc assemblies to be adapted to the earlier Ford's rear end housing.
I took it from a sketch, and then transfered it to a template, and then to an actual adapter bracket.
Once I saw everything would infact bolt up, I just kind of pushed everything aside and shelved the project.
Move forward now, to the middle of January, 2002...
Glen Buzek & I had been talking (via e-mail to one another) for nearly a year by this time.
Back in January of 2002, we both discussed the fact that we both wanted to do the "Explorer" rear disc swap on our Mustangs.
I knew this Explorer swap (with a few modifications) would work on the particular version of Versailles rear end I have under my '68, but after receiving some photos of the rear end under Glen's '65 Mustang, (1980 Granada 9-inch Small Axle Bearing drum brake rear end), I knew the Explorer rear disc swap wasn't going to work on Glen's 9-inch Granada rear end housing.
It was at this point that I told Glen about a project I had worked on concerning adapting some Lincoln Mk VII rear disc brakes onto the housing ends of an early Ford rear end --without any brackets being welded on! ...this was all strictly bolt on stuff!
Glen was very interested in this prospect, and asked if I would send him more details on it.
One thing led to another, and the end result is what you are about to see in the pictures that follow!
OPERATION: "BINDER GRINDER". FROM STOCK REAR DRUMS, TO LINCOLN MK VII REAR DISCS!
(Click on any of the following pictures, and an enlargement will appear in another window)
Stock'65-'66 Mustang drum brake assembly and 28-spline axle from an 8-inch rear end installed in a 1959 Ford Fairlane 9-inch Medium Bearing rear end housing. (This '59 Ford 9-inch housing formerly owned by ultrastang).
With the drum & axle removed, it´s time to take the parking/emergency brake cable loose. Remove the cable's end from the rear shoe's lever, then remove the cable from the drum brake's backing plate. TIP: Notice the small diameter hose clamp on the barbs of the parking brake cable. This is a trick I discovered that helps tremendously! Tighten the clamp just enough to compress all the barbs, then pull the cable out through the backing plate hole.
Presto!
Now, with the parking brake cable loose, the drum brake backing plate can be removed once the (4) bearing retainer nuts are removed (on a Small Bearing Housing, it will require a 9/16-inch socket).
Don't forget to take the brake line loose from the drum brake wheel cylinder.
Now, you can pull the axle out of the housing. While the axle is out, this is a good opportunity for you to check the axle bearing condition. Place your thumb on the outer portion and give it a swift spinning action.
If the bearing freewheels for more than 1½ revolutions, REPLACE IT!
These sealed bearings are lubricated for the life of the bearing and should have a fair amount of "drag" or "resistance" to spinning freely. A bearing that freewheels indicates that most of the original lubrication has been lost.
In this picture, I'm pressing the new bearing onto the axle (axle bearing for this application is BCA p/n RW-207-CCRA).
After the new bearing is pressed on, it´s time to press the retainer on.
Notice the old retainer to the left. I took a die-grinder & removed a few thousandths from the I.D. of the old retainer.
I then used it as a tool to press the new bearing onto the axle with. Since the bearing retainer lines up perfectly with the bearing´s center hub, this keeps stress off of the axle bearing (see previous picture).
Note: DO NOT press BOTH the bearing & the retainer on at the same time!
Remove the old axle seal & install a new one. New axle bearing & axle seal are ready for action!
Time to put the axle back in the housing.
Slide the end flange spacer (takes the place of what used to be occupied by the old drum brake backing plate) & the new end flange gasket on (in that order). (Small Bearing end flange gasket is under Fel-Pro p/n 55001).
Put the axle assembly back into the housing.
TIP: when putting the axle back in the housing, hold up on the axle to keep the full weight of it off the axle seal as the axle is slid in. Dragging the full weight of the axle across the seal leads to premature seal failure & causes leaky seals!
With the 3/8-inch bolt installed through the housing flange, slide the spacer over the bolt's threaded end.
Now, its time to install the (4) 3/8-inch bolts through the access hole (in the axle flange) and then through the housing's end flange.
When all the 3/8-inch bolts and spacers are in place, It´s time to install the main caliper anchor plate adapter bracket.
Slide it over the (3) 3/8-inch bolts and up against the spacers. (do not tighten the 3/8inch bolts yet).
Take one of the splash shields and drill a 25/64ths-inch hole in the center of the shield where the inner curve fits around the axle tube.
Install the shield with the 2½" long 3/8-inch bolt sticking through the hole in the lower left-hand portion of the housning end flange (looking at the left side of the vehicle).
Place a 3/8-inch flat washer & nut on the bolt and tighten it up just enough to put tension on the splash shield so that it doesn't flop around.
Line the inner curve up evenly around the axle tube, then clamp the shield to the caliper anchor plate adapter.
Using the ½" upper hole in the anchor plate adapter as a guide, drill a ½" hole through the splash shield. (go slow, so the ½" drill bit doesn't tear the hole in the thin metal of the splash shield as the drill bit passes all the way through).
After drilling the ½" hole in the upper portion of the shield, stick one of the 12mm bolts through this hole to keep things lined up.
Now, drill the lower ½" hole through the splash shield.
Unmodified splash shield on the left. Modified shield on the right.
1.) 25/64ths-inch hole in center, near inner curve where shield fits around axle tube.
2.) ½" holes on either side of the trailing portions of the shield
3.) "Notch" to clear lower caliper anchor plate adapter bolt/nut.
After priming, painting & reinstalling the splash shield next install the caliper anchor plate to the adapter.
Start with the bottom hole and insert the M12 x 1.75 x 35mm bolt from the backside with the threads facing outward.
Start the threads into the anchor plate, but don´t tighten the 12mm bolt yet.
Next, the parking brake cable anchor bracket has to be installed.
Start by placing (5) 3/8-inch washers (shims) over upper right-hand bolt in the housing end flange, then place the smaller hole in the bracket on the upper right-hand bolt sticking through the end flange (looking at the driver's side of the vehicle).
Rotate the parking cable bracket forward so the ½" hole in the bracket aligns with the ½" hole in the splash shield & caliper anchor plate.
Install (3) ½" flat washers (shims) between the bracket & the back of the splash shield. Insert the M12 x 1.75 x 50mm bolt through the holes and thread the bolt into the caliper anchor plate hand tight.
Once all the brackets and bolt-on items are in place, the bolts can then be torqued.
The 3/8"-24 nuts should be torqued to 29 ft/lbs. (approx. 40 N-m). The 12mm bolts should be torqued to 110 ft/lbs.. (approx. 150 N-m).
Install the anti-rattle spring and the inner brake pad.
Install the Lincoln Mk VII 11 1/4" rotor.
Install the outer brake pad.
