Stupid lincoln brake swap!!!

SmockDoiley

New Member
Jun 14, 2003
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San Diego, CA
So the passenger rear disc brake is making a lot of noise while driving, and it goes away when I apply the brakes. I looked at the rotor and its already glazed, but the drivers side is fine. What would cause the rear brake to stay partially engaged? All the components are brand new. The only thing I can think is I had the car aligned and they did a 4 wheel alignment including the rearend which they may have screwed it up but I dont see how they could, or the flange is jacked up causing the caliper to sit wrong.
 
A sticking piston can cause it to keep pressure on the rotor/pad.

The rear end on our cars cannot be adjusted, unless you have adjustable control arms, even if you do have them, and it was adjusted wrong, this would not cause brake problems.

Are the Calipers new, reman or used? What about the ebrake cables?
 
Check to make sure the calipers can slide on the locating pins. It's a pretty common thing for them to stick or freeze up and lock the caliper in place. When this happens, the pad on one side will be pressed permanently against the rotor and will wear out fast.

It happened on my Mark 8. One pad went down to metal while the other one never touched the rotor. Make sure you lube the sliding pins up really well
 
If the parking brake does not release, it will make the brake drag. Check the cable to see if you can move the arm it attaches to easily. My TC axle swap would drag the brakes on one side after I used the emergency brake, but not on theo other.
 
I said its all brand new. I also have no parking brake. I'm not sure what it is but when you put the caliper on the rotor its really putting a lot of pressure on the loose rotor and making it cockeyed until you bolt on the rim. This I'm sure is causing the outer side of the rotor to really press on the pad. What would cause this though? Bent flange?
 
That's probably the problem right there. IS this a standard Lincoln setup or modified for ranger axles?

Does the flange sit 90 degrees to the axle? Got any way of taking pics?
 
The problem I noticed on install is that caliper puts a lot or pressure on the disc and doesnt let it sit right until I mount the rim and torque it down because its obviously going to force the rotor down. Its like the caliper makes the rotor sit cockeyed until I bolt it down. Also, its NOT the standard lincoln setup, its the lincoln swap from that site. The one where you swap the brackets and weld them. I was pretty meticulous on that so unless the brackets were bad from the yard, I dont think I screwed it up. They make a horrible sound and its really embarassing to drive.
 
SmockDoiley said:
The problem I noticed on install is that caliper puts a lot or pressure on the disc and doesnt let it sit right until I mount the rim and torque it down because its obviously going to force the rotor down. Its like the caliper makes the rotor sit cockeyed until I bolt it down.

I would take the slider pins out and inspect them and make sure they are free. There is a special grease to use on them and they need to be lubed with it. Our 95 SHO has a common problem with these sliders and a regular inspection is needed. Usually they are frozen in one position. Check the boots and make sure they can't leak and let water and trash in. Most of these replacements parts are commonly available from Autozone and the like (to my surprise). Good luck.
 
Let me better explain the problem I'm having. Lets say you have the correct length 79-93 axles, but the rearend housing you have has a shorter passenger axle housing. Although the wheel to wheel would still be correct because that is dictated by the axles, this condition would throw off your brake offset because the brakes bolt to the end of the axle housing. Now since the caliper bracket is shorter than your axle, rotor and rim because of this condition, when you go to install the caliper and pads it pulls the rotor inward so the rotor sits cokeyed on the studs until you mount the tire and torque it down. Once its torqued down the rotor straightens out and this causes it to push hard against the outer pad. This would create a rubbing problem. Now I'm not sure if all this is the case, but its basically what is happening between my rotor and pad. I'm not sure if what I described is what is happening, but I'm going to measure the axle housings today. Does anybody know the correct lengths for mustangs, and other cars. I'm thinking the rearend shop gave me the wrong rearend housing. IF this isnt the case, I'm not sure what is causing the problem. Maybe I can put some washers between the housing and the caliper brackets. This would move the caliper and pads out some and straighten out the rotor. If I cant figure it out, I'm going to ditch the lincoln stuff and go to cobra brakes for $600.
 
First off, I wouldnt use junk ranger axles on a 600 horse car, secondly, I wouldnt be that stupid to grab both sides because one is longer than the other. As for the housing, I said I had the shop get me an 87-93 mustang housing. I just said I am using the correct axles, 79-93 Superior forged axles from summitracing.
 
To set the record straight so people dont keep suggesting the same stuff over and over again.
Axles-brand new superior 87-93 forged 5-lug axles
E-brake-dont have any
Brakes-crappy flipped Mark VII brackets and Kragen new rotors,calipers, and pads
Housing-suppose to be 87-93 housing from rearend shop.
 
Little agrivated are we....

First off your asking for our help so if someone wants more info give it to them or don't ask for help.

Now on with solving the problem:

Either your housing measurment is off or your axles have the wrong offset compared to your housing and brake combo you are trying to use.

Who designed your setup... you or a professional?

If it was a professional have him double check his work/design. If it was you get a professional to do it or use a known combo.
 
The reason I'm a little aggrevated is because I post everything I have and yet people ask what I have. Especially when I establish that it isnt the axle, and then someone asks if its the axles. I was just hoping that someone else ran into the same problems or if they knew the measurements for the housings, but nobody seems to know. I'm going to measure everything this weekend, but I have no base line to go off of, so all I can look for is if each side is the same length because its only happening on the passenger side. If the housing is not totally centered then I can bitch at ProGear because they got the housing for me. I'm assuming the mustang rearend has the pumpkin totally centered because nobody answered with measurements. The closest I have is an 85 7.5 which should be the same width but assumptions are bad so some hardcore numbers would be nice from someone who may know.
 
SmockDoiley said:
The reason I'm a little aggrevated is because I post everything I have and yet people ask what I have.

Don't flame me for trying to help you. You never once mentioned what axles you were using before I asked. Am I automatically supposed to know that you bought aftermarket axles? I've seen people use two axles from the SAME ranger. I'm just trying to explore every angle here especially since i one of a handful of people on this website that actually has the conversion you are trying to do on my own car.
 
This is the deal....

Both axles should measure the same distance from the housing end on each side regardless of the axle length. If they don't your axles and housing are not matched. The housing is wrong and most likely your axle bearing is not even riding in the correct spot on the axle end. Buy a new housing that has stock measurements since you are using stock length axles.

If the axles measure the same distance from the housing end then measure your caliper brackets. They should also be the same distance from the housing ends. If they are not one of your brackets is wrong or it's bent. Buy the correct bracket or get new bracket!

If the brackets are the same distance then measure the calipers from the housing end. If they are not the same then one of them is the wrong caliper. Buy the right caliper!

If you are just having a dragging problem with the brakes replace the calipers or re-grease the sliders.

If this doesn't resolve your problem then you need to take the car to a rear end specialist.

Your 4th post at 11:06 has the answer right there... You already know your problem you just don't realize it yet.

My bet would be that your housing is not right but you won't know until you do what I said above.