Brake help for my '55

[simplyconnected]

Nice 4-piston setup, Joe.

I have some thoughts and questions. A major consideration in this job is the parts list. Let's face it, if you ever need a new bearing, rotor or brake pads, what do you buy, and where can you get it? I try to use 'readily available' parts found in any parts store.

Joe, have your rotor snouts been cut down to accommodate 'regular' Ford wheel centers? (I did this on my Granada rotors, but not my Mustang rotors. I believe I see tooling marks in your picture.)

What diameter rotors are yours? This is a consideration in stopping power, and it may be the reason for your 4-piston calipers. Most 14" wheels have a hard time fitting 11" rotors, unless you have wheels like Howard showed. Mustangs and other new vehicles use much larger diameter rotors with huge wheels.

[Joe Johnston]

Good questions to things I didn't think of, but thought if there were any parts I needed, I'd just order them. I can take some pictures tomorrow and also some measurements. Have no idea what they used for rotors but there was a very little bit of grinding needed to retain the stock steering knuckle/spindle assembly.

There is plenty of clearance and perhaps I can get that in a picture too. One of the major reasons I went this way was to retain the 14" repo wire wheels. I have seen a couple of Granada conversions and with stock wheels they seem to set out and inch or so, but that could be easily fixed with different wheels. Not really noticable, unless you are following one in traffic.

[Joe Johnston]

Hope you can see the clearance between the rotor and rim. The rotors appear to be very close to 11" dia, the nose on the hub is 2 13/32" dia, and the center wheel opening is about
3 5/32" creating a gap between the hub and the center. The wheels are "stud centric" as they do not locate by the center hole onto the hub.







Sorry, my car is very dirty & dusty since I have been sanding on it all winter, but its ready for paint as soon as the weather warms up a bit.

[simplyconnected]

Nice pictures, Joe. I wish mine were that clean. Your last picture shows tons of clearance between the caliper and rim; way more than the S-10 setup, but I don't know if you have 11" rotors.

Hey, did you ever find out what the bearing numbers are for your rotors? What diameter rotors are they?

I know CASCO sells pads, but I doubt they make the calipers or the pads. They are probably production parts, but I wonder, who's.

I'm raising these questions because typically, when you need a bearing, you need it now. You could probably wait a few days for a rotor or pads, or your local auto parts store may have them on the shelf.

I would like to hear your opinion on how well your Squarebird stops with disk brakes vs the old drums. - Dave

[Jimz Bird]

Makes sense to know what sources are available for replacement parts not just pads.

Great pics. I tried to blow up the detail on the caliper to read the number on it but could not make it out. I thought maybe that would give us a hint as to manufacturer. Any parts guys recognize the caliper?

@ Dave - It appears that the 55-56 front spindles are the same on passenger and tbird. Is that so? That is encouraging since you did your 55 to be able to get the parts instead of the kit to save some money and know what replacement parts to get.

Are the Cragar SSs on your 59 14 or 15 in? They really look great on it. Do they fit on your 55 OK? I want to get Mable some pretties like that for dress-up nights. At least two for the front and perhaps rear also to run without skirts. Want to get either black walls or redlines. (Diamondback Radials???)
What offset is needed on the Cragars to fit on the discs or is it the same as on the drums?

I don't really care if they have really wide tires - 6.70/205-75-15 stock - but maybe just to 215 if there is enough room for those. It is only about .4 inch wider and .55/.6 taller.

I mentioned that I was concerned about geometry and front end alignment. Well, as fortune would have it - Bob in the Squarebird area showed an alignment tool that allows us to do our own. Looks like a couple of alignments would pay for it. Here are a couple of links on Amazon for it and its big brother for a few bucks more that is digital.

http://www.amazon.com/Longacre-Magnetic-Caster-camber-Gauge/dp/B003750D7U/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1301573109&sr=8-4

http://www.amazon.com/Longacre-Digital-Caster-Camber-Acculevel/dp/B000VAS0WY/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1301573109&sr=8-5

I have hit on several topics in this one thread but it seems that they all inter-relate.

[simplyconnected]

Ford Cars share spindles with Thunderbirds.

Yes, Jimz. Post #2 shows the Ford Parts Catalog entry for our spindles. 1954-6 Ford cars used the same part number as 1955-7 Thunderbird. When Ford changed Thunderbird spindles in '58, Ford Cars shared that spindle, too.

I guess I've been lax because now I find many companies have a bracket for our spindles. I asked Mark (owner of Scarebirds) for info on his bracket. Remember, he only sells the bracket and spacer, but gives you part numbers for everything you need at the auto parts store. I like to make my best deal and I don't like shipping costs for iron parts, so this suits me just fine.

From the list below, I picked a random part (RC4233) and checked all applications. That piece was used in Buick Electra, Cadillac Fleetwood, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Pontiac Bonneville, and Chevrolet cars. Millions are out there.

[Joe Johnston]

I measured the rotors and they are 11"
Caliper castings have 2SB5H cast on them
Master Cyl has both outlets toward fender. I think all the parts are from Mustang, but can't verify that.

[Jimz Bird]

.The rotors appear to be very close to 11" dia, the nose on the hub is 2 13/32" dia, and the center wheel opening is about
3 5/32" creating a gap between the hub and the center. The wheels are "stud centric" as they do not locate by the center hole onto the hub.

Perhaps something like this "hub-centric" ring would be a consideration.

http://www.prestigewheel.com/Catalog/HubRings66_67.pdf

http://www.justforwheels.com/hub-centric-rings.jsp

How do the Cragars fit? Do they center on the spindle or would the rings work there also?

[simplyconnected]

...Are the Cragar SSs on your 59 14 or 15 in?...

Whew! Where do I start... My Cragar SS wheels are 15". The centers are huge to accommodate the spinners.

My '55 Customline came with 15" wheels, and Fairlanes came with 16". So, the Cragar's fit both cars the same, even though both cars have disk brakes. The original Customline 15" wheels fit over the Granada calipers, too.

Now about the rings:

"Recent tests by several major wheel manufacturers have shown that when the above mentioned mis-locating occurs the studs actually bend down slightly thus creating an artificial out-of-round condition by as much as .0025"

NONE of our wheels locate on the center hubs at Ford, and they never have (including T-bird wheels). If they did, there would be a real problem getting them off years later (while your lady is on the freeway with a flat). We lug them to the hub's back plane, where cast iron meets the alloy (or steel) wheel. I had one car with wheels so tight, it was impossible to kick them off. That's bad for jack safety and just plain wrong.

Two and a half thousandths??? Rubber tires deviate more than ten thousandths, each one's imbalance throws them off even more, and they come out of the same mold!

Our biggest concern with tires was; when 'lubed', mounted and balanced, for two days, if someone booted the gas, the mag wheel may turn inside the tire beads. Sometimes only one side would turn. That skews the crown and there goes the balance job.

At the assembly plant, as soon as the vehicle is started, they pull off the Final Line fast and immediately hit the brake, to test the seatbelt locks on both shoulder harnesses. Another vehicle rolls off the line each minute, and there isn't much room inside the plant.

People looking on from afar have no idea what's really happening. They think the line workers are just nuts. No, that's their job. Only authorized workers are allowed in the area.

[Jimz Bird]

That's good to hear about the fit with the brakes.

The Cragar site lists several 15" with the Ford bolt pattern.
Rim Widths of 4.5, 6 and 7in. and various offsets.

http://www.cragar.com/ProductView.aspx?id=1005&bq=%3fc%3d15

Do you have the part # of your wheels or the width and offset?

Thanks for all the info!!