Our '67 Ranchero project not...
Our '67 Ranchero project not only stops safer and without drama, but the Vintage Wheel Works and BFGoodrich combo certainly helps improve the utility vehicle's handling and looks as well.
You may be tired of hearing us harp about the comparative virtues of disc brakes but in this case the advantages were especially significant. That's because our '67 Fairlane Ranchero with the factory drum brakes seemed even worse than the usual drum-brake cars we've owned and driven, and getting the rig stopped in a tidy fashion was a crapshoot. Sometimes drum brakes work well and stop a vehicle in a relatively straight line; but on this vehicle, a jam at the brake pedal meant a fight at the steering wheel to keep the car going forward in a straight line. As a matter of fact, during our stopping distance testing, where we were simulating a panic stop at 60 miles per hour, things got downright scary as the Ranchero pulled violently to the left much harder than during a normal stop, so the magnitude of our problem was made very apparent to us.
The OE drums needed shoes and obviously weren't adjusted optimally, so we were glad to get a complete disc brake conversion kit from Master Power Brakes onto our car as soon as possible. Once we completed the very straightforward installation we took the car out and set up the orange traffic cones once again. Even with brand-new pads that hadn't been properly bedded yet, the stopping distance from 60 mph went from 169 to 135 feet, a 34 foot improvement right off the bat. However, this isn't what pleased us most. The best part of the conversion was jamming the pedal hard with our hands off the wheel and having our car stop in a razor straight line. No pull, no vibration, and no thrill ride. To eliminate the tires as a variable in our brake testing, both before and after stopping distance numbers were taken with new wheels and tires in place. We know that the stopping distance will improve further once the pads are bedded, but there is no shortage of stopping power now.
To complement our disc-brake conversion we're very happy to be installing a set of Vintage 40 wheels from Vintage Wheel Works. These wheels are of amazing quality and are among the best looking rims out there, in our opinion. Available in a variety of sizes, we chose the 16x8 dimension to give us a nice step up from the stock 14-inch diameter, but still have enough room inside the Ranchero wheelhouses. The new wheels were shod with a set of BFGoodrich P245/50R16 tires and we know the Ranchero is going to look a whole lot better with the new Vintage 40s installed. While we considered going with a slightly larger tire size outback, we decided to use four tires of the same size in order to preserve rotation ability. Join us out in the Modified Mustangs & Fords shop and we'll show you just how easy Master Power makes it to upgrade your classic Ford or Mustang to the safety and comfort of front disc brakes. You'll also get a chance to compare and see what a dramatic difference a set of Vintage Wheel Works wheels will make in the appearance of your classic Ford.
Here's our front disc-brake conversion kit from Master Power Brakes. It features the four piston fixed caliper similar to the factory '67 Mustang disc-brake offering. The Ford four-piston caliper is almost identical to the caliper that was used on the Corvette beginning in '65 and these brakes were considered to be near state of the art and were the high-performance standard for many years. Also shown are the 1¼-inch ventilated rotors, along with the new dual reservoir master cylinder. The caliper mounting brackets come with new mounting hardware and new flex brake lines are part of the kit too. All bearings and seals are included and the bearing races come preinstalled in the rotors. Also included is an adjustable-length master cylinder pushrod. The only other things needed to buy are brake fluid and we opted to replace a few brake lines. The kit we used was PN DB1523M and it has a cost of $795. For the brake fluid and lines we spent about $40 at the local auto parts store.
The Vintage 40 Wheels from Vintage Wheel Works are a one piece cast aluminum wheel. Unlike the Vintage 45 wheels, these have a straight spoke instead of a curved spoke. They have a 4½-inch backspace and a zero offset. Their list price is $249.75 each. Each wheel includes the Vintage Wheel Works center cap and lug nuts.
The installation begins with...
The installation begins with the disconnecting of the brake lines at the master cylinder. We used penetrating oil beforehand on the fittings and used line wrenches to prevent rounding them off. We were pleased when we got the rear line disconnected without damage so we'd be able to reconnect it to the new system. The front lines were all going to be replaced.
This photo shows us inside...
This photo shows us inside the car and up underneath the steering column. Once the retaining clip is removed, as shown here, the master cylinder pushrod can be slid off the pin on the brake pedal arm along with the brake light switch. Make note of your switch's spacer and bushing orientation during removal.
Back under the hood, the two...
Back under the hood, the two nuts that retain the master cylinder to the firewall are removed from their studs and the master cylinder can now be removed from the car. Notice the wads of paper towels used to soak up brake fluid. The fluid has a way of getting everywhere so be sure not to get any of it on your paintjob, as brake fluid will instantly harm your paint.
With the master cylinder removed,...
With the master cylinder removed, the job moves to the wheelhouses. For simplicity and less mess we'd like to remove the drum brake assembly as a whole unit, as none of the parts are reused with the disc brake kit. Pop off the OE dust cap and remove the cotter pin and the castellated washer and then unthread the retaining nut as shown here. The outer wheel bearing can be removed and discarded as well.
On the backside are four drum...
On the backside are four drum housing retaining nuts that must be removed. With these nuts gone, the whole drum assembly can be removed from the spindle as a unit. On the other side of the vehicle we weren't as lucky, as two of the studs turned when we went to loosen the housing nut, forcing us to remove the drum and grab hold of the end of the stud with locking pliers. As you can see, the old flex lines were simply cut.
Remove the retaining clips...
Remove the retaining clips from the brake line retaining brackets on the framerail and save them for reuse. Notice the deterioration of the rubber line. We were certainly on borrowed time with the stock brake hardware.
Now is the perfect time to...
Now is the perfect time to clean the bare spindles, or even give them a quick coat of paint (not the machined bearing surface mind you). The caliper mounting brackets are attached to the spindles in the correct orientation. Nylon lock nuts mean that there will be friction all the way down the bolt threads while seating them, preventing loosening of the fasteners. We tightened these fasteners to 50 ft-lb.
Always a fun part of the job,...
Always a fun part of the job, the new inner wheel bearings are packed with grease by hand (someday we'll get a bearing packer! -Ed.), forcing the grease in between the edges of the bearings directly onto the rollers. Grease up the races as well and put a little extra inside the hub.
With the inner wheel bearings...
With the inner wheel bearings dropped into place, the grease seals are installed by gently tapping around its whole circumference until the seal is completely seated. A block of wood, an extra large socket, or a seal installer are all good options for a successful seal installation. Once installed, be sure to rub a little grease around the rubber inner edge of the seal.
The seals will hold the inner...
The seals will hold the inner bearings in position while the rotors are being installed on the spindles, as seen here. Rotate the rotors as the edge of the seal slides over the machined surface at the base of the spindles to ease the installation and protect the seals.
Grease the outer bearings...
Grease the outer bearings in the same fashion as the inner and press them into place, seating them into the races. Replace the factory keyed wheel bearing washers and install the nuts to 15 ft-lb to seat the bearings completely and then back off the nut 1/8 of a turn before reinstalling the castle washers and the new cotter pins included in the kit. Finally, install the new dust caps.
The next step is to install...
The next step is to install the calipers onto their mounting brackets. Be sure to orient the calipers with the bleeders up and inlet port inboard. You'll also want to make sure to not to lose track of the solid copper brake hose sealing washer held in place underneath a red plastic port plug on each new brake hose.
This view shows the installation...
This view shows the installation of the caliper mounting bolts. Unlike the other fasteners in the kit, these cap screws use conventional split lock washers for a secure fit. We tightened them to a torque value of 70 ft-lb.
Back under the hood, it's...
Back under the hood, it's time to complete the new master cylinder installation. First, we installed the adjustable pushrod in its fully collapsed position and found that it was still slightly longer than the OE pushrod. When the master cylinder was seated against the firewall, the pedal height was higher than desired so we reinstalled the OE pushrod and achieved the original pedal height. Extracting the pushrod from the old master cylinder can be a challenge. On an OE master cylinder the retaining clip holding the pushrod inside the plunger is metal and difficult to overcome. We clamped the old master cylinder in a vise and put a metal bar through the pushrod eye and hit the bar outward with a hammer. After a few whacks the pushrod came free. If the master you're working with is a rebuilt unit, the clip is usually nylon and is much easier to remove. No new clip is required as long as the pushrod doesn't come out of the plunger with the pedal arm raised to its highest extent.
Moving into the home stretch,...
Moving into the home stretch, we next created the various hard brake line connections. This is the front junction block inlet line coming from the master. The two remaining outlets go to each of the front wheels. We used standard bulk pre-flared parts-store brake line to create these connections, using the old lines as a pattern. The rear brake line connected directly to the forward reservoir of the new master cylinder and we didn't need to install a rear proportioning valve.
Next, we're ready to connect...
Next, we're ready to connect the brake hoses to the caliper inlet ports. Notice the copper washer already in place. Omit the washer and leaks are guaranteed. Use a line wrench to firmly seat the lines onto the calipers
Here, we accomplish the last...
Here, we accomplish the last of the brake line connections-attaching the brake hoses to the hard lines. To completely tighten the juncture we also supported the brake hoses with a wrench. Next, we reinstalled the factory brake line retaining clips removed earlier, making sure the lines were not in the way of any suspension travel.
All that remains is to thoroughly...
All that remains is to thoroughly bleed the entire brake system. Before connecting up the newly formed lines at the master cylinder we bled the master cylinder into the reservoirs until no more bubbles were apparent. During the bleeding process, the cover to the master cylinder should be on but you'll need to refill the master frequently to make sure the reservoir doesn't run dry, which would induce air back into the system. When bleeding the rear brakes we persisted until new, clean fluid emerged from the bleeders running clear and free of bubbles, resulting in a rock-hard pedal.
This close-up of the wheel...
This close-up of the wheel and tire assembly shows how great the new equipment looks with the disc brake system showing between the spokes of the Vintage 40 wheels. Our tires are BFGoodrich G-Sport TAs sized at P245/50R16. To purchase the tires and have them mounted and balanced cost us about $600. We were prepared to install a rear proportioning valve if we had any trouble with the correct balance between the front and rear brakes, but in the end, the front and rear balance on our vehicle came out spot on. With the bed empty, the rear brakes lock up for about the last 5 feet before a perfectly straight dead stop. With any load or pulling a trailer, the adjustment should indeed be perfect.