rwangler88
09-14-2005, 09:59 AM
I FINALLY HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THE 1/2 TON GUYS!!!!
Alright, I did a half ton ford swap in my TJ a year ago and have been fighting for brakes. I had installed an E350 MC before I got the jeep on the ground thinking I'd be in great shape, then found out by asking questions and watching on the E350 MC post that the E350 was TOO much fluid for my brakes. SOOO..... first I did the disc brake swap in the rear and went with TSM manufacturings brake kit. Its a kick ass bolt on kit and I have seen there products mixed in with other peoples kits. It has a parking brake set up also. But make sure you deal direct with TSM. I bought mine through Master Power Brakes, found out it was the same kit and cost me more and when they sent me the wrong part I got crappy service. BUT I then called TSM and the guys are so standup HE worked it out with Masterpower and sent me the correct part directly. http://www.tsmmfg.com/2500.htm
Well, now I could stop better and damn I could lock em up rolling backwards, but still had to take it out of gear to get it to stock rolling forward. So then I came across a post somewhere about installing the 1969 Ford Thunderbird front caliper on a 1/2 ton Dana 44. The T-bird caliper has a larger volume piston in one single piston than the F350 dual piston calipers due between both pistons AND IT BOLTS RIGHT UP TO THE 44! The only issue here is that the caliper is set up to have a hard line bolted to it and banjo bolts don't fit. So next the search was on for a fix because I did not want to run a short hard line to the nuckle and then run a soft line from there as the T-bird caliper writups all stated. I wanted new longer soft lines anyways cus my soft lines were too short.(6" Skyjacker extended lines) So I found a post here from KeithFlux about custom lines. Called him up and he was great to deal with, he has two fixed for the situation, he has a custom line he can make and ship fast that has the correct hardline fitting at one end and use a crush washer and he can put whatever fitting you need at the other end which for me was the 3/8 female fitting to connect to my TJ hardlines at the frame. He also made mine 12" longer than stock lines all for like $110 shipped. The lines bolted right up. He also can get the banjo bolts which are 7/16 pipe thread I beleive so you can grind the top of the caliper flat and use the banjo bolt and your stock or standard aftermarket lines. You can find KeithFlux here on pirate, he is a vendor.
And well......I drove the TJ today and I CAN STOP going downhill in the rain easily. I used to have to pump the brake once and pop the TJ in neutral to get it to stop from say 30 miles per hour from a stop sign. Now I can almost stop on a dime. I still need to bleed the lines a little more since I was in a hurry and I may in the future swap to the vette MC since I now have rear discs, but heck, why fix what ain't broke no more.
Alright, I did a half ton ford swap in my TJ a year ago and have been fighting for brakes. I had installed an E350 MC before I got the jeep on the ground thinking I'd be in great shape, then found out by asking questions and watching on the E350 MC post that the E350 was TOO much fluid for my brakes. SOOO..... first I did the disc brake swap in the rear and went with TSM manufacturings brake kit. Its a kick ass bolt on kit and I have seen there products mixed in with other peoples kits. It has a parking brake set up also. But make sure you deal direct with TSM. I bought mine through Master Power Brakes, found out it was the same kit and cost me more and when they sent me the wrong part I got crappy service. BUT I then called TSM and the guys are so standup HE worked it out with Masterpower and sent me the correct part directly. http://www.tsmmfg.com/2500.htm
Well, now I could stop better and damn I could lock em up rolling backwards, but still had to take it out of gear to get it to stock rolling forward. So then I came across a post somewhere about installing the 1969 Ford Thunderbird front caliper on a 1/2 ton Dana 44. The T-bird caliper has a larger volume piston in one single piston than the F350 dual piston calipers due between both pistons AND IT BOLTS RIGHT UP TO THE 44! The only issue here is that the caliper is set up to have a hard line bolted to it and banjo bolts don't fit. So next the search was on for a fix because I did not want to run a short hard line to the nuckle and then run a soft line from there as the T-bird caliper writups all stated. I wanted new longer soft lines anyways cus my soft lines were too short.(6" Skyjacker extended lines) So I found a post here from KeithFlux about custom lines. Called him up and he was great to deal with, he has two fixed for the situation, he has a custom line he can make and ship fast that has the correct hardline fitting at one end and use a crush washer and he can put whatever fitting you need at the other end which for me was the 3/8 female fitting to connect to my TJ hardlines at the frame. He also made mine 12" longer than stock lines all for like $110 shipped. The lines bolted right up. He also can get the banjo bolts which are 7/16 pipe thread I beleive so you can grind the top of the caliper flat and use the banjo bolt and your stock or standard aftermarket lines. You can find KeithFlux here on pirate, he is a vendor.
And well......I drove the TJ today and I CAN STOP going downhill in the rain easily. I used to have to pump the brake once and pop the TJ in neutral to get it to stop from say 30 miles per hour from a stop sign. Now I can almost stop on a dime. I still need to bleed the lines a little more since I was in a hurry and I may in the future swap to the vette MC since I now have rear discs, but heck, why fix what ain't broke no more.