RE: IML: EASY DISK CONVERSION IDEA FOR IMPERIALS !!!

["bill parker" <hemirr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Great thinking out loud.  I've been planning to try a '87 Dodge 2X4 truck 
disc conversion to my Imperial, by mounting the entire knuckle and then 
everything else.  The bolt pattern will be right, I don't worry about the 
wheels centering on the hub register, having run many sets of mags and 
custom wheels in the 60's that did not center on the hub, and the ball 
joints are the correct sizes.  The biggest question then becomes the height 
of the knuckle and the positioning of the spindle on it, compared to the 
same things on the original drum brake knuckle, and then the positioning of 
the steering arm.  They're may be other issues when I get into it, just have 
to see.  Also I don't worry about the debate with those who don't want to 
convert to disks, that's simple:  I DO!  I have the donor truck, but just 
keep pushing it to the back burner while I work on more urgent stuff.  So 
one of these days I'll post my findings.   And with your 4X4 idea, I see 
your thinking, I know that you can put GM 80's 4X4 stuff on a late 70's 
Dodge 4X4 that has the FWD car type arrangment to upgrade that, so some of 
that stuff does interchange.



Bill & Kathi Parker, South Central Indiana
'56 Chrysler Windsor; '60 Chrysler Saratoga; '62 Plymouth Max Wedge; '64 
Dart convertible; '65 Barracuda \6; '65 Imperial; '68 Barracuda FB 340-S; 
'69 Barracuda FB now 360; '70 Challenger now 440; '72 Cuda '340




> From: Longramx2@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Reply-To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: IML: EASY DISK CONVERSION IDEA FOR IMPERIALS !!!
> Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 00:14:12 EDT
>
>  I was performing a disk conversion on my 72 4x4 power wagon, useing 79 
> chevy
> 4x4 parts, when I got this idea, you see with the chevy parts you have a 
> bolt
> on spindle and every thing else bolts on to the spindle including the 
> caliper
> bracket so if you can mount the spindle on your imperial you then will have
> disk brakes! my idea is to slide  the chevy 4x4 spindle over top of the
> imperial spindle, the chevy spindle is hollow and I believe would fit over 
> the
> imperial spindle shaft. then weld the flange of the chevy spindle to the 
> imperial
> knuckle, you might use some sort of sleeve like maybe a piece of tubing to
> center every thing up. then its a bolt on deal after that ! but leaves the 
> issue of
> the long 4x4 snout sticking out, why not grind about 25 % of it off , the 
> end
> of it is made to facilitate a lock out for the 4x4 which you dont need, 
> after
> its ground off simply plug the hole with one of those caps 4x4s use when 
> they
> dont have locking hubs. My 60 imperials original snout sticks out pretty 
> far.
> Any way as long as the hub caps clear is all that matters. Now the only 
> issue
> is the lug pattern. I originally was thinking useing 80s dodge 4x4 parts
> would work, and give the same lug pattern, however I checked and the dodge 
> 4x4
> caliper bolts to the knuckle behind the spindle, so you would have to 
> fabricate
> a way to mount the caliper to use that set up. It might be possible to use 
> the
> 80s dodge hub and rotor with the chevy spindle and caliper, a lot of the 
> 4x4
> stuff will mix between chevy, ford and dodge, if so that would be a very 
> easy
> conversion, but I have'nt tried it, so untill someone does try it we wont
> know. Another idea is to have the hub and rotor drilled with the imperial 
> lug
> pattern, which does'nt seem to far fetched to me, and if all else fails 
> imperials
> certinally have room in the trunk for two spares. I have'nt tried this
> conversion, and it will be some time before I'll have a chance to, so any 
> of you who
> want to try it let us know how it works. The 4x4 stuff is beefy which is
> exactally what our super heavy imperials need. And chevy 4x4 stuff is cheap 
> and
> plentiful. Plus unlike most other conversions, there should'nt be any 
> steering or
> suspension geometry problems since you're useing your original knuckle.




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