Explorer disc brake on 9" ends

[Soule88]

Did some googling, most of the stuff i can find links to dead forums or old guys arguing about why youd bother doing anything but wilwood/ssbc/whatever fancy brake stuff.
I'm narrowing an 8.8 for my s10. Going to put ford 9" ends on it. I would like to use the current explorer 8.8 disc brake stuff i already have as its all relatively new. Ive seen talk of slotting holes, mention of a spacer but can find minimal info. At this point i can order whatever end i prefer. Who has actually done this? Talk to me like im special needs.

 

[MigGunslinger]

I feel your pain on this, I ran in to the same shit looking into this stuff. Currie has explorer brake backing plates that will fit 9" ends but they only sell them with their complete axles, still worth a look to see what they include to make it work.

11-Inch Explorer Disc Brake Kit

Details: Fits Ford 9-inch Late Model Large Bearing (Torino) Housing Ends Only11-Inch Solid Rotors With Selected Wheel Bolt PatternLoaded Single-Piston OE Style CaliperDrum Style Parking Brake AssemblyKit Includes Mounting Hardware and New T-Bolts and Nuts

www.currieenterprises.com

Check summit racing for 9" ends that will fit 8.8" brakes, I think a couple are made but nothing really has enough info. Then you have to figure out bearing retention which you may need to have a spacer machined and have your backing plate captured by the bearing?

Axle Housing Ends - axle bearing ends KEYWORD - 8.8 in. Ford Axle Housing Flange Type - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing

Find Axle Housing Ends axle bearing ends KEYWORD, 8.8 in. Ford Axle Housing Flange Type and get Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing!

www.summitracing.com

If you want to do this on the cheap you are probably going to have to get all of the parts in hand and start sticking stuff together.

 

[Soule88]

I guess at the end of the day a 9” disk brake kit is only $300-400 bucks, but I’d really like to use the garbage I have on hand.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Why do you want the 9" ends? They're not much if any of an upgrade over the 8.8 stuff.

 

[Soule88]

Why do you want the 9" ends? They're not much if any of an upgrade over the 8.8 stuff.

C clip elimination so I can run a spool mostly. The axle will need to be narrowed either way for the application so doing 9" ends while I'm there seems to be the easiest method.

It looks like the torino style ends share the same brake mounting pattern as the explorer 8.8, and from there it looks like you just need a spacer to retain the bearing properly. Strange/moser/etc show them in their explorer disk brake kits.

 

[CartsXJ]

The 1980+ ford 9 Housing are bolt-on compatible with the Explorer Disk brakes. You do need the Currie Bearing Spacer between the axle bearing and the outer flange.

Or you can just use these with the spacer built in.

Late Model Large Bearing Axle Retainer Plates - Explorer Brake

Set of two Heavy-duty late model large bearing axle retainer plates for use with Explorer disc brakes.

www.currieenterprises.com

 

[Soule88]

The 1980+ ford 9 Housing are bolt-on compatible with the Explorer Disk brakes. You do need the Currie Bearing Spacer between the axle bearing and the outer flange.

Or you can just use these with the spacer built in.

Late Model Large Bearing Axle Retainer Plates - Explorer Brake

Set of two Heavy-duty late model large bearing axle retainer plates for use with Explorer disc brakes.

www.currieenterprises.com

This is why I come here, all the hot rod forums and the like all throw a fit when you dont drop $1000 on boomer brakes. You guys are the best pretend friends ever.

 

[Thatg9659]

Lincoln Versailles had a 9” and discs. 🤷‍♂️

 

[arse_sidewards]

Lincoln Versailles had a 9” and discs. 🤷‍♂️

Good fucking luck tracking down a 9" that was installed in three models of car 40yr ago. And even if you find it it's gonna be stupid priced because of all the dumb boomers with a hard on for "much factory disc brakes".

That said, the stainless and rubber slide pins all that old shit used are worlds better than any modern sliding pin caliper. They never seize because regular usage wears out any rust that forms and in the rare instance you leave one sitting in a field long enough for the cast iron to grow enough rust to make it tight you just wire wheel it and it's GTG. No stupid boots and greased pins.

 

[Thatg9659]

Good fucking luck tracking down a 9" that was installed in three models of car 40yr ago. And even if you find it it's gonna be stupid priced because of all the dumb boomers with a hard on for "much factory disc brakes".

That said, the stainless and rubber slide pins all that old shit used are worlds better than any modern sliding pin caliper. They never seize because regular usage wears out any rust that forms and in the rare instance you leave one sitting in a field long enough for the cast iron to grow enough rust to make it tight you just wire wheel it and it's GTG. No stupid boots and greased pins.

He doesn’t need the entire axle, just parts that should maybe be available.

 

[JR4X]

I don’t remember exactly what it took. But I had a semi float 9” housing with 35 spline shafts and I used factory explorer disc brakes on the back. I re-drilled the 5 on 5 1/2 pattern into factory rotors. It was 100% bolt on. I got my disc brake stuff for $40 bucks back when junk yards didn’t suck. There were no spacers, no slotted holes.

IIRC it was just a big bearing truck housing with Currie 1 1/2” 35 spline shafts.