72' F350 front disc brakes?

[zakt]

Does the 72' F350 come with front disc brakes? If not anyone sell a kit out there? Did a search but nothing seem to be specific about it.

Todd

[flyboy2610]

I'm pretty positive the '72 F350's had front dual caliper disc brakes.
I don't think any makes a kit for the conversion.

[FLATBEDFORD]

The front disc brakes from a 73-79 will swap in easily. The 73-79 caliper brackets use the same bolt holes as the 67-72 drum brake backing plates. Unlike the F100, you don't even have to change the spindles or Ibeams. The disc hub and rotor slides right on, only the outer bearing is different. You will also need the disc brake master cylinder and the disc brake rubber lines and brackets. I have all the parts or this conversion, but haven't done it yet. I did test fit the parts on a '67 F350 that I junked.
Backing plate on left, caliper bracket on right.

Either one will bolt up to the spindle.

Best bet would be to find a complete 73-79 F350 to get everything from. As i understand it, this will also work for the F250.

[zakt]

good info. I want to do hydroboost so I have a 95' master cyclinder and will be using that on the hydraboost...and getting disc brakes also in th back so need the disc/disc proportioning valve.. so the 72' F350 should have the front drum brakes then?

Todd

[MotorDog]

Hey ZAKT I'm not trying to "hijack" your thread but I need a couple questions answered by FLATBEDFORD. I'm just getting ready to take the Disc Brakes out of a 1972 F-250 and install them on my 1970 F-250. 1970 is 6900 GVW with drum brakes and the 1972 is 8100 GVW. Both have Dana 60 Diffs and both are 2WD. I was going to use the front springs from the 1972, (8100) on the 1970, (6900) to get the added carrying capacity. I thought I needed to change the complete front suspension to do this. I just read your reply (above) and laid out underneath both of these trucks and eyeballed everything.......and It appears all I need to do is change over the Calipers and rotors, lines, booster, mastercylinder, proportioning valve, etc. Is it really this easy? Changing the springs is easy!

My question is this. Is the Axles under these two trucks equally strong and would there be any reason to actually change the axels to use the heavier springs. The springs physically have two more coils on them. Thanks in advance for you help and advise..... and thanks ZAKT for letting me interrupt......

[FLATBEDFORD]

zakt,
A '73 and up F350 will have front disc brakes. I believe they were an option before '73, but that those are the less desirable single piston calipers. Maybe somebody can help with that. I don't know about hydroboost, in fact I'm not even sure what it is.
I think that to run disc/disc you would need a master from from something newer than a '95. The '95 was disc/drum. As I understand it, you need to move more brake fluid for disc than drum brakes. That's why the disc/drum master has two different size chambers. What's your plan for the rear discs? Are you gonna use a later Sterling 10.5 axle?

MotorDog,
I am no expert, but I believe that everything but the springs should be the same. The different GVW may also be due to different rear springs. Do both trucks have the rear helper springs that look like this?

Or, do they have the same number of leaves? That may be the only difference. The different GVW may also be because of the disc brakes? My DRW F350 has a MGW of only 8300. It didn't have the helpers. Another member here had a '72 F350 DRW with the helpers and it had a 10,000 GVW. Funny thing is that my '00 F250 SRW has a 8800 GVW, 500 more than my DRW F350.

[zakt]

havent got the truck yet (next weekend), but hope its disc but will have to look if its single piston... I think then I will get the 79' stuff to bolt on the front. Not sure what rear axle will be in the F350 (maybe D70) and they make a disc conversion kit for that. here is the hydroboost and the proportioning valve I will be using for the disc/disc.

http://www.hydratechbraking.com/


http://www.mpbrakes.com/products/produc ... uct_id=613

[FLATBEDFORD]

Looks like pretty cool stuff. Is it very expensive?
You say you don't even have the truck yet. So I guess you haven't driven it either. See how you feel about the OEM brakes before you spend big $$$.

[zakt]

had a 67' F350 so not inmpressed with the brakes so will be upgraded no matter what will have the big camper on the back also so Im sure that wont help... alittle pricey but only have to do it once

[MotorDog]

Steve, Neither truck has the helper springs. Just both have identical spring packs on the rear with 9 leafs in them. They are the same width so I think its only because of the heavier front springs that they get the 8100 gvw from. Both rears in both trucks are rated at 5200 lbs. It looks like the spring retainer on the top fits different from the 1970 truck. The 1972 may have the later style that they changed to. The 1972 vacuum booster is the firewall mounted type but it is a double diaphragm like what normally comes on an F-350. Both trucks now have the trans and engines out of them. Finished that today. I shall be ripping into the brakes tomorrow. Wish me luck. I shall find it quite fun and doesn't look like it should take a real lot of time either. Thanks!

[FLATBEDFORD]

Good luck. Have fun. Take pictures.

[zakt]

just got the 72' and has dual piston front disc brakes and looked on the build sheet (in the seat springs) optional hydroboost... Also has power steering....

Todd

[FLATBEDFORD]

You're in!! $$$ saved.

[zakt]

yea, glad to save $$ when I can...

[lloyd70cs]

yessss! the information I've been looking for! i can now convert to disc on my 70 f250.

thanks

Lloyd