Re drilling axles? Help!

[unibody madness]

I started thinking today...(always a bad sign).
Since I put in the 1979 cordoba front suspension, I have been headed towards redrilling rear axles to match the front. Every post I read on all the sites dealing with front end swaps talk about altering the rears, either by re-drilling, or swapping later model axles in for the earlier ones.
If I redrill the rears, then I have to redrill the brake drums as well.
Is there any reason that I can not, or should not have the front disks redrilled to match the back drums?
Better yet is there someplace I can find a 5 on 5.5 front disk that will fit the Cordoba spindles?
Inquiring minds want to know

[William-in-St George]

I think Dodge D100 pickup trucks have a 5 on 5.5 pattern. May want to try a junk yard for a test hub and bearings and try a little mix and match?

[LM14]

My guess is that the '86 style D150 front rotors with the 5.5" bolt pattern are also bigger in diameter than the Cordoba. Might not work with the caliper mounts. Don't know this for sure, just a thought from all the Dakota threads I have been reading lately.

I doubt there is room to re-drill the front rotors to 5.5" bolt pattern. Most rotors have the studs pretty well at the outer edge of the hub casting.

I had my rear axles drilled and the brake drums. Bought 2 new drums so I got the maximum life out of the setup on my '57 F100. Worked great.

Good luck,
SPark

[rickairmedic]

Unibody if my memory is right . The Cordoba is 5 X 4 & 1/2 . The 1980 ford ( F100's ) had the 5 X 4 & 1/2 pattern this was only on the F100's and not the F150's . I would suggest grabbing a lugg pattern disk I got mine from Heidt's at the street rod nationals ( it was cardboard and FREE ) and heading out to the boneyards in search of 1980 F100's . I think this carried through to 1981 but wont swear to it .


Rick

[jkimbrel65]

Use the rotor, caliper and caliper bracket from the D 100/150 truck Should be a bolt in

Mike

[unibody madness]

Thanks for the responses guys.
I am checking out the possability of swaping front rotors and such. If that fails, does anyone know how hard is the 1980 swap?
Is it the entire rear, or just the axles and drums? if so are the axles 28 or 31 splines, are they the correct lenght? Will I have issues with bearings and such?

[rickairmedic]

I would do the whole rear myself if it came to that . The only issue I know of with the full rear swap is having to move the spring pads on the axle and I dont figure thats a big deal since you will most likely want to flip the rear anyways to get it lower .


Rick

[sully5]

Be aware that a 1980 rearend will be something like 6" wider. I have an early 80's F150 rearend in mine. I have 16x8 wheels with 5.85" backspacing (late model Dodge backspacing) and I can just barely get my fingers in between the rear fender and the tire at the top. I wanted to fill my wheelwells out so I did the swap for that very reason. I had the wheels already and figured out that he later rearend would take the tires out as far as I wanted to (or could) go. However, if I want to change wheels, I have to be VERY careful what I order.