Straight Axle Front Dimension?

[tjm73]

Hello. I'm new to this forum and I'm doing some research on '61-'64 SWB trucks. I have always liked the body style.

I've spent plenty of time looking for a basic piece of information that seems like it would be easily found, but I have not found it and don't have access to anything to measure it myself. I've searched some threads here too and still no concrete answer.

I saw here the measurement of 62" mentioned. Not positive it's what I'm thinking about. Excuse the crude drawing, but here is what I'm after, from drum to drum.

[shipwrecked]

I can give you backing plate to backing plate. My drums are not installed. I have a 63 swb 2wd.

[FarmMotorSports]

I believe he wants hub flange to hub flange.
I'm thinking he is weighing the front suspension options, and comparing to original... (ie. Crownvick, Mustang II, Dakota, etc...)

[tjm73]

I believe he wants hub flange to hub flange.
I'm thinking he is weighing the front suspension options, and comparing to original... (ie. Crownvick, Mustang II, Dakota, etc...)

Well, yes and no. I'm thinking about buying a 61-64 and lowering it with a dropped beam (Sid's) and maybe dearched leafs (Detriot Spring) with F150 disc brakes. I am also considering a Ranger IFS (not twin I-beam) subframe swap. They are 59.5" wheel mount to wheel mount. Which I believe to be narrower than OE but have no idea by how much.

I am also considering an underslung t-bucket kind of car with a 61-64 front axle setup.

The backing plate to backing plate dimension will work if you can also tell me how much the drums add to it.

Thanks guys.

[shipwrecked]

Inside the hub to the inside the backplate is about 2.5 inches. each.

Here is an old photo of when I took the brake drum off. It was close to 2.5" but I can't find the photo in my photo bucket.

The from backplate to backplate about 57 inches.




so 2.5" + 2.5" + 57" = 62". Thats what I have on a 1963 F100 straight axle.

[robertrpeak]

On my 63, I have disc brakes , the measurement is appx 60" from surface to surface, its been nearly 15 years since drums, but I seem to remember the disc brakes narrowed the measurement about a half inch on each side, so stock drum would be right in the 61"-62" range just like said above...

Robert

[jamesdfo]

I have an ~ 1999 Ranger SLA (Short Long Arm w/rack & pinion, as opposed to the earlier trucks, which were twin I beam) front clip sitting in my back yard, I went out & measured WMS-WMS (wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface), and got something around ~58"-58-1/8". I cannot say how much, if any this might change if it was a complete vehicle with drivetrain sitting at it's static ride height.....

Some day, when I have the wheels off my '08 Ranger XLT Ext Cab, I will measure it, but that probably won't be until I go to put my winter rubber on in late Oct or early Nov.

HTH
James

[tjm73]

SLA Rangers have a spec track width of 58.6"/57.3" F/R and the wheels they come with have an offset of +12mm. Since track width is to the middle if the tire we can add 12mm+12mm+58.6" and get a disc to disc measurement of 59.55

On my 63, I have disc brakes , the measurement is appx 60" from surface to surface, its been nearly 15 years since drums, but I seem to remember the disc brakes narrowed the measurement about a half inch on each side, so stock drum would be right in the 61"-62" range just like said above.

Did you do the F150 disc swap? I read they do reduce the measurement 1/2" per side.

so 2.5" + 2.5" + 57" = 62". Thats what I have on a 1963 F100 straight axle.

Awesome! Very detailed. Thanks.

[robertrpeak]

I didn't use the 150 stuff, I had caliber brackets custom made, use mid 70's GM calibers and the rotors are from 1979 Ford Wagon, did it this way so I could have the 5-41/2 bolt pattern.

Robert

[tjm73]

I found this article on using F-150 front brakes a year or so back and bookmarked it.

http://www.ford-trucks.com/articles/ins ... 1964-f100/

A part of me thinks that if I do buy a 61-64 I want to keep it rolling on the OE straight axle. A lot less re-engineering and it will retain it's character. But I can still have disc brakes with the big ford pattern,