Rear disc brake conversion

[Steve83]

85lebaront2 wrote

...coax the companion flange (Ford's term) off the pinion.

It has threaded holes that will work with a common bolt-grip (steering-wheel-style) puller.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

When I bought my Horrid Fate 'Pittsburg' puller...

I spent up for a used (ebay) SnapOn bar puller set, and a new OTC slide hammer set (which can also be used with its included standard-size pressure-screw; IOW same screw as the SnapOn).





On some older Honda front wheel hubs, I found it MUCH quicker to use the 4-slot frame on the lugs, but the slide hammer (hitting in BOTH directions) instead of the pressure screw.  For whatever reason, that seemed to break them loose much faster than the pressure screw alone, or only hitting outward with the slide.  That might be necessary for a stuck companion flange.  The guy who regeared my disk swap axle said he & his son had a helluva time breaking mine loose from the pinion splines.  Fortunately, I already had another flange cleaned & painted for him to use, so it didn't matter what he did to that one.

[85lebaront2]

Steve, I actually used my Snap-On balancer puller with a pair of 5/16-24 X 1 1/2" Gr 8 bolts and some thick washers. I thought about the steering wheel puller, but didn't think it would be strong enough.


Here is the pinion being driven out using Ford tool T85T-4209-AH


Here is the 10 tooth pinion after removal, note the rusty area on the shaft, that is where the outer bearing was.

[Steve83]

85lebaront2 wrote

I actually used my Snap-On balancer puller...

That's what I was referring to as a "steering-wheel-style" or "4-slot" puller.

[85lebaront2]

Ok, because I have a steering wheel puller, and no way would that have gotten it apart. Remember this is a 10.25" full floating from an F350 DRW pickup and everything is bigger and heavier.

[Steve83]

I just realized that's a yoke - not a companion flange.





This shows those bolt-grip puller holes, closer to the center:

[ArdWrknTrk]

85lebaront2 wrote

Here is the pinion being driven out using Ford tool T85T-4209-AH

Ah Ha, Ford has a p/n for their hunk of bar stock!

Similarly, Smith & Wesson sell a cylinder timing tool.
It's a 1/2 lb chunk of lead and cost $40-50 back in the '80s.

[85lebaront2]

Steve, I call it a yoke, but Ford's manuals for some reason known only to Henry I call it a companion flange. I was using their terminology.

Jim, it is internally threaded 1-18 so it screws over the end of the pinion and seats against the end of the splined area, there is also an installer that screws on the end, then has an outer section that presses the flange/yoke down against the bearing and slinger.

[Bruno2]

All of the E series with the Sterling rear end use the 8 on 6.5 lug pattern. All the way to 2006 at least.  They have been using discs on the rear since 99.

[Bruno2]

Also, they have the internal cable operated parking brake. Not the type that bolt to the rear of the tranny.

[Gary Lewis]

What's the distance between the spring perches as opposed to the F-Series?  Do you have to relo them?

And is the track/overall width the same?

[85lebaront2]

E-series is narrower than an F-series. The later RV/box truck E350 rear disc setup could, in theory, be used on an F350 dually. Unfortunately my favorite junkyard doesn't have any yet.

Back to our regularly scheduled report. Wednesday I picked up a big bearing splitter at Harbor Freight in Salisbury. I found it wouldn't quite get the bearings completely off the differential. When I went to Virginia Beach Friday, I picked up a pair of 5/8-18 X 2" Gr 8 bolts to use to push the bearings off. Worked perfectly.

Next phase, pressed a new inner pinion bearing and a .015" shim (original had .025", new pinion has -10 on it). Assembled the pinion, less crush sleeve for a trial fit. Pressed new side bearings on the differential, and installed the new tone ring and 3.73 ring gear (same 41 tooth count as the 4.10, pinion is 11 vs 10 tooth). Put the differential in and with the starting shim size on the left, and all slack taken up on the right, I had 0 backlash. Removed .020 from the left side, added .020 to the right side, .009" backlash, tolerance is .008-.015, desired is .012-.015.

Time to roll a pattern and see where everything is.
Drive side:

Coast side:


Looks pretty good to me.

[Gary Lewis]

Looking good, Bill!  I've never done it, but I've read about it many times.  And what I see in your pics look spot-on.  

[85lebaront2]

You sure you didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express?

[Gary Lewis]

Several times, in fact.  

[85lebaront2]

Ok, finally received the replacement yoke/companion flange yesterday afternoon via UPS, got the pinion preload set and intalled the differential and it's preload shim packs. I rechecked the gear pattern to make sure nothing had shifted and installed the rear cover, owner had sand blasted the outside and primed it (he's had it since labor day).

Then it was let's see if we can make the hydraulics fit. End result, shorten the two hard lines, mount the brackets for the hard line to hose connections to the rear of the spring pads so the U-bolts will clear.
Cover and center of brake lines:

Right end brake line:

Left end brake line:

Screws holding the brackets are old spare U-joint strap screws.

[Gary Lewis]

Looking good, Bill!  You'll have that thing back under the truck this week?

[85lebaront2]

Not my truck, John Gleason is so well organised if it gets under his truck by the end of the year I'll be amazed. He has a new bed to put on too. I recommended he remove the old bed first, then do the axle while it's easier.

[grumpin]

Looks great!

[85lebaront2]

Here it sits ready to be picked up:

[Gary Lewis]

Cool!  But how big is the guy that's gonna pick it up?  

Please give us a report when he gets it installed on how well it brakes and how he likes the 3.73 gears.