Hello all. Ive got a 1955 ford and looking at a disc brake kit for the front. They tell me that my 14 inch mag type wheels wont fit. I need disc brake wheels. I didnt know that there were two different sises of 14 inch wheels. Is there a kit with rotors and calipers that will work?? OR am I just stuck with changing wheels and tires, to make any of the kits work. Does anyone know what that disc brake wheel measures on the inside (ID) I'll go measure what Ive got now.
Unless youuse a very small rotor (not recommended), the 14" rim/spoke area will not allow the caliper in..! I even have a set of aluminum 15", Halibrand copies that I needed to remove some metal from the caliper to allow the wheel to fit.. Mike
it's not the ID so much as the shape of the rim. The disc rake wheels are designed to clear the caliper. If you look at your wheels, you can see if they're the older drum brake design, or the newer disc brake design. Many 14" wheels will fit disc brakes, but you need to do your homework first. If the brakes were designed for 14" wheels, and the wheels are too, then they'll fit. If not, then it won't work
Where? I don't see any art... and yeah, I googled to see if I could find a good drawing, and came up empty.
Just winging it here but your rims may clear but heres what I know works...If you can find the dimensions for a 71 torino with disc brake wheels they will clear dics all the way back to early mustangs with the Big Kelsey-Hayes disc set up..ID on the 14" Ford factory wheel is 13-1/2" for just about all of the inside depth which on these wheels I ran out to measure are just about 4" [Factory 7" Mercury Cyclone]..
OK these wheels i have are probably not for disc brakes. The caliper area is tapered not squared off like your wheel looks like. If you make my pictures full screen you can see it OK. Well POOO. Didn't really want to have to get wheels and tires to do this. I think most of the kits are using Granada style calipers. i'm thinking there really a heavy casting (caliper) so does anyone know if we can take some meat off the outside of the caliper and make it work??
OK Well about February I'll get the kit ordered (need little warmer weather) and install it. then we will know for sure. Thanks to all for the help. I sure like this site for getting some GOOD info. HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone may everyone have a good project. I've got to go back and change my picture. I've done lots of work since then.
OK might be beating an old horse here but just to make sure what Ive got what everyone is saying. !! . On my wheel picture, the flat area where the balance weight is. Right where it makes the 90degree turn down into the wheel, that dimension (ID) to the other side is 13 5/8. At the bottom there (clear down by the flat area where wheel bolts up to rotor, the (ID) is 13 1/8. So from what i'm seeing here should work. I bet if it touches at all we can grind meat off the outside of the caliper and we will be good to go.??? Everyone think this is a thumbs up. ???
Thats pretty much what I went out and measured as per my post, looks good to me..Maybe just need a 1/4 spacer, maybe not..I give them wheels a thumbs up...
should not need any grinding, if the brakes were originally designed for a 14" wheel (which most small and mid size and muscle car brakes were). The drum brake wheels will measure about 12" ID and won't fit over the calipers. If you can take a picture of the wheel from the same angle as those two wheels I showed above, you should be able to see the issue more clearly.
seb fontana, I'm 100% with you on this. OK well see next month when we do it. I sure wasn't ready for new wheels and tires. I would surly like them but don't want to pay for them don't you know. Thanks much. GOOD Projects this year. YEA !!!
the brake kit you are looking what are the parts sourced from. most kits use calipers from some brand that is still available. like the metric mid size gm is used a lot.another option is to find someone who has the set-up you will be using and check your wheels to seeif they fit. there always seem tobe a lot of fords in OK
I can't pretend to be an expert, but I converted to 4 wheel discs on my '40 Ford pickup. Maybe because I was younger & dumber I used 13" GM brakes on the front and (Vintique) 14" steel wheels. That setup worked well enough to see me through 13 years of car shows, cruise nights, road trips, etc. The recommendation to go to 15" is sound advice, though 14" tires are still available. Taking a look at the numbers I made the switch to 15" wheels up front and actually gained fender clearance.
gotta check the inside diameter of center hole that hub goes through - bought a set of 15" steel Ford rims that came off a '65 Galaxie to put on my '67 Ford Fairlane Ranchero 390 with factory front disc brakes - will not fit. need a 2 3/4" diam hole. but, Ranchero has aftermarket 14" rims that bolt on fine. have seen where running the tape style wheel weights mounted on inside of rims gave clearance problems too. most all stock factory steel wheels have ID codes stamped in them - do not know where to find info on what codes mean.
I know some will not like this, but you may be able to use a spacer to move wheel out a little to clear caliper. just a thought. And I have used spacers for year on some of my cars. but from pics I think the wheel will clear said caliper. good luck.
Maybe making things too easy, but what are your calipers from? For Fords, any 14" wheel from a Granada or Mercury Monarch should fit. Any 14" wheel from anything 1972 up as well should clear a caliper. For aftermarket mag type wheels, you really have to know the application. On my '59 Ford disc conversion, I just went with a 15" steel wheel.
IIRC, the front end on the 55 is the same as the 55-57 bird, but the 57's came with 14" wheels. The aftermarket Thunderbird guys sell disk brake conversions for the 57's that clear the 14" wheels. They're typically a Granada rotor, with a smaller caliper, and the mounting brackets. The 55-56 units use a Fairlane caliper which does not clear a 14" wheel. There is a spacer and bearing stack that fits the OEM spindle. They turn the hub of the Granada rotor to fit the smaller center on the early wheels, which it doesn't sound like you need. I don't know what they use on the 57 kits, but someone here can make a better guess than me. So checking with the local bird club might help. With the Fairlane caliper and 15" wheels, my American Salt Flats just touched the caliper. With the wheel on the balance machine, and a grinder, we hand turned the wheel, and cut a small (1/2" wide,1/4" deep) bevel. Problem solved. From your description, sounds like you might already have this. Back in the 70's, more than one tire shop also ground the edges of the calipers to clear wheels. But everything had a lot of meat in it in those days. Shallow spacers are also an option if the wheel studs are long enough.
My disc brake swap on my 57 Custom all came from a 69 Torino. Had to use a reamer for the larger ball joint on the 57 and that's about it. I'm using the stock 15 inch rims from a 55-56 Ford, there's plenty of clearance. Randy Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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