Just picked up a '40/'41 Willys car front beam axle, which I intend to put under my '46 Stude coupe. Axle needs full restoration, and I want to upgrade the brakes to discs. Any suggestions about what company makes brake kits for this axle? I heard of one application that used Hurst??? Or, any ideas about what GM or Ford spindles could be adapted to the Willys axle to accept to upgraded brakes and have a 5 x 5-3/4" bolt circle? Any help appreciated. Thanks!
See Kiwikev's thread here on Willys brakes........ http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=610550
Hi i used 37/41 Ford spindles on my Willys axle fairly simple job reamerd axle out to fit Ford kingpin then machined up spacer between axle boss and spindle bearing worked out perfect and lots of brake choices for Ford spindles hope this helps cheers Wayne
send your spindales to Aerospace compotents they will custom make them for you........thick vented rotors donot look right.........
Thanks to all for the replies. I am limited at this time to using a bolt-on or very simple modification of parts solution. If there are any more ideas out there, keep 'em coming.
Just wandered into this thread. Sorry I'm so late on the uptake. I used the original Willys spindles coupled with a- believe it or not- 5-4 1/2 trailer hub, heavier lugs, matched the bearings, added an SKF seal 16667 .5 -wider to cover the lip of the spindle, added a Wilwood hat with an 11.25" disk, and wrapped it all up with a pair of ET spokes. I did this all in 2001 because no one I knew had any knowledge of this swap. This is a project I've had since I was 16- long before buying shit off the shelf was available and we had the luxury of H.A.M.B!
I also made my own caliper bracket and made spacers to line it all up with. The entire axle assembly including tie rod, etc. are chromed just to make it look nice. And, oh yes, I'm now 70 and still have it.
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