Dana 44 closed knuckle disc brakes

[suburbangeorge]

Originally Posted by Bruce A. Frank

This info may be useful for the next person who wants to do a disc conversion on a closed knuckle 44.

http://www.circletracksupply.com/che...brake-kit.html



I am looking to do the same conversion on a '56 International S120 4X4 D44 closed knuckle axle. The Circle Track source has discs for 8 lug, but a phone conversation got the information that undrilled discs may be available, so I could set up the 6 lug I need it.

Bruce, I don't know if you'll see this but you just about have to be the same guy whose question appeared in the Nov '17 FOURWHEELER due to the rarity of your truck. Don't know if it will make it into a future issue but here's what I wrote to them:

"Hello,

Read the question about converting the IH S120 front axle to disk brakes. Searched online and found that it has a Dana 44 ihc44fclosed - Torque King 4x4 .

I have a '66 K10 Suburban with a closed knuckle Dana 44. Early on in ownership I decided the stock drums were not going to cut it. Bought what was supposed to be a '73 Blazer disk brake 3.73 Dana 44 front axle. Even had a 3.73 rebuild tag. It was a 3.07. Started looking at the cut away in my '66 shop manual of the front brakes and a cut away from a '70s front disk Dana 44. Up to a point everything seemed the same. Contacted Dana and talked with an engineer who told me that you could not convert a closed knuckle drum brake axle to disks. The more I looked at it, It sure seemed that he was wrong. I had all of the donor parts so I set out to do it.

If I recall correctly, you strip the closed knuckle back to the steering knuckles and replace all of the outboard parts with parts from the disk donor. There's only two differences. The caliper carrier and the drum backing plate both have the same bolt pattern but one is drilled 6 and 12 and the other 3 and 9. Would mount the caliper in the wrong place to use the stock Blazer rubber brake lines. Took the mounts to a machine shop and had them re-drilled to match the backing plates. The other difference is that the u-joints both have the same number but one has an "X" suffix. The open knuckle disk brake axle uses u-joints with dust seals to retain the grease.
The closed knuckle u-joints have no seals so that the gear oil in the closed knuckles can lubricate them.

Called the Dana guy back after I had it working and told him what I did. He didn't apologize but told me that he'd never done the conversion but that friends of his who had, had done the same. Companies were worried about liability back then also. Speaking of liability, I could not find a shop willing to power bleed my brakes once they found out that the system was modified. Crazy world we live in.

A Nov '88 article in 4WHEEL & OFF-ROAD has an article "Poor Man's Floater" (pg 124-129) which details converting a Ford 9" rear axle to full float using Chevy front axle disk brake parts. As a sort of after thought, the article talks about using Chevy parts to convert a Ford drum brake Dana 44 to disks so I'm hoping this will also work for your reader."

When I say Knuckles out I also mean u-joints out. Good luck.

[Bruce A. Frank]

Surburbangeorge, thank you for that information. Interesting what the "experts" don't know or won't tell you.

One of my problems is that I want to retain the large circle (7.25") 6 lug bolt pattern because it is unique to IHC. This project has stalled, but has recently been rejuvenated. I am working with company that builds parts for race cars. The manager thinks we can create a kit from Wilwood parts.

I had looked at Wilwood, but everything I saw was in the $500 per wheel range. He thinks we can do it for less than $150 per wheel. I just need to pull the wheel and take it to him for accurate measurement. Just my time has suddenly become busier.

In our discussions I revealed that I am a welder. He needed a TIG welder so he hired me. Dream job, but it cuts into my freetime, compared to my retired free time.

BTW, that link with the picture from Circle Track Supply, that link no longer works. The company still exists, but I can find no front axle conversion kits on their site.

Yes, that is my truck in Four Wheeler!

[suburbangeorge]

Originally Posted by Bruce A. Frank

Surburbangeorge, thank you for that information. Interesting what the "experts" don't know or won't tell you.

One of my problems is that I want to retain the large circle (7.25") 6 lug bolt pattern because it is unique to IHC. This project has stalled, but has recently been rejuvenated. I am working with company that builds parts for race cars. The manager thinks we can create a kit from Wilwood parts.

I had looked at Wilwood, but everything I saw was in the $500 per wheel range. He thinks we can do it for less than $150 per wheel. I just need to pull the wheel and take it to him for accurate measurement. Just my time has suddenly become busier.

In our discussions I revealed that I am a welder. He needed a TIG welder so he hired me. Dream job, but it cuts into my freetime, compared to my retired free time.


BTW, that link with the picture from Circle Track Supply, that link no longer works. The company still exists, but I can find no front axle conversion kits on their site.

Yes, that is my truck in Four Wheeler!

So I'm also into water cooled VWs as well as trucks. There are companies which make adapters to mount one bolt pattern wheel on another wheel hub. If you could tolerate your wheel sitting another inch outboard, I'm pretty sure that you could have something made up.

[Bruce A. Frank]

Gee! (as he slaps his forehead) You know, I really had not thought that way. Back in the day when I was driving a '65 Beetle at college I use a set of adapters to mount 12" wide radials on Ford rims on the rear axle of my flower power Bug. But to do that for this conversion REALLY had not come to mind. I will have to ponder that!!!

That really could open a door on this conversion!

[sweetk30]

this guy will custom make spacers for you . http://www.wheeladapter.com/dually_spacers.php