Does anyone know if there is a kit available for rear discs for 55 TBird?

55Birdman  Hickory NC

If you have changed to a 9 inch there are kits available.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

Earl:

I believe the bolt pattern on the ends of the Bird housing, where the back plates bolt on, is the same as the '57 big bearing housing, like Bird, wagon, police, retractable, Ranchero.  I'm not sure about the axle shaft length from the bearing to the flange.  Check with one of the disc brake conversion companies, they may have info to help you decide.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Hey Earl;;   Larry's T-Bird shows a rear kit in their catalog.  $795.  God Bless    Eddie

Eddie

Lake Forest, Ca. 92630

I am doing something I shouldn't do. I Assume the rear end is stock as I have never done anything with it. How do I determine which rear end I have  or is it  all the same ?  I was told some time ago that the rear end was either 9" or Dana. I have no idea now.

55Birdman  Hickory NC

Earl:

The stock rear for the Bird is a Dana.  Easy way to tell, the Dana has no removable third member and has a sheet metal cover on the back side of the rear end.  The internal parts are loaded from the back.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

I talked to Rob when he did his 9" swap in his sedan. He told me the stock 56 brake backing plates would bolt up to the new rear end. Made me wonder it a disc swap would work on a stock 56 Victoria rear? Chuck in NH

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

Chuck:

'56 passenger had a smaller wheel bearing, bolt pattern, and bolt sizes than the Dana.  But Ford continued both sizes for several years, so if Rob used a '57 passenger rear, then the '56 backing plates would fit.  In '57 the big bearings were used on the wagons, police, Rancheros, Retractables, Birds. 

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

I have the Dana rear end. Anyone make disc kits for that ?

55Birdman  Hickory NC

Earl, I talked to these guys once when I was considering this.



http://www.mpbrakes.com/products/product-detail.cfm?product_id=283



Make sure they understand (and you do too) what rearend housing you have. If it is stock it would be a Dana/spicer 44. As John said, it loads from the rear.



IMHO, I changed my mind on this part of the project because of discussion on this site of COST vs effectiveness, they will be slighlty heavier too. All in all for my money I opted out. Front discs are another story I highly reccomend that option, they do most of the work as you know, not the back. Don't forget I said, "for the my money!"

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK