rear disk brake conversion 89 minivan

[madme89]

Marc, do you have the writeup on those lights, I lost the link from Cardomain or maybe you can do a full one here, I would love those for mine, thanks.

OMG I've modified them so many times it's not even funny. Even have two wires holding them there. Couldn't use the factory brackets. Also had to modify the headlight housing, make the hole bigger.

The other thing is the cost....
Parts needed would be
-original headlights
-Ford 1999 F350 APC headlights
-upgrade low beams to projectors, bi-projector
-Plexiglas and filler sealer

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/321255/12

[turbovanman²]

Thanks, I have some projector lights, just trying to figure out how to use them.

[madme89]

Thanks, I have some projector lights, just trying to figure out how to use them.

So you only need to get these..
http://cgi.ebay.ca/1999-2004-F250-EX...item43a271f37c

or go chrome

http://cgi.ebay.ca/99-04-FORD-F250-E...item2c581f4069

[turbovanman²]

So you only need to get these..
http://cgi.ebay.ca/1999-2004-F250-EX...item43a271f37c

I like those, but not sure if I am up to doing this yet, or want to spend $100+ to mess them up. lol.

Maybe I'll poke around the local PAP and see what I can find to practice on. Thanks again.

[RoadWarrior222]

Body kit all hand made. Front bumper is the original but modified using foam and fiberglass.
The side flare is built from the original Caravan ES one.
I do around 25 mpg with the 3.0 liter 3 speed auto.

Looks awesome.... well there's a detail or two I'd change but that's preference.

25 is pretty decent, is that without "trying" hard? I mean I can run mine at 25 but it takes the right style. Often thought there should be some mpg in the front end though, and better motor cooling. Apparently that was a fault with the "premium" bumper.

I want to do something with mine, I've got a pontiac bonneville front bumper I want to start the mod with. It's too wide, but I'm thinking of cutting it where the inside line of the lights is and putting vertical splitter plates there, which will hide the join and direct air up into the rad from there.

[gerbot_3000]

Does anybody know what it would take to bolt the 5x114.3 caravan hubs, to the spirit front and rear axle? So the spirit has now 114.3 bolt pattern?

[Vigo]

Depends on the year. 91-up for both spirit and van and the wheel bearings w/hubs just bolt in, and the different caliper and bracket just bolt on. On the pre-91 stuff you'd have to swap the whole spindle, and if you do that you have to realign it because the steering arm part of the spindle is slightly different.

In the back the 4-bolt pattern between the brakes and the axle is different. I have modified van brakes to fit a car axle, once. You can see it in this thread: http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/sh...ight=executive

I also swapped the pre-91 5x114.3 front parts onto my aries, and modified non-vented rear brakes to be 5x114.3. That is in this thread: http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/sh...hlight=%242009
Sorry i dont know the page number, it's been a long time.

[gerbot_3000]

thank you! i dont really remember what i have on my 1984 lebaron hehe, you know it was 4 bolt, and then some friend sold me and installed the 5 lug conversion, so I THINK that he used the whole spindle, but i have still my original control arms... i think the car was a 1990 phantom(lebaron coupe).

Also on the rear axle i have the 5 lug conversion with rear solid discs, but dont know if he changed the complete sistem or just some parts. =S

I think that the front would be piece of cake.

And for the rears... when doing all that... the wheel gets more close to the center of the car? or gets more outside? Maybe for the rears it would be better just to buy 1" spacer/adapter?

thanks!

[Vigo]

If you are putting rear van drums on a car axle the wheel will move out some. I dont know exactly how much but i would guess about a half inch per side. You could make adapter plates like Madme did to adapt the van brakes to the car axle without modifying the brakes as i did, but in that case you're adding even MORE width and i think you'd be rubbing the fenders at that point.

I have only run small tires (195/70r14) on the limo with the van brakes but it doesnt rub the fenders.

[gerbot_3000]

I am going to try caliber srt4's wheels! =D, thats why i am asking, front conversion: piece of cake.

Rear: 1" width 5x100 to 5x114.3 adapter? Would that 1" make it rub on the fender? =S

I ALREADY have Discs on the rear, i thought all that was needed is the new bearing stick(dont know the real name) and then the hub with bearing and studs + caravan disc + calipers. But it seems is not that simple... so.. if anybody knows how to mess with offsets and all that numbers... would you think the caliber wheels will rub on my 1984's convertible +1" with the caliber wheels?


Thanks!

[Vigo]

Oops. I thought when you said spacer/adapter that you meant an adapter for van brakes to a car axle, not a bolt pattern adapter.

Caliber srt-4 wheels are 19x7.5 +42. Without the adapter, on converted car brakes, they would probably rub the inside. With van brakes they probably would not rub the inside because the brakes add a little width. With any kind of 1" spacer i think they will rub the outside. This is all based on me comparing the specs to what i know fits using an online calculator:
http://www.1010tires.com/wheeloffsetcalculator.asp

Basically, if you want them to fit you'll need to find a spacer that is more like 1/4-1/2" thick. Not thick enough for a bolt pattern conversion adapter, unfortunately.

Also, be aware that 19" tires are usually more expensive than 17, 18, or 20" tires. I personally wouldnt go with 19s if i had a choice.

Also, you should start your own thread for this kind of thing. If you do, you can ask a moderator to move my posts to your thread so we aren't hijacking madme89's thread.

[RoadWarrior222]

you'll need to find a spacer that is more like 1/4-1/2" thick. Not thick enough for a bolt pattern conversion adapter, unfortunately.

Ain't the stock hubs only about 1/2" ? ... wait... doh, need space to recess the nuts.

[Vigo]

Yes, and/but i was talking about lug-pattern conversion adapters. They are wheel spacers with lugs in them.

[RoadWarrior222]

I mentioned the hubs because I thought you were implying that you needed more meat than 1/2" to hold a set of studs, but then realised it's the recess for the nuts and the stock stud length that's the issue.... but if you weld it on and grind the studs flush...

[Vigo]

Yeh, if it werent for the seat area under the lug nuts that hold the adapter down you probably could make a 1/2" bolt pattern adapter. Most of them are aluminum so that doesnt help either.