14FF & Disc Brakes

[kennyw]

I started this last weekend, pretty much wrapped up the install this weekend. I didn't plan on doing this for a while longer, but something was screwing up in the rear brakes on the SF so I pushed it up. I was planning on running the stock drum brakes for a while, then upgrading sometime later until I opened up the FF and found the brake drums were toast. It was cheaper to convert to disc brakes than buy new drums.

I pulled apart the bearing hubs, cleaned everything and greased the wheel bearings before re-installing with new seals. I still need to build a small tab to hold the end of the rubber brake hose.

 

[4X4HIGH]

14FF wheel bearings are not supposed to be greased. They receive their lube from the diff gear oil.

 

[dfl701]

thats a sweet write-up/picture! Very detailed

 

[1979jimmy350]

14FF wheel bearings are not supposed to be greased. They receive their lube from the diff gear oil.

They do receive there lube from the gear oil but it is not a bad idea to do. AAM actually has all its hub bearings lubed with grease from the factory

 

[4X4HIGH]

It's a bad idea to mix grease with 90/W. All the bearings need is enough lube until the diff oil reaches them which is only a minute or so of driving.

 

[kennyw]

14FF wheel bearings are not supposed to be greased. They receive their lube from the diff gear oil.

They require some lubrication at all times. If you disassemble and clean the hubs and bearings there will be no gear oil for several miles down the road usually resulting in bearing failure before they get enough lube. As you drive the gear oil will wash out the grease and go back to normal.

 

[kennyw]

Per the 1979 Chevrolet Light Duty Truck Service Manual:

Installation of Hub and Drum Assembly:
Using a high melting point IP bearing lubricant, liberally pack bearings and apply a light coat on the ID of the hub bearing contact surface and OD of axle housing tube.

 

[4X4HIGH]

Nothing there says to use grease. It is best to soak the bearings in 90/W oil then install them so they aren't "dry". This is all that's needed until the gear lube reaches them in the next minute or two of driving.

 

[dfl701]

so what kit did you use for your discs?

 

[kennyw]

How do you pack a bearing with oil? High melting point bearing lubricant is grease, not oil. Do a google search and the #1 return is this:
http://www-static.shell.com/static/ca-en/downloads/shell_for_businesses/oils_lubricants/7-04.pdf

I don't see any gear oils listed?

 

[kennyw]

so what kit did you use for your discs?

I bought the brackets from Ruffstuff and the rest of the parts are stock GM.

 

[4X4HIGH]

I'm not going to argue with you, you keep doing them however you like and i'll do mine how i like. Also, just for your info, gear oil and grease DO NOT mix and gear oil WILL NOT wash away grease.

 

[dfl701]

What rotors and caliper did you use?

 

[dfl701]

Can you also use the emergent brake still with your setup?

 

[4X4HIGH]

Can you also use the emergent brake still with your setup?

He is using GM front calipers (no e-brake capability). I have the caddy calipers and the e-brake works perfectly.

 

[dfl701]

I'm looking to use the caddy brakes and that's what I was wondering. Tryin to do some searching ab everything before I commit

 

[4X4HIGH]

Here are a couple pics of my set-up.

 

[dfl701]

Sweet. I blew a cylinder I think in my drums. Not sure yet haven't taken it apart but this is my excuse to upgrade to discs LOL

 

[kennyw]

I'm not going to argue with you, you keep doing them however you like and i'll do mine how i like. Also, just for your info, gear oil and grease DO NOT mix and gear oil WILL NOT wash away grease.

No argument to make. GM sent these axle out of the factory with the wheel bearings packed with grease. When I opened this one up there was very little of it left. Something washed it out over time with no ill effects.

If you want to do it differently on your truck go ahead, you came into my post telling me I was doing it wrong

 

[kennyw]

What rotors and caliper did you use?

Since my truck is an '83 K20 I used the same rotors and calipers that are on the front of the truck. I found out there are actually 2 different size piston's available for my truck. The outer dimensions of the caliper are the same, but the piston diameter is different.

For brake pads I used the smaller, cheaper, organic pads available. I want less braking force on the rear axle with the hope that I may not need a variable prop valve. I won't know if that is enough until I drive it though.

I am also going to install a master cylinder for a '99 K3500 with 4 wheel disc brakes to take care of residual pressure on both front/rear.