5.0 Sport Trac Lives

[RangerSVT]

Thats the one. Since my ABS sensors on my ranger are long gone, and my G force sensor is not part of my speedo, I'm thinking of pulling it from my ranger and using it on my Trac, and will try using the ABS pump/module I have on the Trac...

SVT

 

[rokr1292]

Yeah that part is definitely still confusing me too, where would I have to wire in the gforce transducer, and the abs module situation too, how that swap/rewire or whatever is made. Haha

I'm getting closer to understanding everything this requires!

 

[rokr1292]

I've got everything but the speedo wrote up, that for the most part is in my head...

SVT

By the speedo, I assume you mean the whold gforce transducer/abs module thing?

 

[rokr1292]

Oh and thanks for the pic CDW! Pics always help haha

 

[RangerSVT]

Yes, the transducer wires in to the abs module plug and gets mounted next to it. There is also another way that I'm reading about that I will try first when i get back home. It's supposed to be much easier, but we'll see...


SVT

 

[rokr1292]

I know I'll be waiting to hear about it haha

 

[RangerSVT]

Wanted to give ya'll an update...this coming Sunday I will be getting ahold of a gem module that might allow my speedo to function. If it doesn't, then I'll know the G force transducer will need to be wired in for the speedo and trans shifting to function correctly. Currently my trans does shift, but its in limp home mode. Tc is programmed to lock up at 45 mph, but its not seeing 45, so its not locking up giving me the extra mpg...right now with 275/55/20 tires (about 32" tall) and 410 gears I'm getting about 17 mpg, turning 2500 rpm at 75 mph...

SVT

 

[CDW6212R]

Curious, any idea known for having that G force transducer down on the frame? I have an extra one laying among some other spare electrics and module parts, always wondered what that was.

 

[RangerSVT]

The G force transducer is basically a mercury switch. It tells how hard braking is being performed to decide how much pressure needs to be applied to the braking system. Basicaly if the wheels are locking up and the sensor is level, it will relieve more brake pressure than if the truck was off centered, like in panic braking...

SVT

 

[CDW6212R]

Interesting, and I give that thing a workout occasionally. I don't have the massive calipers any longer, but it was fun to use the ABS at any speed. The calipers need to be just shy of that, near the stock 2x1.75" size.

 

[RangerSVT]

Well, my trac will soon have massive dual piston calipers up front that swallow most quad piston setups, and rear dual piston setups that are 1.5 times the size of the dual piston calipers the gen 2 explorers use up front. That combined with a 1 3/8 bore master cylinder and a hydroboost unit in front of it, I shouldn't have any problem lifting the rear tires on a slightly hard braking

 

[CDW6212R]

Well the can of worms is open, let me grab a handful.

Where did you discover a different master cylinder that swaps with the Explorer stock part? I ask because with my two iterations of custom brakes, I know fairly close what the front caliper piston area needs to be(with the stock MC and 4500lbs weight and 12.75" rotors). I would hope to be able to fine tune the brakes with a MC change, rather than a manual proportioning valve etc.

I want to make use of a Mustang 8.8 Wilwood rear kit and some other caliper for a 12" vented rear disc.


The stock Explorers use approximately 2 1.75" pistons, the brake power comes from those big calipers and fluid pressure, given small rotors. The Corvette 65-82 calipers were the most feasible stock application to use for a first attempt. Those have four(4) 1.875" pistons, so a decent bump in size. The Mustang or PBR calipers are all 1.625" piston units, or very close to it. Those are too small for the heavy Explorer, though a Ranger apparently does okay with them.

The Corvette 4 x 1.875" calipers easily stopped the tires at 80mph+, that was a little too much brake power for my 18" tire, 4500lb, SUV.


I have a Wilwood GN III caliper that I will make another bracket for the front, but those have almost the same area as the 65-82 Corvette calipers(too big).

 

[RangerSVT]

Your thinking small size. Start looking into the 1/2 ton size, or better yet, 1 ton superduty brakes like I'm using
The 1/2 ton f150 is 1 1/8 diameter and bolts right up to the ex booster. I'm using a hydroboost from a superduty in my ranger right now, and will be upgrading the Trac's booster soon. The Mark VII's also ran hydroboost. Vacuum boosters brake pressure is about 1800 psi, whereas hydroboost unit pressure is upwards of about 3000 psi, so you can see the advantages of upgrading...
SVT

 

[CDW6212R]

You don't want the brakes to be able to over power the tires and stop them too easily. My first brakes were very very good except for at the limit, they were too strong. I think you will go beyond that if what you are planning works out.

I would like the option to swap MC's if it will help me to match the brake power with the caliper I like.

Do you know which MC's will swap, and the bore sizes of them? I didn't find anything online suggesting other parts would work, so I didn't write down any of the bore sizes that I did read of. I believe to reduce brake pressure takes a smaller bore MC, yes?

My 91 Mark VII has the stock TEVES brake system, a PITA to fix hydraulic pump system. I plan to convert to 93 Cobra MC and booster soon, to gain space too. The older 94-85 Mark's had the hydro boost, I didn't like discovering that the fluids can mix over time. I had to flush the brakes and PS both in a 1985 Continental. They do work fine though.

 

[RangerSVT]

While most sites won't say a 1/2 ton will fit 1/4 ton (rbv's), i know it will by trial and error. You will be looking for early to mid 90's f150. What may sound like over kill for what I'm doing it actually isn't. Remember I'm going to either 33's or 35's and will be a tow rig for my ranger. Don't forget the added 500 lbs in extra weight just from the axles alone. My Trac is already sitting at a hefty 4800 lbs. By the time I'm finised I'll be sitting close to 6k, so yeah, I'll need those big brakes

SVT

 

[CDW6212R]

Those tires and the extra weight is the key. I had 31's and 4500lbs. I'm close to my final weight and tire diameter, I've come down to 30" tires the last time. The bigger tires weigh a bunch more, the 18's really made the brakes an issue.

Do have any idea what your wheel/tire combination will be yet? I began with 53lbs(15's), Cobra 17's were 58lbs, but the bigger 265mm 18's were 72.5lbs. per wheel/tire.

 

[RangerSVT]

I'll be running 20" enkei phatt's, 9.5" wide. They weigh about 25 lbs each. Idk what the tires weigh, I haven't decided which ones I'm gonna run. Here are my rims on my ranger, I just mounted my 47's on the Enkei's...

SVT

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm not going to brag to you that my brakes will fit inside stock 16" wheels, for snow tires.

Those tires/wheels will be very heavy, you can use the bigger brakes. You are looking at OEM brakes right? I didn't consider the big trucks, figuring they might be too big and/or trouble to install. But they are made for the heavy towing loads you will have.

 

[RangerSVT]

Remember, I'll be running a front axle from an f350 ( Dana 60 king pin high pinion) and a rear axle from a E350 van (dana 60U with disc brakes). Believe it or not, I've got a 15" wheel that will fit and clear my big brakes. I bought the tires before i bought my rims as I got a killer deal on them. Btw, the tires in that pic are 210 lbs each without the rim, but those are not going in my Trac ( but it would be Kool to see it ) I plan on getting a set of ebc yellow pads and a set of slotted rotors front and rear. That with braided lines will be the extent of my brake upgrade...

SVT

 

[CDW6212R]

That's cheating, you're just swapping the whole suspension.

That'll work, and the EBC pads(and rotors) are good parts. I've used several sets of those on my SUV's, and currently the SSBC calipers have red EBC pads in them.

I was not thrilled with the OEM pads that came with the rebuilt old Corvette calipers. I bought replacement SSBC calipers which are a hair smaller, but these take a GT2000 pad, not really that big. The Wilwood calipers I'm planning for now have a 3/4" pad, the friction material. I looked for calipers to use that had the huge 1.1" thick pads. Those calipers had pistons too far from what I'm after. You could use some of those, but of course you have to fabricate brackets etc.