1997 E350 RB Rear Drum to Disk Upgrade

[posplayr]

I'm looking to see if anyone can confirm a Rear Drum to Disk parts swap that I'm contemplating.

My van as stated in the title is 1997 E350 regular length but I will be adding some weight. Figure 750 lbs inside and carry another 750 outside for DRZ400 on a carrier with an external storage box (stock with bench seats removed is 5800 lbs). I will be upgrading to rear airbags and upgraded sway bars front and back so I'm hoping to at least minimize the detrimental effects to the panic-stopping performance and possibly even improve in this fully weighted condition.

Rear Disks on a 2002 E250 with Dyna 60 35 Spline C-Clip BOM=606752-1
to swap onto my
Rear Drum on a 1997 E350 with Dyna 60 32 Spline FF BOM=605948-1
https://www.crawlpedia.com/dana_60_bom.htm

Pictures of the Rear ends and disk brakes are attached (E350 is pained the E250 is rusted). It appears that even though the E250 axle is C-Clip (semi-floating???), it has a flange welded to the end of the axles housing to mount the caliper supports.


So I recently had a crazy hour driver T bone the nose of my E350 build project and I picked up this 2002 E250 for $1800 for parts and noticed it had the rear Disks and an aluminum Driveshaft.

First and foremost looking to improve braking without breaking the bank. The cheapest solution is this swap works is to just clean up the disks and put on new pads and go with that.

A new step up would be to go to aftermarket drilled and slotted disks (approx $600)

A step above that is to upgrade the calipers but I would not want to go much higher in cost if that can be avoided.

P.S. I found this thread but seems to be the identical rear end as mine but this thread is more to do with third member upgrades rather than the disk brake upgrade.

https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ide-12683.html

This link has good brake info, but to start I want to just confirm that the parts I have at hand (described above) will work.

https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ded-29389.html

https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ide-12683.html

[carringb]

I don't think a conversion is really all that feasible without custom fabrication that would end up being more work than it's worth. The '99-'01 extended wagons were disc brake and full-floats, so those make a good axle donor if you can find one. You'll also need the brake booster (which you can take off your '02) because the pistons for drum vs disc are different. You probably also need to swap the ABS hydraulic control unit because of the higher pressure in the rear disc lines.

Definitely don't run drilled rotors on a van. They will not hold up. At all. I even paid $$$ for a set that were cryo-treated, and they cracked all the way through in less than 6 months. Best braking upgrade is just swapping to an '09+ front axle assembly. Much bigger brakes, plus you get larger ball joints and a better radius arm bushing design (hyme joints vs donut bushings).

[posplayr]

Wow OK so no bolt-on conversion of my axle? I do have the booster and ABS parts and my existing van is 4w ABS.

So can you clarify why the e250 calipers don’t just bolt on? No flang? Just curious because they both seem to have the same flange.

Is there an aftermarket rear disk conversion for my e350?

[posplayr]

>>>Best braking upgrade is just swapping to an '09+ front axle assembly. Much bigger brakes, plus you get larger ball joints and a better radius arm bushing design (hyme joints vs donut bushings).

I found a 2014 E350 Long Body (first pic)

On you say "front axle" are you talking 4WD or full I-Beams?

I probably have to do my passenger side in any event (see pic of Blue E-350). Do I retain all my stock steering box and arms and Sway bars?

[posplayr]

OK so I just found JWA's thread on brake swaps.

https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...tos-11255.html

[carringb]

Glad you found that post!

yes, you keep your existing steering up to the tie-rods. You will need the newer sway bar, but that's good because it ditches the through-the-axle bushings in favor of actual end-links.

On your rear axle, I don't think your axle-flange is the same as the flange on the disc-brake axles. As for ABS... Yes, 97's had ABS. But disc brakes requires far more pressure than drum brakes (at least on trucks... not necessarily the case on small cars), and I don't know if the older HCU will allow the ABS to work properly. Functionally, it didn't even work the same. The ABS on drum brake kinda just dumped pressure to prevent lockup. The disc-brake ABS works just like the fronts, where it aggressively pulses to prevent lockup.

[posplayr]

Originally Posted by carringb

On your rear axle, I don't think your axle-flange is the same as the flange on the disc-brake axles.

EDIT: Although I checked the Ford parts list and it shows all the housing are the same from 1992-2004 (E250, E350) Dana semi Floating, (I measured) the 2002 E-250 Disk flange is different than the 1997 E-350 Drum brake flange.

How does the same drum backing plate fit both years then? There is only one housing listed. I guess you can not trust the parts fiche.


https://www.oemfordpart.com/oem-part...bC12OC1nYXM%3D

Well, I agree the flanges don't look the same. The drum backing plate seems to be the same for the 1997 E350, the 2002 E250 where running Drums in the rear. My 2002 has rear disks which I would gather is the same hole pattern as the Disk backing plates/caliper bracket.

Backing Plate Drum brakes, e350, without dual wheels. E250 & e350. F250-350. Drum brakes, e250. F150 & f250 ld, 12x2.5 drum. E300 & 350. E4TZ-2211-B

Disc Brake Caliper Bracket Disc Brake Caliper Bracket, Rear Anchor Kit. Incl.Anti-Rattle Clips. 5C2Z-2209-BA

Disc Brake Caliper Bracket Disc Brake Caliper Bracket, Rear Anchor Kit. Incl.Anti-Rattle Clips. 5C2Z-2B511-CA

[dokaman]

Well, if you are considering the front brake upgrade. Quadvan in Portland normally has some near new complete take-outs. You will have to call them for prices. And while you are there, grab my D60 rear full float axle with disc brakes and all of the mounting hardware. Direct swap front and rear. ��

[posplayr]

Originally Posted by dokaman

Well, if you are considering the front brake upgrade. Quadvan in Portland normally has some near new complete take-outs. You will have to call them for prices. And while you are there, grab my D60 rear full float axle with disc brakes and all of the mounting hardware. Direct swap front and rear. ��

Thanks for the recommendation but I'm afraid that shipping now would be prohibitive to Tucson. I was happy to see the pictures of your housing and what the caliper end flange looks like. It appears to be similar to the 2002 E-250 Dana 60 semi-floater.

https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...ade-30073.html

Pictures of E-350 and E-250 are attached.

So apparently your axle is one of the unicorns Carrigb mentioned. You also have the 3.55 gears I already have.

Originally Posted by carringb

The '99-'01 extended wagons were disc brake and full-floats, so those make a good axle donor if you can find one. .

2001 Van Haus E350 EB 7.3L Quadvan 4X4


I guess there is one last question on this topic. If I have an E-250 Dana 60 Semi-Floating with 32 tooth splines and Calipers, what parts do I need to switch to my E-350 Dana 60 Full floater 35 splines 3.55 gears?


There is a thread here where a guy essentially did that but with aftermarket axles.

I'll be on the lookout for one of these 99-01 rear axles locally. I bought this 250 work van for parts but it is probably too good to part out. It seems to run great at 240 K miles. It will haul parts through.

It simply needed a new fuel pump. Actually, the immediate failure was just a rotten rubber house between the pump and the steel line but the pump did not sound great as the new one is much quieter.

I also have a set of Front disks and caliper supposed to be shipped to me today USPS flat rate??

[posplayr]

I found a 1999 E350 EB with a bubble top and 169K mile in a Tucson Pick a part. Price $205 but a lot of physical labor. They offered a warranty which I declined. I certainly would not want to return this beast and I forwent the core charge even though I will end up with an extra D60 FF (albeit with drums)

The rear end BOM is 606190-3 which is a Dana 60 Full Floater 3.73 32 spline which is virtually identical to my 1997 3.55 also with 32 splines but 1999 has the Disk brakes vs the 1997 Drum Brake. This is about a 556 difference and if I go to a taller off-road tire then it will all balance out to the same.

The shop there carried the diff (probably 300 lbs) to the front from the back lot and loaded it into my new to me 2002 E250 (acquired for the princely sum of $1500 + 300 towing). It needed a new file pump but drives great despite the 220K mile.

I was able to salvage all brake lines and E-brake cables. The EB is a little different to the RB but will see what I can do. This thing probably weighs 300 lbs. At my age, it feels like it and more. Pick-A-Part basically carried it from the back lot where all the fords are to the front office and loaded irt into my van using an overhear chain hoist. The problem was how to get it out.

No broken bones or crushed toes or even a strained back (used the noggen and built a small triangle out of 2"x4", a come-along and dropped it onto a hydraulic table. Now safe and sound on a pair of HF jacks.

On quick inspection, it seems to have some leaks from the front seal but had to be cauterized with petrified dirt. The gear oil was relatively clean and did not smell too bad. The magnetic pickup on the plug had some shavings but was not disastrous.

The disks are near the limit at 29mm (vs 28mm)so I will probably do new disks and pads.

In any event, I now have back breaks and still searching for the 2009+ front disk up garage. Trying to stick with OEM parts.

The plan is to head back tomorrow for more front-end parts including the ABS controller for the rear disks.