Bolt Circle versus Hubcaps

[drolston]

My '41 is a driver with horsepower and gears for the Interstate. The stock brakes are in great shape, but I worry about panic stops and fade on mountain grades. Pretty sure I want to go with front disk brakes, but so far I find kits only with 4.5 or 4.75 bolt circle, versus my 15" mercury wheels with 5.5" bolt circle. Other than a "big rear, little front" tire rake, I want to keep the exterior appearance, including the stock '41 ford inside bump hubcaps. 1) are there any disk brake kits that accept 5.5" bolt circle? 2) If not, what 4.5" or 4.75" bolt circle wheels will accept my stock hubcaps?

[Pete]

Before you take the stock brakes off, check on sintered metallic linings.
They used to be available for your type brakes. Velvet Touch was one of the brands.
Johns Manville used to make a semi metallic lining for those brakes also.
Another possibility is Ft. Wayne Brake and Clutch. They do a lot of vintage stuff.

[fordor41]

I installed Speedway disc on my '41. I believe speedway makes them with the 5.5 bolt pattern. Now the rub! not only do most disc increase your track width (mine about 3"), whichever disc they supply is from a newer car and finding wheels that will fit on the rotor hub can be a chore. Mine are Mopar rotors ( installed about 1996) and Ford Bronco 4WD are the only rims I can find that will except a Ford 10 1/8" cap (Mopar rims take a smaller cap) and will fit on the Mopar rotors. So you'll need a 5.5" pattern with early Ford cap and correct back spacing so your tires will clear your fenders. May have to go with a custom steel rim. Up here in NYS steel rims, in a junk yard, are becoming scarcer than hens teeth! I've heard some Ford trucks in later years used 5.5" and your stock caps

[Lanny]

Ford 1/2 ton pickups used the "innie" style hubcap up into 1966, so a 1940 thru 1948
Ford car and 1940 thru 1966 pickup hubcaps will fit those 1/2 ton Ford pickup steel wheels.
Most of the steel wheels in those later year pickups were 15" but 16" wheels were available,
but not as common, so 16" wheels are scarce.
Also, I'm not sure if they will clear most disc brake conversions, so ask the manufacturer.

Sometime in mid '66 and all '67 and newer 1/2 ton Ford pickups used the outer hubcap
mounting nubs on the steel wheels, and take the 10 1/4" hubcaps..










.

[Juergen]

I used the Speedway kit which uses Impala rotors with 5 1/2 bolt pattern. But you need a wheel with 3 1/2 inch hole. I bought a new set from Stockton Wheel which comes with the early style hub cap mounting.

[Uncle Bob]

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An excellent source for the brake components: http://www.ecihotrodbrakes.com/early...nversions.html

Their tech support is outstanding.

[TJ]

I believe that Chassis Engineering has a disc brake kit with the 5 1/2' pattern. I think Magnum Axle Co, also has one.