5 lug drum to 8 lug disc conversion

[Econo-rod]

Hello FordID Contributors!

New guy on the block and I’m hoping to dig up some info on my personal project. I’ve read all the tech articles and sticky’s but haven’t come across the knowledge I’m looking for. So here is my dilemma:

I have a 1973 Econoline E-200. Stock it had power brakes and drums in all 4 corners. Stock she was also 5x5.5 lug in all 4 corners.

Amongst some of the many updates I have made and am currently making I swapped a modern 1 ton full floating 10.25 8 lug rear onto it. For now it is drums however soon it’ll receive a disc conversion.

Now I am trying to 8 lug the front to match and get discs up front. I unfortunately cannot for the life of me find an f2 donor truck locally for some I-beams and spindles that will make that happen. What I have found is a plethora of 73-79 f1’s with discs. However these are obviously 5 lug.

Does anybody know: will the 8 lug disc/hub assembly from an f2 work on a disc brake f1 spindle? Do the disc spindles all have the same dimensions between f1’s and f2’s?

I understand drum spindles are entirely different. I also understand I would have to fabricate a caliper bracket and get the appropriate hoses etc.

I also understand that as this all comes together I’ll need to re-engineer the master cylinder size, booster, and plumb in an adjustable prop valve. The motor it’s getting is pretty camm’ed so I’ll be doing a hydro boost from an Astro and ditch the stock 7” vac booster.

[basketcase0302]

Many years and many guys here have wanted, (and a few tried) to do this but I've seen no one ever successfully get it done.
I'll go out on a limb and say that's due to what you guessed above, (that the spindles bolt pattern are different from 1/2 to 1 ton on the beams).

Kool project!