Ok, i'm getting ready to start the "fix-up" process on my 70 grabber. Right now it has a 250 in it but i'm swaping to either a 302 or 289 (haven't decided which yet). Now I don't plan to drag race it, but it's not gonna be a trailer queen either. Right now it has manual drum brakes and 4-lug suspension. Am I gonna run into any stopping problems with the drum brakes or any problems with the 4-lug axles? -Harry
Yes, put the disk brakes on!!!!! While you are at it get the rear axles off a 5 lug. You wont regret it...
let me be next in what is going to be a long line of mav folks saying "DO IT!" put in the rear axle too! once you make the (right) decision to switch, fumble through here. somewhere there is a thread on "how to" and "what to buy"
well.... I've already got a 75 two-door junker that has disk brakes and a 3:00 rear. The only thing I'm worried about is that i think (haven't looked yet) that the 75 has staggered shocks where my 70 doesn't. what should i do about that? Basicly i've got all the parts i would need, i just don't know if it's worth the trouble or not. -Harry
Big4th; doesn't matter about the shocks. The shocks will mount either way, just put them in the way they came out. The 8inch gear was made for the body, and bolts up perfectly. I have a 69.5, and the brakes and rear are from a 75 Comet. Easy to do, much safer, and you have a choice of better wheels to choose from. Good luck and take care, ask if you need help. Earl
I see. Well I guess i may have to swap them over then. I just hope the junkyard's rollback can pull the car up without and axle or front wheels. -Harry
non-staggered shocks My '70 doesn't have staggered shocks either, I ended up using early Mustang shock plates. The shock mounts are at a slightly different angle than what a Maverick needs but they'll work. I cut mine almost all the way through, bent to get the right angle, then welded them back together.
well, i would normaly say just go with the disks, but, if it is just going to ba an everyday driver i dont see why it would really matter. i have manual disk brakes on my mav and like it, but my dad has a 9.7 second @140mph '68 mustang that runs full drums and it stops fine, so......i dont really know
Running in heavy traffic is much harder on the brakes than running a 1/4 mile. Try running down the streets of seattle and stopping at every light once and then see how well they work. Once those puppies heat up you can have problems. Even without hard stop and go the disc brakes will work much better at stopping you. There are drum brake systems out there that work pretty good but the Mavs are not one of them. Go with discs, its a pretty easy conversion.
I know what you are saying, but for me doing the switch is not only safer, but I think of it as increasing my defensive driving capabilities if you know what I mean. The way others drive, it just helps to have some extra braking power. So, if you care about your own safety and the condition of your car I say do the swap.
Well, i'm gonna do it. I'll snatch what i need off of the car this weekend. I was leary of it because i wanted to try to keep the car as original as possible, but since i've got the ford motor company wheel covers, no one will know anyway. -Harry
If your Mav has an 8" in it, just use the existing shock mounts & spring plates as the diff does not know what year car its in and the spring plates don't care either.
Cool. My 70 does have an 8" rear and I hoped that would be the case, but i never got under the junker to compare. I'm just pulling the disk conversion parts off of the 75 junker. I'll snatch the rear end out of the 73 4door i got from the junk yard. They're both 5 lug and have the same 3:00 ratio. I just wish one of them was a locker, but my understanding is ford never put limited slips in a maverick. -Harry
