lincoln versailles suspension swap

Did you check the fit of the lower ball joint after assembly ? To see if it was loose ?

 

It slid in nice and snug.

I bought the disc brakes off of a guy at a swap meet, and he swore they were off a Versailes that he personally parted out. Heck...he could have been wrong.

 

Craig, I'd jack it up and check the lower joint for movement just to make sure.

 

Don't worry, he doesn't drive his car...

 

I sold them to somebody else, checked them with new lower control arms I had here before I sold them. I told him about the Versailes problem just so he would know.

 

I assumed that Versailles spindles & brakes are the same as Granada. I know the Granadas bolt right up.

 

Conclusion

So after reading all the responses and varying claims... What's the bottom line. Front discs will work is what I'm hearing.. What parts should I pull from the donor? Or buy new... Now the rear end. I'm completely incompetent when it comes to rear end specs and what not.. So what will work from a Versailles and what do I need to change or adapt? Thanks by the way for all the responses and info.

 

The brakes and spindles will work, but you need to verify the fit of the ball joints. The Versailles used a bigger diameter stud in it's ball joints so the hole in the spindle is larger than the Granada/Monarch. So verify the fit before driving it. The rear will bolt in as well, but you'll need bigger U bolts for the 9" rear's larger diameter axle tubes. The brake line connection may need to be adapted as well (it was on my 67 Stang when I did the swap) Then you'll need to figure the driveshaft connection as to what U joint you'll need to make it work. The gear ratio sucks too, it'll have a 2.50 ratio, or if you're lucky a 2.75. It may or may not have traction loc, look at the Id tag on one of the studs holding the centersection in place. The ratio will be stamped there, if it's got trac-loc, it'll be stamped there too in the middle of the ratio (2L50, 2L75) If you don't use the rearend, you can always easily sell it, they go for around $350 complete as is.

 

maverick and versailles rear brake hoses are the same, so at least this part of the swap is a bolt in.
the axle tubes are 3" diameter. this does not only call for different u-bolts, but also for different shock plates. also, the versailles uses (at least the disc brake rearend does) odd spacers. so grab everything from there, too.

here's a pretty good article on the rearend swap specific to mavericks:
http://www.maverick.to/grabber/lincolnversailles.html

 

Yes you sure as hell do... there are residual valves in the drum p valve that will cause the discs o drag. They are there to put alil pressure on the drum wheel cylinders' cups to keep them from leaking....several pounds more than is acceptable for discs.

 

Aren't those in the master cylinder? The prop-valve (or distribution block) would have no affect on this.

 

Oh snap..you are right...they are in the MC. Thanks for the correction...been long day...I...never mind.. the p valve will work. I saved mine... it has narrower passage ways to impede the flow of fluid to delay rear braking...rather crude imo... I put a wilwood adjustable valve in mine to dial it in perfect..

 

EXACTLY !! Thanks. The master cylinder performs this function, not the proportioning valve.

 

Well what master cylinder do you guys use for a disk/disk set up? I'm only asking because I'm in this process now

 

91 explorer, fits perfectly and is the right one fr a disc/disc application.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?carcode=1119608&parttype=1836

the threads on the brake fittings are metric, though.