Rockwell 2 1/2 Info Thread

52

52s are heavy and yes they a skinny. but they are worth the money. they do pritty good when it is dry. but they don't like the wet. my pinion brakes have never faded, although i had the front smoke once. other than that they stop on a dime. one thing that can be expensize are the 20" wheels. i made my own.
 
RufusTheRam said:
besides what's been mentioned, brake fade is a huge issue also. the rotor is spinning 6.72 times faster than a wheel mounted brake, and has half the surface area (1 pinion rotor vs. two wheel rotors). you'd also have to run drive flanges on the front to maintain front axle braking, which would be a pita on the street with a locker.
max tire size on a rockwell depends on how you drive, terrain, etc. just like anything else. the majority of people will have a hard time breaking one with anything less than a 48 michelin/49 irok.
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if u think about it u actually get way more braking force when u use pinion brakes because u are braking on the other side of the gear reduction. u get 6.72 times more braking force . so with only one pinoin brake u will get better braking than with 2 wheel mounted brakes
 
Added some more info on the first post, see if you like it.

This is my front axle brake set up, my rear axle brake set up is on the first post.
Front USA6X6 brakes, buy the 1" longer studs if you go this way so you will have extra lug stud thread sticking out. The USA6X6 disc adapter will use about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch up and you will have to grind one edge flat for a good fit. You will have to grind round the USA6X6 bracket edge to get it to lay flat against the hub flange. If you have 20" wheels or bigger I'd go F550 calipers and School Bus rotors.

My front is doing most of the braking, see all the carbon. Haven't installed a adjustable proportioning valve yet.

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Pinion brakes you'll have to be spooled or locked to get both wheels to stop, only thing George told me about them is on the street it puts a lot of heat to your pinion seal making it more prone to leak. But, mine leak anyway without the disc mounted to it. Will probably mount one later for a park/emergency brake.
 
Nice, thanks for the pics.. so that's the 1-ton setup from him? are you wheel brakes at all 4 corners, or pinion at the rear?

What size bore is your MC - manual or power assist?

And thanks for the tip on buying the longer studs - now I don't have to be nice to the OEM ones.. :D Speaking of which, are they available locally? I know the stockers are...

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just heading down your path..
 
dumb question, but dollar for dollar, what is the biggest reason folks are building 60s instead of these if they are that much stronger stock?

3k in 60s was mentioned above and I think I saw Big Woody said he had that much in each axle too...

These run about $500ish each for "fronts?" Biggest issue is braking and getting the right rims (which I would guess Stazworks rims are $250ish each?)

Dad and I were discussing a project for this year...I keep thinking about going full buggy and a set of these would go along way towards keeping the buggy cost low. (I think Jim has one of these in work now...might be checking his calendar later this year)

Sam H
 
SHINTON said:
dumb question, but dollar for dollar, what is the biggest reason folks are building 60s instead of these if they are that much stronger stock?
Sam H
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I would have to say weight...........and its easier to build a lower ride.
 
SHINTON said:
dumb question, but dollar for dollar, what is the biggest reason folks are building 60s instead of these if they are that much stronger stock?
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I paid $700 each for mine, and dollar for dollar, you can't touch 'em. Locked and disc braked (at the wheels), I'm at $1900. With a pinion brake and a (welded) spool in the rear, I'm right at $1000 for a steering rear. (Wheels are a constant IMO, since you're buying new ones if you go to a 60)

You could do it even cheaper by using the Toyota caliper and Mazda disc..

Dollar for dollar, you can't touch 'em.

Pound for pound, well... it's about 50% heavier than a 60.
But yeah, the third member sticking up a little over 9" above the top of the tube does present some challenges. Patrick's came out low, and mine, well, we'll see.
 
they are not 50% heavier than a 60 front .. according to jp magazine and boyce equiptment a 60 front weighs a little over 500 pounds .. and a front rockwell weighs about 615 with pinion brakes ...if your building a buggy and can work around the center section u can still make it low . my front chuck sits about 5 inchs from the frame. my buggy has 49s and is a little under 7ft to the top. i
 
my front rockwell with pinion brakes, all new studs and lugs, new boots, new seals, hubs flipped, detroit, u joint axles and diff pan(homemade), cost me around $1000 to build
rear is same pinion brakes new studs and lugs and welded cost about $350
i think thats preety damn cheap
 

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looking at the front of yours...your radiator actually appears to be a few inches behind the front diff/top? Front frame 5" over the diff... but I think I am hearing alot more about "screw uptravel" anyway? Bumpstop the frame above the diff and done?

7' and under would be great...I think Jim said Patricks was gonna be under 6' or am I dreaming? Either way is great/fits under std garage door!

On the other build, Jim said a 350 wouldn't fit, but I think part of that is because of the narrowed/centered diff on the 2.5, if offset as normal, not an issue AND be as low as they built it?
 
Front USA6X6 hub brakes I used;
USA6X6 brackets and aluminum hat adapters, He's up to $175 now on this, was like $125.
Wilwood Forged Dynalite 120-6814 around $125 each.
Wilwood Rotors 160-2894 LH & 160-2895 RH around $50 each.
(USA6X6 says use the 160-3870 &160-3871 $85 each, was told no real difference on a low speed application like this since I'm not doing any road racing)
Wilwood Polymatrix Pads 7112 D $Don't remember the price.

Right now I'm using a Corvette master cylinder, don't remember the bore. No Power brakes but might experiment with it later.
Next set of street worthy axles I do if staying with 16.5 wheels I'll probably do the front the same and buy the aluminum hat adapters for the rear and weld on my on caliper brackets so the front and rear will match in all aspects.
 
Not sure if this is too much to ask, but does anybody have info on the 5 tons? I can get my hands on two 5 ton rears, but I have no clue about the front steering 5 ton. They are 10 lug, 5:86 gearing, have a Detroit in them.
 
336wheeler said:
Not sure if this is too much to ask, but does anybody have info on the 5 tons? I can get my hands on two 5 ton rears, but I have no clue about the front steering 5 ton. They are 10 lug, 5:86 gearing, have a Detroit in them.
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They are huge, they dwarf a 2.5 ton. You could try Delks in Ashboro, or Clark truck parts in Nitro WV.
 
Yeah, I live in Asheboro and know Mr. Delk. But yeah, they are massive. I looked at them today and they are unbelieveable. Besides some agricultural trucks, I believe the only other trucks that the front steering axle came in were the 5 ton AMC trucks. I know the K3500 in TTC this past year ran them, and some of the swamp trucks in Florida run them, but I've never seen anybody around here run them. I would have to guess that they weigh about 850 lbs a piece or so, but the size of them is what makes them so desireable, haha.
 
336wheeler said:
Not sure if this is too much to ask, but does anybody have info on the 5 tons? I can get my hands on two 5 ton rears, but I have no clue about the front steering 5 ton. They are 10 lug, 5:86 gearing, have a Detroit in them.
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Thay should have 654 gearing. Unless somebody has come out with aftermarket gears. And a fully dressed 5 ton weighs right at a thousand.
 
Ahh, well that means that the front steering rockwell wouldn't work because I'm pretty sure that these are 5:86s. 5:86 vs. 6:54 definitely wouldnt work. I believe these are higher ratios because they are out of an early 80s Mack, so it was used for higher speed road travel.
 
i think the 5 tons came from the factory with 2 or 3 different ratios ... they weight around 1000 pounds a piece with the brakes removed and. comparing them to a 2.5 ton is like comparing a dana 30 and a dana 60
 
SSWaters said:
Wilwood Rotors 160-2894 LH & 160-2895 RH around $50 each.
(USA6X6 says use the 160-3870 &160-3871 $85 each, was told no real difference on a low speed application like this since I'm not doing any road racing)
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Thanks! Just saved me like $80...

SSWaters said:
Right now I'm using a Corvette master cylinder, don't remember the bore.
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The 'vettes with manual brakes had a 1" bore, and the power assist units were 1 1/8" ;)
 
My axles had 1 perch still on it... want it for a template?

You can have it for the cost of shipping. 4" tall spring perches are :gay:
 
I think this is an excellent thread, in fact it should be stickied. I thought I'd bring it back to life to find info rather than bombard SSWaters with PM's. :lol:

Does anyone know a local place closer than whiteowl.com (Kinston) to get seals, bearings, etc for 2.5 tons?

Also, SSWaters, did you ever come up with your own disk brake bracket for the rear? Maybe I could bring my rear housing to you and have you weld some brackets on since my welder is only 100 amps? :beer:

I haven't gotten a front yet, but I will probably go with the USA6x6 do-it-yourself kit, unless the F550 rotor idea is cheaper (I am going to be running the stock deuce wheels).
 
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