Rockwell 2 1/2 Info Thread

I got all my seals from a guy in GA.. I'll look up his number, but his prices were GREAT. It's the guy Gerstner and Ouverson were talking about.
 
I've gotten all my axle parts from http://www.csihmmwv.com in Georgia. Call Tom at 770-445-0455 - he knows every part you can think of. Shipping is pretty much actual cost, and delivery is with a day or two because of how close they are. Excellent prices. This is one of Steve Gerstner's sources.

Stewart
 
I just got done reading the article on PBB about using the school bus rotors, there are part #'s for the rotors and maybe the calipers, but it looks like it would have to be a custom made bracket as nobody sells one off the shelf. I don't know if I'd trust too many people to make something like that. I might try to talk to CRS about it.
 
stewartgivens said:
I've gotten all my axle parts from http://www.csihmmwv.com in Georgia. Call Tom at 770-445-0455 - he knows every part you can think of. Shipping is pretty much actual cost, and delivery is with a day or two because of how close they are. Excellent prices. This is one of Steve Gerstner's sources.

Stewart
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That's the guy!
 
My rear mounts are welded on sorta in the same area as these. Draw me a template out of construction paper and I'll make it up for ya.
 
SSWaters said:
maddog411 - You talking this brake setup?
37045f6fdf32a955.jpg

Photo from jeepkillaWITHburbzilla on Chucks.
My rear mounts are welded on sorta in the same area as these. Draw me a template out of construction paper and I'll make it up for ya.
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Yeah, that's kinda what I was talking about. Those are about the same as the school bus rotors. I was just wondering where to get a bracket. If you can custom make then that's great!!! :beer:
 
Just thought I'd mention something I found...the rockwell axle tube tube is right at 3 3/16", the same as the diameter of a 14 bolt....Looks like my 14 bolt spring plates will work, I'll just have to get some square ubolts from Galloways.
 
maddog411 said:
Just thought I'd mention something I found...the rockwell axle tube tube is right at 3 3/16",
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I'll have to double check, but mine are at least 3 1/2" front to back, and IIRC 3 3/4" top to bottom...
 
Ok, I finally have a front and rear but no brakes yet, and the thread about the USA6x6 adapter got me thinking about another brake setup, so what do you guys think of this:

Use the USA6x6 hub-to-rotor adapters ($60 per axle) and the rotors they recommend (~$25).

Buy some 3/4 ton or 1 ton Chevy calipers and pads and get someone to make a custom bracket (SSWaters, hint hint :) ) instead of the $125 a piece calipers USA6x6 recommends. The only problem with those is they are designed for a 1.5" rotor and the USA6x6 rotor is 1.25" think. The piston in the calipers will compress quite a bit, so it should still work as long as I don't allow the pads to get all the way worn down, right?
 
maddog411 said:
The only problem with those is they are designed for a 1.5" rotor and the USA6x6 rotor is 1.25" think. The piston in the calipers will compress quite a bit, so it should still work as long as I don't allow the pads to get all the way worn down, right?
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Could you put some spacers behind one or both pads (depending on how the pads are mounted)? I bet I could put spacers behind the inner pad on a GM D60 if needed. Can't remember how the 3/4-ton pads look.
 
I think you'll be fine.. you're only talking 1/8" per side.

I do much prefer fixed calipers over sliding though, but that's just splitting hairs kinda sorta.

Off-topic, but on topic re: rockwells.. Does anyone have a set of jack stands that holds these fawkin things in place? even my 6-ton ones don't cradle the axle tube, it just sorta sits on there..

Might have to make something.
 
On the brakes - think about what you will be trying to stop. In my case it's 49" Iroks on steel wheels. Takes a lot of force. The expensive calipers are wilwood 4 piston ones. I wouldn't even think about putting on a cheap set of calipers and then trying to stop either from speed, or in 4 Lo.

Jackstands - you're right - 6 ton ones don't have a wide enough lip. I ended up wrapping a chain around the axle and pulling it tight onto the jackstand with a binder.

Stewart
 
The wilwood rotors come in about any size and pattern, just do a search on them. I listed the cheaper rotor and other pn's earlier in this thread. Even Heintz Performance (behind Lowes Motor Speedway) stocks these, I guess they are popular with dirt trackers. The wilwood calipers are hard mounted on this set up, the 4 pistons float to center and cover small misalignment. I went this way because I already had 16.5" tires and didn't want to go through the hassale of selling and rebuying tires.

The other setup I've read about are school bus rotors and Izuzu NPR truck (commercial) rotors. You have to run a 20" wheel I'm pretty certain unless you have some crazy or no backspacing. The NPR's need machined and the school bus rotors you have to use bolts instead of studs on your spindle. - (HAVEN"T DONE THIS PERSONNALY YET SO NOT CERTAIN) - Have a friend who sells this big truck stuff so when I get PN's I'll update this post, but he did say the bus rotors were like twice or more in price what I paid for the wilwoods.

On stands, it's fine till you put the center chunk back in, then, look out! It'll flip in a second if you aren't careful. I'm gon'na weld some pipe to the bottom of some big U shaped channel to slip in my floor jacks for when I'm moving them around and under the Jeep.

MADDOG, brake brackets, make me a pattern out of cardboard or poster paper. Ain't got no CNC but do have a torch, plasma, cut offs, access to a bandsaw, welders and lots of grinding wheels. Rich just had some nice steering arms made for his when you get to that point by kc4x4.
 
SSWaters said:
The wilwood rotors come in about any size and pattern, just do a search on them. I listed the cheaper rotor and other pn's earlier in this thread. Even Heintz Performance (behind Lowes Motor Speedway) stocks these, I guess they are popular with dirt trackers. The wilwood calipers are hard mounted on this set up, the 4 pistons float to center and cover small misalignment. I went this way because I already had 16.5" tires and didn't want to go through the hassale of selling and rebuying tires.
The other setup I've read about are school bus rotors and Izuzu NPR truck (commercial) rotors. You have to run a 20" wheel I'm pretty certain unless you have some crazy or no backspacing. The NPR's need machined and the school bus rotors you have to use bolts instead of studs on your spindle. (HAVEN"T DONE THIS PERSONNALY YET SO NOT CERTAIN) Have a friend who sells this big truck stuff so when I get PN's I'll update this post, but he did say the bus rotors were like twice or more in price what I paid for the wilwoods
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According to the articles I've read on the bus rotors, they have to be machined as well. The F550 calipers with the bus rotors (15+") would be the strongest brake setup. The F550 calipers are in the neighborhood of $125-$150 each. The cheapest place mentioned on PBB for the bus rotors is brakewarehouse.com, $105 + ~$40 shipping each.

So I was thinking, for the cheapest setup, why not use the 1 ton rotors usa6x6 recommends ($25 each) and some 1 ton chevy calipers (~$50 each). as far as the 1 ton chevies not being strong enough, my experience is with 1 ton fords in front, a disk'ed 14 bolt in rear, and a 1/2 ton MC was plenty to stop 44's, and I'm moving up to a Chevy 1 ton MC no matter what.

I was thinking about the fixed calipers today and how they would work as pads wear. SSWaters, can you explain this "float to center" on the willwood calipers? I don't see how it could work if the outside pad (opposite the piston) can't move.
 
There are 2 pistons on each side, 4 total; not just one or two pistons on one side like D44 Chevy's.
Wilwood squeezes from both sides, Chevy D44 squeezes by pushing one side over against the fixed side.

Not saying one is better than the other, just that's why a wilwood caliper is hard mounted where the other style sorta floats on pins or alignment bolts.
 
maddog411 said:
I was thinking about the fixed calipers today and how they would work as pads wear. SSWaters, can you explain this "float to center" on the willwood calipers? I don't see how it could work if the outside pad (opposite the piston) can't move.
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There are 4 pistons on a wilwood caliper, 2 on each side. they press evenly on the rotor from both sides, so the caliper doesn't need to move.. sliding calipers only have one piston, so the whole frame needs to move (and it flexes as it does)
 
Rich said:
There are 4 pistons on a wilwood caliper, 2 on each side. they press evenly on the rotor from both sides, so the caliper doesn't need to move.. sliding calipers only have one piston, so the whole frame needs to move (and it flexes as it does)
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SSWaters beat you by 1 minute...thanks for playing, we have some nice parting gifts for you. :lol: :flipoff2:
 
SSWaters said:
MADDOG, brake brackets, make me a pattern out of cardboard or poster paper. Ain't got no CNC but do have a torch, plasma, cut offs, access to a bandsaw, welders and lots of grinding wheels. Rich just had some nice steering arms made for his when you get to that point by kc4x4.
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Thanks man...I've been kinda slow on this cause of money, once I sell some stuff I'd at least like to try the 1 ton chevies on the rear at least. I assume you weld the bracket on, since it looks like a long ass reach from a hub flipped out to the old backing plate holes?
 
SHINTON said:
I think we can say that LIFTING your offroad vehicle, etc etc will make it more dangerous on the road, etc. If you are worried about the danger on the road, either make it a trail only rig or leave it stock.... :flipoff2:
Seems to me putting 2.5 ton axles means this isn't really a rig that "should" be driven on the road any longer. You CAN....but as with ANY highly modified rig it is a heck of a lot more dangerous.
Honestly, my rig is to the point I don't like to drive it on the highway...in 2005 I have 20 miles or less on the road...but I am legally tagged, etc.
Good Tech Aaron, thx....
Sam
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sam, love ya but i have to disagree. sure rockwells are overkill for anything (except rich's right foot :flipoff2: ) but they def have their place. I on the other hand enjoy the adventure and suspence of the potencial break. the fear that goes along with the impending poorly thought out forgone conclusion. Will i make it back in time for my monday classes or job? who knows. All i know is that i have an 8000 Lb. warn that will get me over any obstacle i question. Oh and here is the kicker. I get to drive my rig home. I know. In these days of cheap trailers and cheap gas:rolleyes: it is easy to understand the ways of the "trail only" trail rig. but let us not forget those who braved on with compromised designs so that they might not end their acedemic or professional future to conquer a rock.

any one know where i can get a set of 36" swampers cheap?

haha, love you guys.
 
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