Hello,
Just wanted to share some pictures here. I am not an expert by any means.

I am beefing up my ranger (Mazda b4000) to be able to haul trailers and take proper loads in the bed like a camper.
Because of the weight I plan on putting into it, one of the upgrades is disc brakes. Online most suggest using cobra brakes, which are good, however a big issue for me is the parking brake is not separated from the caliper, as well as the fact that the bracket is mounted strangely so the offset is wrong.

I did a small amount of research and found a slightly newer explorer sport has the same rear end, just wider, more spline, and disc brake. That's great! Or so I thought. Once I started taking them off I noticed the bolts were longer for one, and it appeared as if the bolt pattern was slightly larger.

Once I got the stuff back it was discovered that it was the case.

So I decided to cut off the end bearing flanges and make my own.



What it looks like when done (I still have to assemble I just finished welding it last night)






This is welding process

Completed welding

painting




Original flange

cut flange ears off and rounded

new flange cut with carbide holesaw





Hope this inspires someone to upgrade their brake system. I may update with more photos as it gets reassembled and reinstalled fully into truck. There are some other things to consider. The master brake should not have to be changed but a proper check valve installed for disc brakes on the rearward line.

Thanks,
Hope you like the mods :)

 

Nice work

Just FYI
The legal weight limits, in bed load or towing, for your 1997 B4000 4x4 can not be changed by anything you do to the vehicle, its basically "written in stone" by the vehicle maker that year for the model you have
Manual trans drops trailer weight by quite a bit
4.0l with manual has 3,000lbs towing limit, with automatic 5,800lbs, almost doubled

 

Hello Ron!

Yes sir, I am just trying to make it much more accepting of driving consistently at its maximum capacity. And appear less loaded to the authorities, when it is near or at maximum.
Just finishing up lunch, and back to it! should be hanging in the truck hopefully by end of day today :)
Still have to do the brake lines and make the little brackets for the hoses. I am using two right hand side hoses and new brake hard lines and original hose from the truck (but new).

I do have the automatic and seem to have all the heaviest options in the truck, it is an SE model so I think it should have the best.

Thanks for the interest :))

 

Update:

Axle nearly completed; Old leaf spring bolts are VERY stuck in there, going to take some work to get them out. Then go in the upgraded 5 leafs!


Almost done! Just have to make a few hose brackets and hardlines, still unsure about how the brake cable is going to work. I think I need different ends on it so, I may have some custom made or something. maybe make an adapter

Idea for where to place brake hoses, I am using two right side hoses from the explorer the brake components came from (1999 Sport 4.0 SOHC)

Parking brakes confirmed working and adjusted, everything ready to go! :)

 

Update

Mounting brackets

Used some laser cut axle brackets from my AE86 drift project.

They work good for this application.


Next are the hardlines! :D

 

Update: COMPLETE! TEST DRIVEN!



Hardlines Completed

Right hard line is not my proudest or best work :(

fitting axle under the truck

Another angle

As was intended, the OEM brake cables insert and latch correctly. The ends need to be modified to the explorer style or an adapter made

Another photo (The cable is not fully latched in these photos as I was unsure if I would need to remove them again during the installation process)

Everything is installed, minus the sway bar. That will be a continuation. I was excited to try out my new braking system

Booty is in the air, Just like I wanted.


Working great!

 

Final post :)
Just used it to move some things from one place to another. 300km of travel and no issue.
Drives great after the restoring, still lots of work to do, but I am in love and don't plan on selling it now.