Disc Brake Upgrade Reference Thread

[1966C30]

I have new saddles and was just going to weld them onto the older crossmember. but if that newer one will bolt on then i'll just use it. I also made the mistake of not buying the crossmember with my control arms and spindles and the studs to mount my control arms are smaller on the new one but the old studs fit it perfectly any idea on that?

Originally Posted by Captainfab

There is no difference in the frame widths from '63 thru '87 in the C series and thru '91 in the R series.

It is not uncommon for the frame rails to spring apart a little once you unbolt the original crossmember. All you need to do is squeeze them back together a little, and bolt in your new suspension.

How do you plan on locating the lower control arms without saddles on your original crossmember? Unless you have something different than I have seen in 35 years of working on these trucks.

To use the '73-'87 tierods with your original draglink you will need to purchase the aftermarket aluminum tie rod adapters. I believe the original outters become your inner tierods. I'm not sure as I have never bought them. I just change the entire steering linkage to the '73 -'87 components.

You might want to check out Henry's thread. He is in the process of upgrading his '64 C30.

http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...=531513&page=4

[Captainfab]

If you were to weld new saddles onto your original crossmember, they have to be absolutely perfectly located. Otherwise you will have all sorts of alignment issues

Just what studs are you referring to? The ones for the upper control arms?

Originally Posted by 1966C30

I have new saddles and was just going to weld them onto the older crossmember. but if that newer one will bolt on then i'll just use it. I also made the mistake of not buying the crossmember with my control arms and spindles and the studs to mount my control arms are smaller on the new one but the old studs fit it perfectly any idea on that?

[1BAD65]

HEY CAPTAIN!

I'm glad to be back here with you all! It's been almost a year since I last logged in.
I'm ready to get back to work on my 65 C10 frame off build. Just finished reading all 14 pages of this thread and DAMN! What a Great thread!

Here's my question: My 73-87 front crossmember assembly came with 1 inch rotors.
Please tell me what parts I need to change over to the 1.25 inch rotors.

I don't know the exact year of the crossmember assembly since it was already bolted to the SWB frame I bought to convert my Long Bed to a Short Bed and the PO did not know either.

Thanks

[Captainfab]

You just need the spindles, rotors and calipers for a '73-'87 with the 1.250" HD rotors. You will of course also need the bearings and seals for the rotor.

[1BAD65]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

You just need the spindles, rotors and calipers for a '73-'87 with the 1.250" HD rotors. You will of course also need the bearings and seals for the rotor.

SWEET! spindles, calipers and rotors with new bearings and seals.


There's no difference between lower and upper control arms on a truck with
1" rotors and one with 1.25" rotors?

Thanks again!

[Captainfab]

Control arms, ball joints, everything is the same.

Originally Posted by 1BAD65

SWEET! spindles, calipers and rotors with new bearings and seals.


There's no difference between lower and upper control arms on a truck with
1" rotors and one with 1.25" rotors?

Thanks again!

[1966C30]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

If you were to weld new saddles onto your original crossmember, they have to be absolutely perfectly located. Otherwise you will have all sorts of alignment issues

Just what studs are you referring to? The ones for the upper control arms?

yeah the new upper control arms fit the original but not the newer crossmember. and i checked my measuring on the crossmembers themselves and the original crossmember is still 3/8" bigger than the new one. Is that still the same senario of the cross member spreading?

[Captainfab]

I don't remember if I have ever measured the front crossmember mounting flanges or not. Of the several I have changed in the past 30 years, I have never had any real problems bolting up a '73-'87 crossmember to a '63-'66 frame.

Originally Posted by 1966C30

yeah the new upper control arms fit the original but not the newer crossmember. and i checked my measuring on the crossmembers themselves and the original crossmember is still 3/8" bigger than the new one. Is that still the same senario of the cross member spreading?