Disc Brake Upgrade Reference Thread

[66 GMC 351E]

Originally Posted by ChiefRocka

Being that he has a 3/4 ton, he could just leave his current a-arms, and run 88-98 1/2 ton bj's and brakes.
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Wait. What? I have a '66 3/4 ton GMC and I'm about to make this upgrade. I pulled the entire crossmember from an '81 Chevy 3/4 ton and was planning to use just the spindles, rotors and calipers from the donor and leave my existing crossmember and control arms. Can't I do this by just swapping out the ball joints? And what about the tie rods. Can I use the stock inner and outers?

[Captainfab]

We were talking about converting a C20 to a C10.

In keeping with a C20, you should be able to just change the ball joints and add the spindles and such. As for the tie rods, I always recommend changing the entire steering linkage to the pieces that came on the disc brake donor. This way there is no special adapter sleeve, and no guessing on which tie rods you need later when they need replaced. You will just have to drill 2 new holes to mount the later style idler arm.

Originally Posted by 66 GMC 351E

Wait. What? I have a '66 3/4 ton GMC and I'm about to make this upgrade. I pulled the entire crossmember from an '81 Chevy 3/4 ton and was planning to use just the spindles, rotors and calipers from the donor and leave my existing crossmember and control arms. Can't I do this by just swapping out the ball joints? And what about the tie rods. Can I use the stock inner and outers?