drop spindles, do they make them for drum brake spindles?

[70blackfish]

i just got a 69 gmc 1/2 ton. springs are cut way to much in the fron and the rear has no springs. sitting on the frame

[Square_78]

Long story short... no they dont. Need to convert to discs to use a drop spindle. You can use a lowered control arm like the ones from ride tech but they are $700. May as well convert to discs if you are going to spend that much.

[70blackfish]

Thank you.
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[GMCJOE]

Your best bet is to get lowering springs if you want to keep your drum brakes. But, I do suggest just buying the disc brake kit and updating. Or find a donor truck and swapping it's system over, then you can just purchase the disc brake spindles. I am going to be sitting a little over $600 in my disc brake conversion on my 69. Bought the mc/booster,proportioning valve, lines, and brake pedal set up used from a member here for a $100. Saving a ton of money doing it this way. Going with GMCPauls.com for the disc brake kit, cost of $535 without shipping.

[CC69Rat]

You can also find a donor truck, get the 71-72 front end giving you the 5 lug / Disc setup too. You can find them for $125-$150 or so. It's a LOT of work if you've never done it mainly because the balljoints are pressed in / riveted in. Just make sure you get the drag link / center link, tie rods / ends and you could run a 71-72 dropped spindle to make it all play nice together.

So, OE front swap to 71-72 - $150, $200 tops.
2.5" drop spindles $228
Cut one turn out of some factory springs = 2.25" or so MORE drop.
Or, some 1" drop springs? .. just depends on how low you want it.

In the rear, Jeep TJ springs 97-2006 will give you about 4-5" net drop but they are REALLY soft. You won't be able to haul much at all.. but at least you'll have some kind of suspension. you can pick those up very cheap on eBay, etc.

just some ideas.

73-87 front Kmember swap will work too, giving you the F44 (1.25" thick rotors) Buy a donor truck, pull the front end sell what you don't need even for scrap? If you do it right, you could come out for very little $ out of pocket.

Drop Spindles are the way to go, occasionally they come up in the parts section. Hope this helps.

[70blackfish]

But the change to 5 lug means rims too,
Of I go with 2" inch drop spindles, I thought blazer or whatever had six lug,
And thanks for the info on jeep springs!
Know we're I can get some stock or cut front springs?

Thanks!
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[CC69Rat]

Your 6 lug 8" wide wheels are highly desirable with this forum crowd. You could about sell those and buy 5 lug, whatever you wanted (within reason) .. Performance Online and other places sell 6 lug disc rotors though. It is possible.

It's all about the $$ ..

[GMCJOE]

Originally Posted by 70blackfish

But the change to 5 lug means rims too,
Of I go with 2" inch drop spindles, I thought blazer or whatever had six lug,
And thanks for the info on jeep springs!
Know we're I can get some stock or cut front springs?

Thanks!
Posted via Mobile Device

No reason to change if you don't want to. I am keeping mine 6 lug. One of the reasons for that is I already have a set of rims I like and don't plan on changing them. Though, if you do swap to 5 lug you have a larger selection of after market wheels. And the conversion kit, if bought new is a little cheaper thru some companies.

Just do some window shopping online if you want to buy new. Find a brand that you like, and find the best price. I have been looking for over a year so far, and last week I finally settle on a brand and vendor that sells what I want.

[CC69Rat]

You could easily sell your other stuff we talked about and do a full 5 lug swap. (OE stuff, dropped spindles, etc.)

Or, for about $1,800 or so you could do a complete swap, new suspension components with a 5 lug conversion, discs, and 4/6 drop with all new shocks and everything you need. Stan at Early Classics can fix you up.

[sir_talk_alot]

find a local 4x4 shop for trucks and jeeps. i went by a local shop and asked if they had any and they handed them to me. all they do is scrap them when they install the lifts.