easy disc brake swap
:canada: i have just swapped my drum brakesover to disc brakes by using the front pieces off a 1988 chev pickup. all i had to do was replace my bottom a-arm from a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton a-arm. the top balljoint was the same one but the bottom one had to be changed to a 88 ball joint. it pops right into the 3/4 ton a-arm. it only cost me 140.00 to do it as well. then your steering linkage just has to be adjusted to fit. i hope this helps somebody.
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You have any pics? I am interested in how it looks.
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i dont have any pictures yet, but will soon.
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Damn thats a good idea, let us know how they perform and wear over time!!! My hats off to you!!:)
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hello JHickson6: thanks for the reply. another good thing about this swap is the parts needed for this swap are the parts from a 1988-1993 truck including ball joints which are about 1/2 the price of 1968 ball joints.
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So what you used was an 88 and up spindel? with which lower balljoint, the 88 and up half, or the older 3/4 balljoint. All this utilizing the older upper control arm using the halfton balljoint?
Definetly feel the 6 lug updated adaptation may be within reach here using the newer semi-floating 14 bolt rear.!!!!!! (light 3/4ton, - 2500 series) |
hello Chop Top: the 88 spindel, rotor, calipers, and ball joints were used in the swap. but you need a 3/4 ton 68 a-arm instead of the 1/2 ton one. the bottom 88 balljoint fits into the 68 a-arm, and the top 88 ball joint fits on the 68 a-arm. the top 88 ball joint you half to grind the rivets off of the 88 a-arm and then bolt it to the 68 a-arm. hope this clears it up. thanks!!!
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can you post some pics love to see. did toy have to change your lines or power booster just wanting to know. love to do it if i can do it for cheep. the 900.00 kits are not for me
thanks Darren |
dream 69, Welcome to the board from Maryland. This sounds very interesting!. We would love to see some pics when you can. I don't drive my truck enough to justify the $700 kits either but would go for half of that if it's as simple as you say. I'm assuming you used the 88' 4x4 brakes to retain 6 lugs?. Did you use the newer style Master Cylinder and booster? Thanks.....Jim
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I wonder if the 76 3/4 ton lower arm with do? Thats whats under mine now. I would love to try this setup. That would give me more reason to re-install the older style upper arm with new bushings. Is this going to change my track width any??
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Hello chop top,
I believe the '76 3/4 ton lower arm is exactly the same but has a higher rubber snubber on it. So in my opinion it shouldn't change the track width any. dream68 |
Dream 68, thats an interesting swap! how did the tierods work out with the 88 spindles?(or better put...which ones did you use?)
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Dream68, Welcome aboard !!!!
That's the way I tried to do it, but didn't know the 3/4 ton was different. A friend gave me 2-1/2" drop spindles off of a newer truck, I bought everything to do the switch, But it came to a stop when I found out the lower ball joints were different, No one around here knew how to get around it. I went to Tuckers in Las Vegas and bought the complete disc brake,spindle kit from them. Wish I would have known this then. would have saved me about $600.00. That's nice about a board such as this, With so many people doing this stuff we learn most of the time the easy way instead of the hard way..... |
hello 70C10: i am going to use the master cylinder and booster off a 70 1/2 ton. will work just fine.
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Drum master on Calipers?
I don't think that is going to provide you with enough fluid volume for the calipers.
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2nd that chop top......the calipers will hang also with the residual valve on the drum master......
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ok guys, which year master do you suggest?
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71-72 I think would be the best, unless someone else has found another one that will bolt on our trucks.
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dream 68, i have always been a beleiver in peel the parts off the same truck if you can. My 69 longhorn has ALL the pcs off a 75 C10(master, lines,hoses,prop valve,calipers,reardiff/brakes......yep, its a 1/2 ton ride now! I couldnt say for sure on your combo, but i dont like to mix em. Generally, the pcs that were designed together tend to work best together. Good luck.....crazyL:)
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Crazy Longhorn: sorry so late getting back. i used the steering linkage from the 68. the tie rod ends fit the 88 spindle .
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Thats cool, its sounds like it will get around all the center link/tierod issues that are involved with using the 71-72,or 73-87 pcs on the older trucks! :)
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Dream68 youve got me thinking. Chevy made 6lug 2wd 3/4ton truck 88 up, so would the balljoints and evreything still work, I am wondering if the 6lug spindle is the same as the fivelug so i wouldent have to change the rearend.:confused:
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GMC JUNKIE TOO: my 68 chev was a 6 lug before the swap , and is after the swap. all parts work as i have stated before.....
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the 6 lug is the same...
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awsome, it will be alot cheaper than $899.00 for 6 lug disc brakes evenafter the drop spindles.:D
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dream68 can you elaborate on the 88 truck you got the parts off of. Was it a 1/2 ton or 6 lug 3/4 ton? I have Hollanders on my laptop and would be able to post some info for folks. Hollanders does show the 67-70 vs 71-87 3/4 ton lower control arms being different. Which did you use? I have heard you could use the 88-91 3/4 ton 2wd 6-lug rotors on 71-up spindles using 71-up calipers. I went to Autozone and had them pull a 71 1/2 ton 5-lug rotor and a 88 3/4 ton six lug rotor and they were basically the same and appeared to use the same bearing.
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JJR: it was a 88 1/2 ton chev 2wd that all these parts came from. everything was ripped off the same truck, even the gearbox, but the gearbox will not fit...
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Hollanders shows two spindles used on an 88 c1500 2wd. One for a 1" rotor and one for a 1 1/4" rotor. The spindle for the 1" rotor came on 88-91 c1500 and had a 1 1/4" inner bearing surface diameter. The spindle for the 1 1/4" rotor(which is probably what you have) came on the following:
CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 88 2500 Series; 4x2 CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 88-91 1500 Series; 4x2, 1-1/4" thick rotor CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 89-91 2500 Series; VIN models "C/K", 4x2, 6 bolt wheel CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 92-98 1500 Series; 4x2 CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 92-98 2500 Series; 4x2, 6 bolt wheel CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 99 1500 Series; exc. Silverado; 4x2 CHEVROLET VAN 96-99 1500 Series CHEVROLET VAN 96-99 2500 Series; 7300 lb. GVW GMC PICKUP TRUCK 88 2500 Series; VIN models "C/K", 4x2 GMC PICKUP TRUCK 88-91 1500 Series; 4x2, 1-1/4" thick rotor GMC PICKUP TRUCK 89-91 2500 Series; VIN models "C/K", 4x2, 6 bolt wheel GMC PICKUP TRUCK 92-98 1500 Series; 4x2 GMC PICKUP TRUCK 92-98 2500 Series; 4x2, 6 bolt wheel GMC PICKUP TRUCK 99 1500 Series; old style (flat, pull-up outside door handle), 4x2 GMC VAN 96-99 1500 Series GMC VAN 96-99 2500 Series; 7300 lb. GVW SUBURBAN 92 1500 Series; 4x2 SUBURBAN 93-96 1500 Series; 4x2, vacuum brake booster SUBURBAN 97-99 1500 Series; 4x2, gas TAHOE/YUKON 95-99 4x2 '95 up have ABS sensors on the brake shield. 1-3/8" inner bearing surface dia. Inner bearing consists of #LM48548 cone & #LM48510 cup. Heavy duty chassis option code is F44.. 15981299 R. 15981298 L. For lower control arm: the 67-70 3/4 lower arm can come from the following: CHEVROLET FORWARD CONTROL 68-70 20 Series CHEVROLET FORWARD CONTROL 68-70 30 Series; 7200 lb. rear axle CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 67-70 20 Series CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 67-70 30 Series; 7200 lb. rear axle CHEVROLET VAN 71 30 Series; drum brake GMC FORWARD CONTROL 68-70 2500 Series GMC FORWARD CONTROL 68-70 3500 Series; 7200 lb. rear axle GMC PICKUP TRUCK 67-70 2500 Series GMC PICKUP TRUCK 67-70 3500 Series; 7200 lb. rear axle GMC VAN 71 3500 Series; drum brake SUBURBAN 67-70 20 Series SUBURBAN 67-70 2500 Series If the 71-up 3/4 ton lower control arm can work they can come from the following: CHEVROLET FORWARD CONTROL 71-72 30 Series; 7200 lb. rear axle CHEVROLET FORWARD CONTROL 71-89 20 Series CHEVROLET FORWARD CONTROL 73-78 30 Series; non-removable carrier CHEVROLET FORWARD CONTROL 79-84 30 Series; drum rear brakes, sgl. rear wheels CHEVROLET FORWARD CONTROL 85-92 30 Series; exc. hvy. duty front susp.; drum rear brakes, sgl. rear wheels CHEVROLET FORWARD CONTROL 93 30 Series; exc. hvy. duty front susp.; drum rear brakes, sgl. rear wheels, w/o 9L6 brakes CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 71-72 30 Series; 7200 lb. rear axle CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 71-88 20 Series CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 73-80 30 Series CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 81-88 30 Series; std. duty susp. CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 89-91 2500 Series; VIN models "R/V" CHEVROLET PICKUP TRUCK 89-91 3500 Series; VIN models "R/V", std. duty susp. CHEVROLET VAN 72-78 30 Series GMC FORWARD CONTROL 71-72 3500 Series; 7200 lb. rear axle GMC FORWARD CONTROL 71-89 2500 Series GMC FORWARD CONTROL 73-78 3500 Series; non-removable carrier GMC FORWARD CONTROL 79-84 3500 Series; drum rear brakes, sgl. rear wheels GMC FORWARD CONTROL 85-92 3500 Series; exc. hvy. duty front susp.; drum rear brakes, sgl. rear wheels GMC FORWARD CONTROL 93 3500 Series; exc. hvy. duty front susp.; drum rear brakes, sgl. rear wheels, w/o 9L6 brakes GMC PICKUP TRUCK 71-72 3500 Series; 7200 lb. rear axle GMC PICKUP TRUCK 71-87 2500 Series GMC PICKUP TRUCK 73-80 3500 Series GMC PICKUP TRUCK 81-87 3500 Series; std. duty susp. GMC PICKUP TRUCK 88-91 3500 Series; VIN models "R/V", std. duty susp. GMC VAN 72-78 3500 Series SUBURBAN 71-88 20 Series SUBURBAN 71-91 2500 Series This statement makes for some confusion: This arm (71-up) may have two different ball joints one being light duty, the other being heavy duty. I am assumming they would be different diameters. I hope this info helps. |
JJR,the info given to me on the 3/4 tons(from local napa) is the ball joints interchange from 71-86 or 87 on the pickups. I didnt see his book, so it was just info given to me. I do know from experience that the 71 3/4 ton lower ball joint will press into the 67-70 3/4 ton lower arms, but the steer stops are different on the older arms(same deal as the 1/2 tons, it will shorten the turning radius), & will require a little grinding on the stops on the spindles to straighten it up.......crazyL
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That is good to know Crazy Longhorn. The local pull-a-part tends to have a good selection of 3/4 ton trucks and occationally an 88-up. The get $15 for control arms and spindles. I have also seen several sets of 88-up spindles on e-bay go dirt cheap. People put drop spindles on and basically give away the old ones. Since a already have a set of 71 1/2 ton control arms and spindles and new ball joints for them, I will probably end up buying a set of 6-lug rotors and use what I have.
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OK GUYS: the steering linkage is a tad sloppy in the spindle, so this is what you do. use the 68 intermediate shaft with the 88 tie rods. the inside tie rod end is changed to PART# : MOOG ES2020RL.(tie rod end). This setup fits and looks like a dream with no binding anywhere. the 88 tie rods are also bulkier than the 68 original setup..... I will be in touch with more updates as i go... KEEP ON TRUCKIN MAMA!!!!
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ALL PARTS NEEDED FOR BRAKE CONVERSION ON 68:::1968 1/2 ton top a-arm, 1970 3/4 ton bottom a-arm, 1988 1/2 ton ball joints(both), 1988 1/2 ton spindles, calipers, and rotors, 1968 1/2 ton intermediate shaft, 1988 1/2 ton tie rods, with the inner tie rod end changed to part#: MOOG ES2020. Brake lines can be changed if need be!!! GET TO WORK!!!
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This is great info...but...anyone know if this will work for a 70:confused:
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wnc mountain: i believe it should work because the boneyard told me the a-arms were the same from 68-70.
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72 to 68 front brake swap
New to the group and just saw your conversion. Tell me, i've got a streetable 72 donor truck. Can the front brakes be easily swapped in to a 68? Both are nonpower.
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Brake swap to earlier years
I've followed this conversation with the understanding that this brake swap would apply for the 60-66. Can you offer your knowledge about this same swap applying to these year Chevys/GMCs?
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Application to 60-66 models
Will this conversion apply to the 60-66 model Chevys and GMCs. I have a '63 GMC 6 lug that desperately needs more stopping power.
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Has anyone else tried this conversion? It seems like a cheap way to add modern brakes to an old truck but I would like to hear from others that have tried it.
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Now where to find a set of 3/4 ton lower control arms cheap?
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Have you had it on the road yet...?
Was wondering if you felt any difference in the way it handled with the change..? |
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