70 GMC 2WD brake conversion question.

[wildcatkit52]

Any knowledge or sites on converting from front drum to disk? Can newer body style parts be used? I just started searching this and haven't found much of anything except for off-the-shelf conversion kits, or trying to find factory 71-72 stuff that isn't trash. I am looking for the cheapest method to get this truck stoping better!

 

[divorced]

The guys at http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/index.php deal with this a lot. I think I can remember reading that the '73 to '87 stuff will work; you just unbolt the entire front crossmember/suspension and then bolt it under your truck. Do you have a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton?

 

[wildcatkit52]

Thanks! Just the type place I was looking for... It is a 1/2 ton. Looking for the best/easiest/cheapest way to get disks on the front... Those dang drums are a bit past their time!

 

[jays68yak]

hey, my roommate has some stock 72 disc spindles that he needs to sell. He went to drop spindles so he doesnt need these. I dont see why you couldnt get new rotors and calipers and be done with it.

 

[wildcatkit52]

How much for the spindles?

 

[supersize75k5]

how I did mine, was ordering some 2.5" drop spindles for 269.00 from ECC, then you use 73 and up calipers and pads.

dont forget to swap to a disk mc and porportioning valve.

 

[wildcatkit52]

That would work but I don't want to drop it. I am also looking for a good way to swap to 5 lug on the 12 bolt rear. I am looking into swapping axle shafts as the rear is a posi and I don't want to stick any old rear in to replace it...

 

[supersize75k5]

ECC ALSO SELLS STOCK SPINDLES, I have also seen a few sets of spindles on ebay.

 

[wildcatkit52]

Yeah. I will more than likely do the crossmember/suspension swap from a '73 to '87 body truck as they are plentiful around here and everything I would need would be there. I talked to Currie Enterprises and they said the easiest way to change the rear to 5 lug would be have the current axles redrilled for that pattern. I wonder what 6 lug hubs and discs would fit on the later hubs? So many questions, not enough experts...

 

[13lazer]

i bought 6 lug disc brake rotors that replace the 5 lug rotors from one of the classic parts catalogs, chevy duty maybe. personally if you own a 1970 truck, i believe it should have six lugs. avoids confusion at the swap meet. when you upgrade your spindles from a different year range, make sure your ball joints match your new spindles. I think there are differences in diameter and length of the ball joints between years and weight ranges.

 

[supersize75k5]

i bought 6 lug disc brake rotors that replace the 5 lug rotors from one of the classic parts catalogs, chevy duty maybe. personally if you own a 1970 truck, i believe it should have six lugs. avoids confusion at the swap meet. when you upgrade your spindles from a different year range, make sure your ball joints match your new spindles. I think there are differences in diameter and length of the ball joints between years and weight ranges.

the ball joint differece is between the 3/4 ton and 1/2 ton

my truck use to be a 3/4 ton 8 lug,

when I ordered the spindles I got to keep the 3/4 ton stuff but convert to 5 lug with a disk and 2.5 inch drop.


kind of confusing