First year 3/4 ton had disc brakes?

[TugOwar]

Just what the title asks.

I'm asking because my neighbor went junkyarding today and invited me along. I walked up to the one and only 67-72 GM truck on the place and started looking at what was left of it.

I got the wildsheild wiper motor and both AC ball vents out of it. Still had the AM radio, AC/heater controls, dash bezel and cluster minus the gas gauge, 12bolt rear with coils. Cab not too bad, rust in all the factory places.

Glass, light lenses, tailgate wasted. Hood, right fender and grill gone already.

Then I looked down at the front end and my jaw hit the ground. 8 lug spindles with disc brakes, calipers still in place. OMG what I'd give to put those puppies on my 68. But, par for the course, I'm broke until week after next.

So I'm asking, what would I need to make this swap, assuming I go back in two weeks and they're still there. Just a matter of swapping spindles or do I need A arms as well?

And what would you expect to pay for the items needed to make the swap?

[1969k10stepside]

The first year would be 71,of course thats a guess but you would figure
they would change to disc on 3/4 the same as 1/2 ton which was 71.

[Longhorn Man]

yup, 71

[TugOwar]

Wow awesome, thanks for the replies. So its just a spindle swap then? and of course brake lines, master cylinder, prop valve, etc.

[Daubs]

Yep, my first vehicle was a 1971 Chevy 3/4 ton 2wd. And it had power disk brakes...and this neat little faded sticker on the tailgate that said "disk brakes."

[chevy_fatman]

You can get the same front suspension from trucks up to '91 (whole crossmember and everything) it will fit, only difference is a couple of holes in your frame that you have to enlongate but everything is a bolt on, somebody said the newer stuff is cheaper at the auto parts store to replace too?

That front end in that truck you saw at the yard will most likely need everything replaced or rebuild, why not get something newer that's cheaper to buy when you're rebuilding it anyways?

edit: my '67 has a front suspension from a 1984 truck

[8bolt]

Originally Posted by chevy_fatman

You can get the same front suspension from trucks up to '91 (whole crossmember and everything) it will fit, only difference is a couple of holes in your frame that you have to enlongate but everything is a bolt on, somebody said the newer stuff is cheaper at the auto parts store to replace too?

That front end in that truck you saw at the yard will most likely need everything replaced or rebuild, why not get something newer that's cheaper to buy when you're rebuilding it anyways?

edit: my '67 has a front suspension from a 1984 truck

I maybe wrong but is it not up to 91 suburbans and 87 truck crossmembers that will fit?

[special-K]

Ball joints-out,get it all.Yeah,and the master cyl/prop valve.

[Longhorn Man]

burbs, and also the one ton cab/chassis

[chevy_fatman]

crewcabs too

[special-K]

Up through the end of that V/R-series.(`91)

[TugOwar]

Gentlemen, I really appreciate the additional input. Bookmarked this thread for easy reference because this time tomorrow my forgetter will have kicked in!

In a perfect world a complete, late model crossmember swap would be my preference. But I imagine it involves pulling the engine, and probably the whole front clip just to get to the necessary nuts and bolts. I'm a one man show without an engine crane.

On the other hand, I could swap out spindles in a day and have her rolling again without any special tools.

Now if later model SPINDLES would swap out to my original A-frames/ball joints, THAT would be awesome and easy.

[thecatseye66]

Originally Posted by TugOwar

In a perfect world a complete, late model crossmember swap would be my preference. But I imagine it involves pulling the engine, and probably the whole front clip just to get to the necessary nuts and bolts. I'm a one man show without an engine crane.

...

Now if later model SPINDLES would swap out to my original A-frames/ball joints, THAT would be awesome and easy.

You don't have to pull the engine to do the crossmember swap. Just jack, hoist or lift the frame and unbolt the entire linkage with it. You have to lift or jack from the front framehorns while you support the crossmember with a floor jack. Give a buddy a beer to help you steer the jack when you actually remove and replace the crossmember.

The spindles don't swap because of the turn-stops and tie-rod end differences with the older steering linkage as well as one of the ball-joints from the 73-91 spindles doesn't fit in the adjacent socket in the a-arm.

You also have to make sure you have the 71/2 booster to go with the new disc/drum master cylinder and decide where to locate the proportioning valve and that all the brake lines work out okay. Some trucks had the brakelines running in back in the older years but the newers run across the front. The original 3/4 ton 67-70 double diaphram booster will not work with the disc/drum m/c.

I've done a couple of these and you can pull it off alone, with air tools in two days. If you gave it two weekends you'd have time to get the tools and paint you forgot buy beforehand.

[Daubs]

I invested in engine hoist and loving every minute of it. Guys here said they have pulled beds and cabs off with your standard hoist. So I figured I'd get one. Best $235 I've spent in a long time.