To Cheap, or NOT to Cheap.....

[charlie diaz]

I'm about to embark on the wonderfull journey of converting to disk brakes, and I wanted to ask all of you who have done this before a question. In your humble opinions, are you better off going with a pre-assembled kit, or piecing together used parts??? I've looked into several different companies (ECE, CPP, LMC...) for doing this and they seem a bit pricey. Just running the numbers in my head, it seems as though I can do it cheaper with used items and piece it together myself, but I could be wrong. Let me know what you guys think.

[72armyswbtruck]

If you can get and entire front suspension from an 73 to 86 or so era Chevy 1/2 truck with 5 lug disc, the entire front suspension changes out fairly easy, without having to change spindles and such. Plus sometimes you can get the entire set up for around $200 plus you will need the brake booster and the prop valve.

[cdowns]

i like myself// i dont care about cheap when it comes to brakes

[70c10]

I got a kit from GMCPauls for around $475 I think. All brand new!. 70GMCer came over to help install it and it took a total of 7 or 8 hours. I bought a prop valve at the junk yard for $5 and a few adapter fittings (maybe $10 total) to connect my new $20 master cylinder to my existing brake lines. Before everything was installed I painted the parts glossy black.

[68C15]

I got all of my parts from a donor truck. it was an 80 C10 with a blown 250 and 3 on the tree. I paid a whopping $35. then threw in a new set of pads, some seals and turned the rotors. grand total of about $60. then the back of the 80 transformed into a trailer.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by charlie diaz

I'm about to embark on the wonderfull journey of converting to disk brakes, and I wanted to ask all of you who have done this before a question. In your humble opinions, are you better off going with a pre-assembled kit, or piecing together used parts??? I've looked into several different companies (ECE, CPP, LMC...) for doing this and they seem a bit pricey. Just running the numbers in my head, it seems as though I can do it cheaper with used items and piece it together myself, but I could be wrong. Let me know what you guys think.

I like supporting the board vendors as much as possible. But, I pieced mine together because it's easier to deal w/issues locally vs. another state. Stuff like brake pads, mstr cylinders, boosters, & calipers come w/a lifetime warranty @ my local Autozone/Oreillys so it made sense for me to take this path.

I bought an entire front suspension from a 75 Chevy truck @ the wrecking yard for $200. Included was: Upper/Lower a-arms, disc brake spindles, rotors, backing plates, calipers, tie-rods (inner/outer), drag-link, wheels/tires, master cyl, pwr. booster, prop-valve, hard lines, rubber lines, the coil springs, & various clips & hardware. While I was there I also snagged a H.D. front sway bar off of a dually flat-bed.

I used the calipers, mstr. cyl, & booster as my core deposits which 'returned' some of my initial investment. I re-used the drag-link, prop-valve, backing plates, & hard lines after cleaning them since they're all non-wearing items.

I purchased dropped spindles & used the new(er) a-arms after rebuilding them w/fresh bushings & ball-joints. I also purchased new rubber lines & rotors just to keep everything 'new'.

I cut 1-coil from my stock springs & installed all the disc brake stuff along w/the drop spindles. I got some urethane bushings for the HD sway bar & installed it too.

If you don't mind sourcing the parts, you can piece together your own 'kit'. If you don't have the time..... then a kit from a board vendor is a good investment.

Good luck & have fun!

[70GMCer]

I'm going to be putting on a 84 front suspension and be done with it. Will be able to buy local parts....A lot cheaper also IMO.....

[rigon4]

Now can you just put 73-87 spindles and ball joints in a 67-70?

[charlie diaz]

thanks for all of your input guys!!! you guys ROCK!! Rigon4, I think I've read where the 73-87 spindles will not fit the 67-72 a-arms, hence why you have to get the entire front set up.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by charlie diaz

thanks for all of your input guys!!! you guys ROCK!! Rigon4, I think I've read where the 73-87 spindles will not fit the 67-72 a-arms, hence why you have to get the entire front set up.

The ball joints have to be swapped first..... then 73 & later disc spindles will bolt right up to the earlier a-arms.

[68MoneyPit]

I am planning on the same thing. I have a 68 short wide and an '88 suburban donor. I was planning on using the entire brake assembly, spindles, etc. for a cheap disk brake conversion. The donor is truly a donor. A gift from parents who no longer drive it. Best part is that it has a 350 with 10k rebuilt miles and a 700r4 trans. You don't have to say it, I can tell you are jealous as hell.

[charlie diaz]

I've been doing some more research since first posting this thread, and here's what I've found out.
I like the idea of using the newer components off of a 73-87 truck for the reason that the parts are more plentiful. BUT, it's only a cheaper by $150 or so. After tallying the cost of all new parts, (rotors, calipers, M/C, proportioning valve, inner/outer ball bearings, etc...) the total comes to almost $400 bucks. I plan on using a drop spindle on the front end, and the cheapest I can find a pair of those is around $200. Add that to the total of the other new parts, and you come to around the same price as the deluxe disc brake conversion kit from GMC Pauls ($620 plus shipping). Now everybody rants and raves about how great the parts are from ECE, but their conversion kit is almost $800. Has anyone here dealt with GMC Pauls before? I know their site banner is always in the upper right corner on here, but how good of quality is their stuff?? I'm wanting good quality products on my truck and not china made crap. Please don't think that I'm saying anything bad about GMC Pauls, I just haven't heard that much said about them. I know it says that their spindles are made here in AMERICA, but how about the rest of their stuff?? Sorry for the longwinded post, but my head feels like its going to explode trying to figure this out on my own.