Disc brake conversion question

[chevguy7]

I am planning on doing a 3/5 maybe a 4/6 drop on my truck from Early Classic and will also be converting the front brakes to power disc. What do you guys recommend I do? Should I go with a kit for that from ECE, Brothers, etc. or would I be better off piecing those parts together since it is just basically rotors, calipers, booster, brake lines, and proportioning valve?
Thanks.

[70c10]

I bought a kit that included 2.5" drop spindles from GMCPauls for $470. I cut my front coil springs to lower it another 2.25". I bought a disc brake prop valve at the junkyard for $5 and a new master cylinder for $15. I had to buy a few brake line fittings at Napa to connect the prop valve to my existing brake lines. Thanks to 70GMCer it was about 8 hours total labor and around $500 after adding it up. It was nice working with new painted parts!

[ChevLoRay]

I used ECE components for my 2.5/4.0 drop; their coils, brake components, shock relocators, adjustable track bar, shocks, etc. I went to NAPA for the new ball joints, control arm bushings and shafts, center link, pitman arm, idler arm, etc. I kept mine as a 6-lug truck. It had P/B from the git-go, so I still have power brakes, and I'd recommend them for anyone else who's considering this kind of upgrade.

[Tynee]

Something to think about is the brake lines. I'm finding that its hard to find the pre-bent lines. Everyone wants to sell you hoses or let you bend your one. The best price I've found to replace the two lines coming out of my proportioning valve and going down to the frame is $80 for the two-piece set. If you found a kit that included those, you could probably save yourself some dough there.

[fastom]

Look at it this way, your working on the first safety system on the truck. This system is the one you want to work every time you use it.

The kit from ECE is very nice, everything bolts up the first time. All the parts come in the kit, plus the guys at ECE are great people that will do everything they can to help you.

[scottrod71]

Good information guys. I'm getting ready to do this swap as well and have been looking at the kit from LMC trucks. For the brakes, booster, spindle, proportioning valve, etc. they are somewhere around $1200. ECE is new to me. Anyone know how these 2 compare?

Thanks,
Scott

[Tynee]

Probably comparable parts, if you don't have any questions you'll be fine. If you need any help, you'll be glad you went with ECE instead of LMC.

I called LMC with a question the other day, and the answer from the other end of the phone was that they can only tell me whether they have a particular part in stock or not. They can't answer any technical questions, and don't have a tech support line.

[chevguy7]

Originally Posted by Tynee

Probably comparable parts, if you don't have any questions you'll be fine. If you need any help, you'll be glad you went with ECE instead of LMC.

I called LMC with a question the other day, and the answer from the other end of the phone was that they can only tell me whether they have a particular part in stock or not. They can't answer any technical questions, and don't have a tech support line.

I have never done disc brakes before and from what everyone is saying it doesn't sound that hard. Even so, the fact that ECE has a tech line is why I think I will go with them. Their prices seem to be relatively reasonable as well and have never heard anything bad about them.

[Robert Paul Thomas]

I can only comment on ECE. Before building my truck, I sourced out the who's who, and these guys are second to none. They know our trucks because this is only what they do. Jeff, Mark and Terry are always willing to help whenever possible. The products are always well built and they stand behind them.
Rob Thomas

[AuggieStyle]

check to see who LMC gets their equipment from i think it is CCp and from what i have heard from others they have had nothing but nightmares from CCP components. that is why i went with ECE the board members highly recommended them.

[1restorick]

I would also use ECE. Their dropped spindle is the best on the market and comes with dust shields. I just coverted my 63 to power disc brakes, power steering and drop coils early this year. For brake lines, I bought the pre-bent stainless steel line set sold by ECE but supplied by Inline Tube. They fit perfectly. My good friend bought their kit for his 67 chevy truck and was also very pleased. Here's some photos for consideration:

[bob1967]

Stay away from performance online, sounds like ECE is the way to go. I used the performance online kit for my 67 and it was a night mare. Everything had to be replaced, because the booster, master, and prop valve were bad when they sent it. There were no issues on replacing the parts, it was just another 2 weeks and a shop bill before it got done. My .02

[chevguy7]

Thanks for the pics 1restorick, can;t wait until my truck looks that clean underneath. It will be nice to be able to stop in a decent amount of time for once too. 4 wheel drums without power are not cutting it.

[Shasean]

I was very pleased with the ECE power disk conversion kit, quality parts,bolted right on and works great. My only little complaint was the booster came with the push rod cut at some random length and no where in the instructions did it say how long it should be so it took several fittings to get it the right length. All in all a great kit.