Disc Brake Upgrade Reference Thread

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by malford

I am looking at this post as a reference for a project I am working on to find some donor parts. The project is a 1963 SWB Stepside C10. I recently ran across a guy parting out a 1986 2wd Suburban and I think there are some parts on it I can use to convert to disc brakes up front as well as power steering. What can I use off of this vehicle?

You can use the whole front x-member, steering gear and power steering pump, and also the brake booster/ms-cyl set-up. Some other stuff I'm probably forgetting.....

[Captainfab]

You can also use the rear differential so you have 5 lug in the rear as well as the front. However this will require some cutting and welding. If this Suburban happens to have an engine and transmission, that can be used also.

[Slow Build]

I read somewhere that you can use the tranny crossmember from the suburban if you plan to do a 700R4 swap.

[raycow]

Sorry to keep on beating this thing to death, but I'm still not clear on this one point. Let's say you already have 5 lug 1-1/4" discs (73-87 type). Will the 88-98 6 lug rotors work on the existing spindles, or do you still have to do the spindle swap? When I tried a parts lookup, it appears that the bearings are the same, A3 and A5, but is that enough to insure that the rotors will swap?

Ray

[Captainfab]

Yes the '88-'98 6 lug rotors do use the same bearings, and they do technically fit the '71-'87 spindles, but they don't line up with the calipers. So yes if you want to use those rotors, you will have to use the '88-'98 1500 or LD 2500 spindles and related parts. This also requires you to change the LCA to a C20 LCA.

Otherwise, if you're going to use the '71-'87 spindles, you will have to buy the aftermarket 6 lug rotors as Russ65C10 stated.

Originally Posted by raycow

Sorry to keep on beating this thing to death, but I'm still not clear on this one point. Let's say you already have 5 lug 1-1/4" discs (73-87 type). Will the 88-98 6 lug rotors work on the existing spindles, or do you still have to do the spindle swap? When I tried a parts lookup, it appears that the bearings are the same, A3 and A5, but is that enough to insure that the rotors will swap?

Ray

[ChiefRocka]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

The suspension from a '88 pickup will not bolt up to your '66. If you had gotten your parts from a '71-'87 pickup or '71-'92 Suburban, you could do as you are asking.

The complete pickup platform changed in '88, and is not interchangeable with earlier years. The only way you can use those parts on your '66 is to use your original upper control arm, a '63-'66 C20 lower control arm, and then install the '88 upper and lower balljoints, spindles, rotors, calipers, etc. This is the same as the 6 lug conversion described in this thread.

So you CAN use a '63 C-20 LCA....with an '88 BJ ?

It doesn't have to be a '67-'87 LCA ?

I have a rolling '63 C-20 Chassis that I am parting out.

[raycow]

Russ and Captain, thank you for clearing that up. It makes sense that if a factory part would fit, there wouldn't be any need for the aftermarket 6 lug rotors.

Ray

[Captainfab]

The '63-'70 C20 lower ball joints are the same part number. The '71-'87's are a different part number, but the ball joint hole in the LCA is the same size. The only issue with using a '63-'66 C20 LCA is the different shaft that they use. It is basically flat with holes for bolts to attack to the crossmember. So if you were to use the '63-'66 C20 LCA's on anything other than a '63-'66 C20 crossmember, the shafts would need to be changed to the '67-'86 C20 style.

Originally Posted by ChiefRocka

So you CAN use a '63 C-20 LCA....with an '88 BJ ?

It doesn't have to be a '67-'87 LCA ?

I have a rolling '63 C-20 Chassis that I am parting out.