eaton axle ?

[meathead95]

the full floating axle in my truck is an eaton by the pictures on blackbirds website. is that the same as the ho52 everyone said i had before? i was wondering because i bought some brake parts off of a board member for it and they are nothing like what i have?

[meathead95]

another ? i saw the rear disc conversion on the blackbirds website but how does that work when the axles bolt directly into the drum

[Big D]

I,m getting ready do the the conversion on my 72 K-2O with an Eaton HO-52.

I bought the disc brake adapters from ruffstuffspecialties.com, I like his design because it doesnt require spacers and extra hardware, Cost was about 60 bucks shipped.

Rotors and calipiers came from Oreilys, less than $100. I will probabably have about $300 in the rear disc, still less than it would have cost me to replace the rear drums and hardware.

As far as the difference in brake parts, there are 2 or three different brake drum sizes used on 3/4 tons. Mine has the 2 13/16" drums, some use the 2" ones. Parts can be pretty pricey, if you can get them at all. I was quoted $169 ea. for drums.

Lots of info here on the board on this swap or you can look on Pirate4x4.com.
there is a link there with step by step pics.

[special-K]

Eaton,HO52,Corperate,exc.Dana...one in the same.Blackbirds calls it the 3rd member or drop-out don`t they.I guess they just wanted their own name for it.
Check Napa,I think I paid about 1/2 that for my drums.I didn`t notice anything to be all that high.

[Fred T]

HO-52 was the stock rear in the 3/4 ton. It has a 10 bolt cover. The other rear was the 12 bolt Dana.

Blackbird's kit replaces the drum with the rotor, the caliper bracket bolts to the housing. You also need to change the wheel studs. I would recommend taking your hubs to a machine shop for that. A press is best for the job. Last ones I removed took about 20 tons to remove.

[1969 GMC]

If you know where to look, you can fabricate your own disc brake setup for a lot less than Blackbirds. I don't know why they always say they wont tell what they use, its not rocket science. K20 front rotors, cadillac ebrake calipers if you need ebrake, K20 calipers if not, buy or make the brackets.

Since our era trucks do not have the slip-on drums, the back of the hubs themselves are machined flat from the factory. You just pop the drum off, and then put it back together with the disc pinned to the hub with the studs.

I don't know about the press thing, I got the rear studs out of my Eaton H052 using a ball pein hammer and a drift.

[special-K]

Yeah,the studs pop right out.Installing easy,too.Just pry on the head a bit while threading an open lug nut until the head bottoms-out.I agree,brackets are butt-simple to make with minimum metal tools.

[meathead95]

when you put the rotors on what does the axle bolt to?

[Big D]

The rotors bolt to the original hubs, The wheel studs hold them together.

I'll try to get some pics as I assemble it . Here's a pic I saved of a completed unit.Notice that the new rotor sits behind the hub.

After You knock the studs out the drum can be seperated from the hub. Mine took a bit of work with a pry bar and a mallet to remove.

You might check out this link for more info:

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu7QlRu...deep/disc.html

[BCOWANWHEELS]

best to press them studs out

[meathead95]

o i c i didnt realize the drum and hub came apart.

hey big d if you would give me all the part numbers and sources you used to get the parts for your swap

[meathead95]

after already completely rebuilding the rear brakes including lines i hate to replace it all again when all i need is a passenger side ebrake arm. surely someone has one

[Big D]

Meathead, I should have the part you need. Send me a P.M. I'm going to part out a couple Eaton 52's in the near future.

For disc just ask for 76 model year front rotors/calipers for a K20. I have a couple of sets of used ones, but at $23 ea. for rotors and $20 ea. for calipers I decided to go with new.

[meathead95]

i wouldnt mind the disc's but i am anal about having an ebrake

[Big D]

Keith, You have a PM.

I'm looking into the emergency brake problem too. The eldorado calipers are kind of expensive ( around 80 bucks plus core ).

I might go with a pinion brake, they run around $300 in the magazines. I know some of the big trucks use them, I might look around the junkyards to find something that I can make work.

Heres a company that makes a kit, but they dont list one for the Eaton.

http://www.tsmmfg.com/

[meathead95]

thanks pm returned