6 lug disc brake conversion

[BIGBLU 72]

Im sure that this has been talked about on here, but i have to ask. what are my options for swaping the 6 lug drums on my 68 for 6 lug discs. 5 lug discs are not an option! what will i need, how much is it gunna cost me and are there any pics?

[Terakilla]

Try classicperform.com or any board vendor.

[mclairmo]

Buy a new kit, forget about piecing together a used set. I went with used stuff and cost me same as a new kit would have cost and took me way more time to complete.

[gcburdic]

Try the parts board....VA72C10 has a nice setup for sale minus the Booster/MC/ prop valve....http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=363986

[lolife99]

Look at Nate's truck,...
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=353633

[BIGBLU 72]

Not really wanting to drop the truck or drop a load of cash ( im a college student and $500 is a load of cash to me LOL)...... any swaps from late model trucks?

[texanidiot25]

For 500?

Junk yard 73-87 "heavy half ton" spindles, for the 1.5" wide disk brakes, matching calipers. Get 73-87 outter tie rod. Keep your stock tie rod end and use which ever has the correct threads. We believe on my truck that the tie rods were swapped in my truck's past and were put on wrong... But I used the 'stock' outer and '73-87 outter with teh CPP conversion tie rod sleeve. CPP 6-lug rotors. New brake lines. Put the 73-87 ball joints into your stock arms, and put in the 73-87 spindle, newly made conversion tie rod, and you can start driving there. Yes, it is highly reconmended to swap the MC and prop valve, but you can live with out it for the time beeing. I run the setup as is and I do pizza delivery. Trust me, this truck has NO problem coming to a stop. And it's seen a few thousand miles. Even in the wet it's still very stable and easy to work with out locking up. And far better than any drum brake setup can offer.

The disk brake MC and Prop valve can be pulled from a 73-87 donor, but it take a bit of work to make sure all the geometry works in the brake linkage in some cases. Or you can surf the board and find a good deal on a 67-72 setup as well. I got my MC and prop valve for $60 bucks. Just haven't had the down time to get to my dad's to swap it all in and put in some new hard lines (just to optimize the setup to it's best).

Spent maybe 400-500 and was dirt easy to do once you got the parts list figured out.

[BIGBLU 72]

thanks! that sounds like the route that i will take on this project

[ChevLoRay]

I spent 4 times that amount on my ECE conversion, including rebuilding the front end....completely. Sounds like a very good plan....one I didn't have at the time.

[clean68sbc]

bigblue72 im having the same dilema swapping over just went and got 69or 70 spindles and bought sixlug rotor from lmc truck went to put em on the upper and lower balljoints are different sizen im in high school moneys tight so do i have to get the 69upper and lower balljoints?went to advanceauto 71-75 upper and lowers dont fit for somereason ? any help would be greatly appreciated. and waiting on the 69 balljoints to come in is there any difference between the 69 and like the other guy said 73-87 balljoint diameter???? pls help

[BIGBLU 72]

Well i ended up saving my money for a complete kit but there are differenced between the 67-70 balljoints and then 71-72 ball joints i think? what year is your truck? im sure some one will jump in with more information on the subject

[lolife99]

Lots of info here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...68&postcount=4

Most all questions answered.
If not,... ask away.

[clean68sbc]

yes my truck is a 68 c10 heavy half ton

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by clean68sbc

bigblue72 im having the same dilema swapping over just went and got 69or 70 spindles and bought sixlug rotor from lmc truck went to put em on the upper and lower balljoints are different sizen im in high school moneys tight so do i have to get the 69upper and lower balljoints?
went to advanceauto 71-75 upper and lowers dont fit for somereason ?
any help would be greatly appreciated.
and waiting on the 69 balljoints to come in is there any difference between the 69 and like the other guy said 73-87 balljoint diameter????
pls help

'69 balljoints will be the same as your '68 balljoints.

Ball joint break down:
UPPERS:
65-70
71-72
73-87

LOWERS:
65-70
71-87

Like your other thread,... what year spindles do you have?
(donor truck year?)
I'd like to help,... but we gotta have more info!

[clean68sbc]

the donor truck was a 72 so im goin to have to get 72 upper and lower balljoints correct? and 72 tie rods correct? do i need outers and inners or wut?

[true74enduro]

For a rear I've seen some people use a mid 90s camaro caliper bracket and calipers then an 88 chevy 1/2 ton rotor. Don't know what they did for hoses though. Remember when going from drum to disc you'll need a proportioning valve. Other wise the rear brakes will always be slightly engaged. If you have a none power drums as some do you pedal pin on your brake pedal will have to be moved down 1" due to less leverage needed for power brakes done do this and the brakes will be way to solid
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[ZOOKEENEY]

Check out this build thread. We are about to do 6 to 5 lug conversion with disc brake setup.
Brigham, she is a beautiful 68 gmc
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[Mr Handy]

I am working on piecing together front disks for my 70. I want to keep it 6 lug.
My buddy had the MC, calipers, prop valve out of a 72. he was planning to a disk swap but then he traded the truck to me, his plan was to swap the cross member and all from the 72.
I want to put drop spindles so all I really need to buy are the spindles, 6 lug rotors, and whatever lines I need. I picked up rebuild kits for the calipers for something like $9 each. I can get a reman MC for $22 at advanced. My original booster should work fine. my truck has relatively new ball joints all around as well as springs and shocks.
so I need a mc $22 Wheel Bearings $20 per wheel, rotors $80 each, drop spindles $228, brake lines and hoses for the front... still have to figure out how much those will be. Break Pads $26. I figure I will be around $600 when all is said and done... all I need then are the drop springs and shocks and I will have my 2.5/4 drop and my disk conversion done.

[Mr Handy]

wow wait just looked at the date on this thread, it was revived today from 2011!

[HEADTURNINGC10]

LOLIFE99, texasidoit I HAVE A 1969 C10 WITH DRUMS FRONT AND REAR AND A 1985 C10 FRAME LOWERED WITH LOWERING SPRINGS AND DROP SPINDLES. I WANT TO DO THE WHOLE CROSSMEMBER SWAP BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KEEP My GEAR BOX AS I PLAN TO STAY NONE POWER STEERING. ALSO STAYING NONE POWER BRAKES FOR THE TIME BEING. do you have any suggestions what approach i should go with i have the whole frame with all steering links including steering box. but no steering column. i have been looking at forum after forum and still kinda lost to the procedure on the swap. any and all help is apprecaited

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by HEADTURNINGC10

LOLIFE99, texasidoit I HAVE A 1969 C10 WITH DRUMS FRONT AND REAR AND A 1985 C10 FRAME LOWERED WITH LOWERING SPRINGS AND DROP SPINDLES. I WANT TO DO THE WHOLE CROSSMEMBER SWAP BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KEEP My GEAR BOX AS I PLAN TO STAY NONE POWER STEERING. ALSO STAYING NONE POWER BRAKES FOR THE TIME BEING. do you have any suggestions what approach i should go with i have the whole frame with all steering links including steering box. but no steering column. i have been looking at forum after forum and still kinda lost to the procedure on the swap. any and all help is apprecaited

Swap the crossmember and everything. Keep the manual steering box that you desire. You'll reuse the pitman arm off of the manual box. It bolts right to the later model steering linkage without mods. Done deal.

[HEADTURNINGC10]

Ok cool that's awesome thanks a bunch for the info.

[diggerbob]

I just did this swap on my 1970 a couple of weekends ago. I bit the bullet and bought the Early Classic Enterprises kit. My ball joints and tie rods were in good shape so this seemed like the way to go since I got to keep all that stuff. The kit included top quality, new components, and it was complete right down to the washers.

[TwinsSpeedShop]

BUY A KIT! I pieced a kit together a junk yard swap and by the end of replacing what needed to be replaced from the junk yard, I should have just bought a kit.

[Tx Firefighter]

If you don't mind doing the grunt work, a 73-87 donor will save you money. I've done them both ways. One is easy and expensive, the other is much harder but cheaper.