Help with brake modernization

[madkow70]

I recently picked up a nice '68 K1500.
I so far love the truck but the brakes are appropriately horrendous.

I'm not trying to restore this truck in all original parts or anything so I'd love to modernize the brake set to make it a bit more safer.

obviously disc brake conversion for the rears. but might as well upgrade the fronts too.

question: where should I (and can I) pick up a ready-to-install set somewhere from internet vendor?
any other components under the hood need to get updates as well for this?

help.

[jocko]

Welcome! Rear disk conversion not obvious - it's really not necessary - most bang for the buck is to upgrade the fronts only (as GM did in 71) - it's just kinda hard to justify the $ for rear disks vs the braking improvement you'd see compared to a disk/drum setup with a properly set up stock rear drum arrangement. If only gonna do one end, it's gotta be the fronts.

As for front kits, I'm not aware of a front disk "kit" for a 68 K10 - there are tons of kits for a C10. Someone may have better awareness to a K kit. Easiest approach may be to get a 71/72 K10/1500 axle and swap in as it has disks already. You will need a disk/drum master cylinder. Possibly new lines for the front (disks generally use 3/16 line, whereas your truck is likely all 1/4 now). I don't think I've been much help - the few places I know if that have disk kits only seemed to have them for C10s, not K10s.

Show us a pic of your truck!

Anyone else got any ideas?

[Bigdav160]

I so far love the truck but the brakes are appropriately horrendous

I would suggest a proper evaluation of your current drum brakes. A well done drum brake repair job should stop well. Disc brakes have the advantage of shedding heat and water better as well as being self adjusting but not necessarily more powerful by themselves.

As Jocko said, there's no easy way to go to disc brakes on your truck without changing the entire axle

[Husker]

You more than likely have a Dana 44, just find a later model Dana 44 with same gear ratio and swap. Then add power Booster setup.
Ron

[madkow70]

Originally Posted by jocko

Welcome! Rear disk conversion not obvious - it's really not necessary - most bang for the buck is to upgrade the fronts only (as GM did in 71) - it's just kinda hard to justify the $ for rear disks vs the braking improvement you'd see compared to a disk/drum setup with a properly set up stock rear drum arrangement. If only gonna do one end, it's gotta be the fronts.

As for front kits, I'm not aware of a front disk "kit" for a 68 K10 - there are tons of kits for a C10. Someone may have better awareness to a K kit. Easiest approach may be to get a 71/72 K10/1500 axle and swap in as it has disks already. You will need a disk/drum master cylinder. Possibly new lines for the front (disks generally use 3/16 line, whereas your truck is likely all 1/4 now). I don't think I've been much help - the few places I know if that have disk kits only seemed to have them for C10s, not K10s.

Show us a pic of your truck!

Anyone else got any ideas?

wow. thanks for the info. I'll post some pics shortly too.