70 GMC K2500 rear Dana 60 brakes

[brwn70gmc]

argh my stock 1970 GMC 3/4-ton w Dana 60 needs rear shoes, drums, wheel cylinders etc, it's all leaky...or should I disc brake convert it...?

[Mike C]

Personally, I don’t see any real gain in converting a truck to rear discs. It really reduces the effectiveness of the parking brake and I like a good parking brake…

Save your money for something that will have a bigger impact on drivability and just fix the rear using stock parts.

Now if you have drums in the front, I would drop everything I was doing and immediately convert to discs before I even went to bed tonight…

[Sheepdip]

I agree with Mike C...unless you plan on carving/slicing up a mountain road like a Ferrari rear disc are a waste, besides you don't have the suspension and handling for that anyway.

[KQQL IT]

Until your drums are unobtainium.
Lugnut4x4 kit under my 68 went on fairly painlessly. Biggest problem was the 1/2 studs get converted to 9/16
When my 99 needs back brakes it will get the same. Stops like any newer pickup

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by Mike C

Personally, I don’t see any real gain in converting a truck to rear discs. It really reduces the effectiveness of the parking brake and I like a good parking brake…

Save your money for something that will have a bigger impact on drivability and just fix the rear using stock parts.

Now if you have drums in the front, I would drop everything I was doing and immediately convert to discs before I even went to bed tonight…

I used the late model 2001+ 14bolt factory rear disk parts to convert my old school 14 bolt to disks with a fully functional parking break intended to hold a truck. It takes a little fab work and some machining but it’s really not hard.

[jumpsoffrock]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

I used the late model 2001+ 14bolt factory rear disk parts to convert my old school 14 bolt to disks with a fully functional parking break intended to hold a truck. It takes a little fab work and some machining but it’s really not hard.

Would a person avoid that needed fab ad machining if they simple changed to a 14bb drum setup? That's what I'm gonna someday do with my H072, but everything works right now.

[KQQL IT]

Originally Posted by brwn70gmc

argh my stock 1970 GMC 3/4-ton w Dana 60 needs rear shoes, drums, wheel cylinders etc, it's all leaky...or should I disc brake convert it...?

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/....php?p=9218244

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by jumpsoffrock

Would a person avoid that needed fab ad machining if they simple changed to a 14bb drum setup? That's what I'm gonna someday do with my H072, but everything works right now.

Honestly I have limited experience with the 52/72’s. I can’t answer that. If you’d like to see what I did you can check this thread.

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=816377

[mr48chev]

It's not a bad or hard project to redo the drum brakes if your drums are good and can be turned.

Rock Auto shows a 12 inch RAYBESTOS 2071R as the rear drum. Shoes, wheel cylinders and axles seals are pretty easy to find.

I bought the disk brake brackets and rotors for my 71 but haven't done anything about installing them. Checking lugnutz I'm thinking about ordering their calipers.

These are the brackets I have but now I am wondering if they are correct.


I wanted disk on the rear becaused I tow my 25 ft Bayliner with the 71.

[KQQL IT]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

It's not a bad or hard project to redo the drum brakes if your drums are good and can be turned.

Rock Auto shows a 12 inch RAYBESTOS 2071R as the rear drum. Shoes, wheel cylinders and axles seals are pretty easy to find.

I bought the disk brake brackets and rotors for my 71 but haven't done anything about installing them. Checking lugnutz I'm thinking about ordering their calipers.

These are the brackets I have but now I am wondering if they are correct.


I wanted disk on the rear becaused I tow my 25 ft Bayliner with the 71.

Looks like the lug nut kit bracket

[matt_field]

I’m running into exact issue. I need drums for my 70 k2500 with a Dana 60 rear.
They are sold out everywhere, and I’m finding not available. I really don’t want to convert to disk but might have to

[KQQL IT]

Originally Posted by matt_field

I’m running into exact issue. I need drums for my 70 k2500 with a Dana 60 rear.
They are sold out everywhere, and I’m finding not available. I really don’t want to convert to disk but might have to

I fixed them once.
Needed a drum and 2 kits. Was almost disc swap money.
Lost a wheel cylinder and wasnt any available local.

And who's gonna fix drum brakes when im gone and my kids are working on it.
Just like the efi swaps, I know about 3 people that fix carburetors anymore