Gathering parts for front disc brakes for 1969

[dmjlambert]

I have a 1969 C-10 with manual stock drum brakes. I have purchased front stock height spindles, rotors, calipers, hoses, and rear drum brakes from a 1971 C-10.

This is what I've been reading for some good info:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=444823
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=823192

I plan to keep:
1969 crossmember, center link, A-arms
1969 differential

I plan to get:
upper and lower ball joints for 1971-72
new brake hard lines for 1971-72
front brake hose mounting tabs for 1971-72
master cylinder and combination valve for 1971-72
5-lug axle for the differential

I have a question about tie rods. Do I get the outer part of the tie rods for 1971-72, and it will replace the outer part of the tie rods I have now? Is there anything to look out for when choosing the part?

Other things I will need to get ready?

What sort of shop would I look for in the Houston area for re-drilling the rear axles for 5-lug, or should I consider that re-drilling as an option? It is just better to get prepared axles?

[jimijam00]

Redrilling would not be an option for me, unless I was back in my 20s, drunk, and was convinced that I am immortal.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

I have a 1969 C-10 with manual stock drum brakes. I have purchased front stock height spindles, rotors, calipers, hoses, and rear drum brakes from a 1971 C-10.

This is what I've been reading for some good info:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=444823
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=823192

I plan to keep:
1969 crossmember, center link, A-arms
1969 differential

I plan to get:
upper and lower ball joints for 1971-72
new brake hard lines for 1971-72
front brake hose mounting tabs for 1971-72
master cylinder and combination valve for 1971-72
5-lug axle for the differential

I have a question about tie rods. Do I get the outer part of the tie rods for 1971-72, and it will replace the outer part of the tie rods I have now? Is there anything to look out for when choosing the part?

Other things I will need to get ready?

What sort of shop would I look for in the Houston area for re-drilling the rear axles for 5-lug, or should I consider that re-drilling as an option? It is just better to get prepared axles?

Since you are keeping your 69 centerlink:
The 71-72 outer tie rod are the wrong thread size and the opposite thread pitch compared to 67-70 outer tie rods.

You have two choices.
1) Use a 71-72 centerlink and 71-72 inner AND outer tie rods.

OR

2) 67-70 OUTER TIE RODS at the inner location.
Use a conversion tie rod adapter that goes from 5/8” to 11/16” threads,
Then use a 71-72 OUTER tie rod to connect to your spindle.

If you had purchased 63-70 conversion SPINDLES, you could have used ALL 69 original steering components.

[lolife99]

Also highly recommend buying new 5-lug rear axles.
Then use 71-72 brake drums.

[dmjlambert]

Great info, thanks. I have some decisions to make, I will pick from:

• Get center link and tie rods from 71-72. If parts I find are without idler arm and pitman arm that would be OK because those components from my 69 will work. This way is interesting because I would end up with no special conversion components.
• Get conversion sleeve and outer 71-72 tie rods and re-use my 69 outer tie rods as inner. If I go that way I am leaning towards the DCA RaceFab conversion sleeves mentioned in this other thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=328438
• Get conversion stock-height spindles and use them with my newly obtained 71 rotors and calipers and my stock 69 steering components.

[68Gold/white]

lambert,
lolife is THE answer man on swapping out front end components, to convert to disc. I have a lot of knowledge, but lolife has it ALL!!! It CAN get confusing, there's many ways to make this happen.

I plan to convert my 67 and 68, both using all 71-72 parts, the simplest way to do it. At can be done, the center link is the only that needs to be bought used. (I think?, lolife?)

I like the 72 and earlier control arms best, they are greaseable, 73-up and not. BUT the 73 up tie rod ends are larger in size and heavier duty. I have parts to convert mine using 73 up tie rod ends and 72 and earlier control arms, but have decided to go ALL 71-72, for simplicity sake...

I buy ONLY Moog parts when buying new components.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

lambert,
lolife is THE answer man on swapping out front end components, to convert to disc. I have a lot of knowledge, but lolife has it ALL!!! It CAN get confusing, there's many ways to make this happen.

I plan to convert my 67 and 68, both using all 71-72 parts, the simplest way to do it. At can be done, the center link is the only that needs to be bought used. (I think?, lolife?)

I like the 72 and earlier control arms best, they are greaseable, 73-up and not. BUT the 73 up tie rod ends are larger in size and heavier duty. I have parts to convert mine using 73 up tie rod ends and 72 and earlier control arms, but have decided to go ALL 71-72, for simplicity sake...

I buy ONLY Moog parts when buying new components.

Thanks for the kind words but I don’t know everything. I’ve just done a few of these swaps.
The centerlink is a non wear item and I don’t believe anyone reproduces them,... so you will have to source a used one.

I agree the 73-87 tie rods are bigger.
My very first swap I used ALL 71-72 steering parts WITH 73-87 outer tie rods and 73-87 drop spindles.
This was back in the 1980’s before anyone made drop spindles for the the pre-73 trucks.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

I buy ONLY Moog parts when buying new components.

Also,… I just bought some new MOOG front hub assemblies for a 2500 Silverado from Summit Racing.
Pretty disappointed to see this on the boxes,…

[68Gold/white]

I agree!!!

I've sold (been a long time though) and seen other folks lately buy other brands of suspension components, that turned in to junk in less than a year!!!!

Not sure there's a better choice. O.E. parts would be a good choice, for quality, but you can't buy the oldie parts any more..

[jimijam00]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Pretty disappointed to see this on the boxes,…

You should be happy it did not say China.

[dmjlambert]

What are the tools to have in a junk yard to pull the steering center link and tie rods off of a donor 71-72 2WD truck? I have assorted wrenches and a pitman arm puller to disengage the pitman arm from the gear box. I have never cared much for cordless tools because the batteries give up when I need them the most and are expensive to replace, so I don't have any. I have a big air compressor and air impact wrench that I use to do stuff on my truck when it is at my house. I'll go tool shopping to get whatever I need to accomplish this conversion if you guys say "seriously you're going to want a [fill in tool name here]." Are there going to be any seriously difficult to remove nuts and bolts or need for specialized tools when I'm a couple hundred miles from my house and at a junk yard?
I have not done this sort of thing to my truck yet so beginner in this area, but generally mechanically inclined. I've had the pitman arm off of the gear box before, from when I re-did the seals and adjusted my power steering gear box, but I was not able to separate the pitman arm from the center link. Pitman arm puller does not work for that.

[lolife99]

You really just need the centerlink.
Tie rods should be purchased new.
The tie rod sleeves could also be purchased new since most in the junk yards are rusted solid.
Look in the classifieds and see if someone has a centerlink for sale.

[lolife99]

Like this thread:
Ask them if they would sell the centerlink
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=823704

[dmjlambert]

I got a used 71-72 2WD truck center link and new tie rods from Manes Truck Parts.

[BigBird05]

I know you know all of the little hand tools, but a pickle fork and a big hammer come in handy.

[dmjlambert]

Thank you. I have a pretty good assortment of hand tools, but don't have a pickle fork. Will I need a set of pickle forks so I can get the right size? Do I need a helper to back the joint with a big hammer while I hold and strike the pickle fork? It looks like I might need 3 arms for some of this steering stuff. What about the ball joint and spindle replacement, are there special tools required for that part?

[Accelo]

You can't re-drill the 6 bolt axles for a 5 on 5 unless you weld up one of the holes. I too recommend replacement axles for that reason. Besides the inner race for the rear bearing is the axle and many are worn in this area. Gives you a new perfect surface to run the straight rollers on.

[BAD1916]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Thank you. I have a pretty good assortment of hand tools, but don't have a pickle fork. Will I need a set of pickle forks so I can get the right size? Do I need a helper to back the joint with a big hammer while I hold and strike the pickle fork? It looks like I might need 3 arms for some of this steering stuff. What about the ball joint and spindle replacement, are there special tools required for that part?

I personally never use pickle forks. Just break the nut loose and back it off a bit. Smack the end of the tie rod with hammer till it pops loose. Ive never had that not work. I just took all my suspension and steering off my 71 suburban last week. For the upper ball joint the rivets need to be removed to replace the ball joint. I used a grinder and once flat enough I used a hammer and punch to knock them out. The lowers I took to a shop and had them pressed out.

[dmjlambert]

Thanks for your great info so far, folks.

So this is what I have:
My truck: 1969 C-10 1/2 ton 2WD long bed with manual stock drum brakes.
I have purchased so far front stock height spindles, rotors, calipers, hoses, center link, new tie rods, and manual brake master cylinder for 1971 C-10.
And rear drum brakes from a 1971 C-10.

I plan to get 5 lug conversion axles for my 1969 differential.
I plan to keep my 1969 front crossmember if possible.
I would like to have manual brakes, not power. Figuring out which master cylinder was done in this other thread and I got the NAPA M36280 same as 54blackhornet.

My questions for you folks so I can order the few remaining parts I need:

I would like to end up with the correct pre-bent brake lines that will give me the front brake hoses attached with a clip to the front of the crossmember, using 71-72 hexagon shaped clips. Would I just need to get the 71 or 72 brake lines and they will fit a 1969 frame and cross member? And will those clips work?

Here is the thread where I found out information about those hexagon shaped clips.

Since I'm going to have a 1969 differential I understand it is a different width compared to the 70-72 differentials, so does that mean I should get rear brake lines for a 67-69 in order for them to fit correctly?

I see online 13 piece brake line clip sets for 67-70 or 8 piece clip set for 71-72. I don’t know if the clips should match the year of the frame or year of the brake line kit. What do you folks think?

[Accelo]

Yes you can keep your 1969 front cross-member. The location of the clips is the only difference I know of. If you bolt the purchased clips into the front location you should be good.

71 or 72 brake lines and they will fit a 1969 frame and cross member? And will those clips work?
Yes they will work, exactly the set up I used. My issue was getting the lines to match up with the master cylinder. I would use inline tube. You have the best chance of getting it correct that way.

1969 differential I understand it is a different width compared to the 71-72 differentials, so does that mean I should get rear brake lines for a 67-70 in order for them to fit correctly?
You need to purchase the lines for the differential case you are using. So the back half would be for the earlier truck. The difference is the attachment points for the lines and the width. The earlier truck uses an off center rubber hose to feed the differential. The later truck has the attachment points in the middle. The hose is moved to the frame cross member from the frame. Both the frame attachment points and the differential points are different. Since you are keeping the 1969 differential it would be easier to stay with that system. That also keeps the line lengths correct for your wider differential. However, I can't confirm the 1/4" lines join at the same location in the front?

I hated working with lines because there seems to be so many options. I wish you luck sir.
Cheers.

[MikeB]

My 69 has a stock 71-72 master cylinder, booster, and prop valve. I used stock M/C to prop valve lines, but made my own lines from prop valve down, then tied them into the existing front and rear lines. But stock 71-72 lines should fit. This all happened in 1995, when I was cash-strapped!

This doesn't apply to you, but I used 85 C10 spindles, and ended up using ball joints, center link and tie rod ends from 73-up C10, as I recall. But my notes say Pitman arm and idler arm are stock 69.

I had a race car shop use a CNC machine to re-drill the axle flanges. I was skeptical until they told me they never had one fail, even on drag cars. That was around 1995, and I've never had a problem. That's with various small blocks, probably making no more than 400 lb/ft torque.

If you do order new axles, make sure the builder makes the drum locator to fit 71-up finned drums.

FYI, the rear axle actually got wider in 1970.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Also,… I just bought some new MOOG front hub assemblies for a 2500 Silverado from Summit Racing.
Pretty disappointed to see this on the boxes,…

Keith, it's been my experience that Taiwan makes very good auto parts. Light years ahead of China. I think just about any old car & truck parts vendor will confirm that.

I don't know if any Moog parts are USA-made these days. OSHA, EPA, and insurance costs have simply killed American manufacturing. I had a huge foundry customer in the Midwest that shut down operations because it was virtually impossible to meet EPA regulations without raising prices sky high.

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by MikeB

...
If you do order new axles, make sure the builder makes the drum locator to fit 71-up finned drums.

FYI, the rear axle actually got wider in 1970.

Thanks. Can you please tell me more about this? What is the drum locator? This is what I have regarding the drum brakes from the 71 that I would like to put on my 69.




And I was thinking of getting something like this for the axle conversion. Somebody posted on the forum a while back a link for buying axles on Amazon.com but now I can't find the post any more. But then I just now found this one at Summit.


Do I need more parts or need to consider other parts of the equation?

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Thanks. Can you please tell me more about this? What is the drum locator?

It's the raised part in the center of the axle flange that "locates" (centers) the brake drum. My 71-up finned drums would not fit on my modified 69 axles until I had the diameter turned down. Can't remember the exact amount, but it was probably around .100" or less

[dmjlambert]

Oh, I see. So I should check the application and specs carefully and ask the vendor to send me the measurement of that part, or otherwise be prepared to find a shop that will turn it down or be prepared to return it if I don't like that idea.