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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gallatin, MO
Posts: 295
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'76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
I wanna replace the front brakes on my '76 GMC K25, pretty much in their entirety (pads, rotors, calipers, hoses, etc.). I believe the axle is a Dana 44, 8 lug, and does not have locking hubs, as this truck has the full time NP203 transfer case.
This is probably a stupid question, but how does the rotor come off? Does the rotor and hub come off as an assembly like a 14 bolt? Is it held on there with a nut that takes a special socket? I'm rounding up supplies and was wondering if I need to acquire a large spindle nut socket, or any other special stuff before I get started. My '74 service manual does not appear to show a breakdown for the 'full time' style hub assemblies, only the locking type, so I'm not sure if that info is relevant to mine. I searched several threads on this site as well, but can't seem to find exactly the same setup as mine. I must be overlooking something, I assumed these were super common. Any input would be appreciated. Last edited by Rust-O-Matic; 04-06-2020 at 02:27 PM. Reason: Typo |
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#2 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn
Posts: 3,009
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
The hub and rotor come off as an assembly. The drive flange is held on with 6 studs and under the center dust cap is a snap ring. With the flange removed you will need a special socket to take the spindle nuts off, then the whole hub and rotor will come off the spindle. You'll have to press the wheel studs out if you want to replace the rotor and then probably replace the studs while you're at it. The spindle nut socket is the only special tool you'll need unless you're doing ball joints at the same time.
I had the same drive flanges on my '74 K20 until I switched it to a NP205 and put Spicer hubs on. There is also a pdf file of the Dana 44 service manual located at this thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=545416 The second page shows the drive flange, studs, snap ring, dust cover, etc. used on the 8-lug Dana 44 with external style hubs (1st design 1973-1977). Scroll down until you get to the axles/steering section.
__________________
'51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com Last edited by MJN; 04-06-2020 at 04:09 PM. |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gallatin, MO
Posts: 295
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
Perfect! Thank you for the thorough reply. The breakdown in that PDF is exactly what I wanted to see.
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#4 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn
Posts: 3,009
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
Sure thing- glad to help. Post some pictures too while you're at it, always good to see what we're all working on.
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'51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gallatin, MO
Posts: 295
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
Here's a quick recap of how this went and a few pics.
I've included a pic of all the parts I replaced with their numbers visible on the boxes. Not pictured were also a pair of calipers from Carquest, and a pair of Dorman speed bleeders, which I think were #12701. The calipers came with new slider bolts, so I didn't end up using the ones in the pic. The black box with the X through it is an unrelated box of brake hose clips from a different project. Not sure how that got mixed in. 1. Lift up the truck and remove hideous '90s wheels. 2. Marvel at how crusty the existing parts are. 3. Remove caliper slider bolts (3/8" allen) and caliper. 4. Remove (6) drive flange bolts. |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gallatin, MO
Posts: 295
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
5. Pry dust cover off, and remove circlip around end of axle shaft.
6. Slide drive flange off of axle shaft. 7. Get a 4 prong spindle nut socket, 2 3/8" diameter 8. Remove outer spindle nut. It's freakin tight. 9. Slide lock washer off, and remove the inner 4 prong spindle nut. |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gallatin, MO
Posts: 295
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
10. Slide the rotor and hub assembly off.
11. & 12. Press old wheel studs out. 13. Pull inner hub seal and remove bearing. 14. Clean and repack bearings, clean hubs, reinstall bearings and new seals. |
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#8 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn
Posts: 3,009
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
Looks good- you got lucky and the drive flange bolts all came out on yours. Mine still had the original studs and I had several break off. If you're that far in, especially since everything in there is turning since it's a full-time 4x4, its not a bad idea to pull the caliper bracket and spindle and replace the spindle seals and bearing, as well as check/replace your axle shaft u-joints.
__________________
'51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com Last edited by MJN; 04-24-2020 at 10:19 AM. |
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gallatin, MO
Posts: 295
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
15. Press new wheel studs in.
16. Install hub and rotor onto spindle, reassembly is reverse of disassembly. Spindle nut torque values seem to vary depending on what I read. I torqued the inner ones to 50 lbs while turning the rotor, then backed it off 1/4 of a turn. The outer nuts I torqued to 125 lbs. Also, I was not able to reuse the original metal flange gaskets, and instead used a little black silicone. 17. Install new rubber hoses, calipers, pads, slider pins, and speed bleeders. Bleed brakes, slap those ugly wheels back on, and call it a day. I should be good for another 50k or 40 years, whichever comes first. |
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#10 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gallatin, MO
Posts: 295
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
Quote:
Unrelated side note, before I owned it this truck was used to backfill graves. The flatbed has a pto driven dump cylinder under it. |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: horseheads,ny rust belt
Posts: 2,794
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
also after pressing in wheel studs do a road test and re check lug nut torque . then also again after 50 miles . this is a good thing to do since you are re seating the studs from being removed .
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77-k30lb BIG truck build . 87-k30lb budget beater build . 85-k30lb the plow machine build . 85-c10sb summer fun toy . ----------------------------- HOLLEY SNIPER efi = worst case of p.i.t.a i ever had . EDELBROCK pro flo 4 = best deal going so far . love my setup works great. |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 218
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
Thanks for the great write up and photos! I've got a question as I just bought a 75 K20 and need to do a front brake job as well. for the rotor and hub assembly, did you use a hydraulic press to separate the two and then also have to press them back in, or can you use a hammer and drift to separate the two pieces and be able to transfer the hub back to the new rotors? Thanks!
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#13 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gallatin, MO
Posts: 295
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
Quote:
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 218
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Re: '76 K25 Brake Rotor Replacement... How?
Awesome, thank you for the help! Have a great night!
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brake, hub, remove, rotor, spindle |
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