Is it true that when installing front disk brakes...

[tripleblack]

I heard that when you convert your front drums top disk brakes that the wheels will stick out 3/4s of an inch further than normal... Is this true? some insight please...thanks...

[Longhorn Man]

yes it is. About 3/8 inch per side.

[ChevLoRay]

My truck had 15x8's all the way around, when the conversion was done. The front tires were then sticking out, just outside of the fender line. They also had a tendency to rub the inside of the wheel opening at times. I didn't leave them on there but for one day, since I had another truck with similar (same design/different brand) 15x7's. It solved the problem for me.

So, yes. Changing to discs will add to the width of the front track. But, it ain't something that can't be dealt with.

[Tx Firefighter]

That's the reason to do a whole front and rear swap. The front gets slightly wider when you go to discs, so that's why Chevy made the 71-72 rears 3/4 inch wider per side than the earlier drum rears, so the stance would match.

[Boog]

Also worth noting here is lowered spindles will set the wheels out even more. I believe about 3/4" per side.

[tripleblack]

I have a 69 GMC so can i buy a different drum housing to even the width? or a spacer....??

[davidh]

Hmmm. What do the aftermarket 6lug disc brakes do then? are they in line or stick out too?

[Tx Firefighter]

Aftermarket 6 lug kits still move the 3/4 inch out too.

[72armyswbtruck]

I never realy knew that there was a difference, I guess that's because I have always used the whole front and rear swap

[Bob Moore]

???? Do drop spindles move out an additional 3/4 inch or just the 3/4 inch over drum brakes?

[Z28Owner]

Im not sure if every brand of spindles move them out, but on my 71 with disc I installed McGaufy's (sp?) 2.5 spindle and my front wheels stick out farther than the rears with 15x8 front and rear.

[1970 CST Short Wide]

We just put ECE 21/2 spindels and 1" springs on my sons truck and we noticed they stick out a bit more too. We went this way to get away from "just 3" drop springs" and a better ride and now if not carefull we get wheel scrape on some bumps where we didnt before.
I'm going to call ECE and see what they say.

[Tx Firefighter]

I've leared this the hard way over the years. It always annoyed me to run same size wheels front and back and the front look wider than the rears.

That's why I always run 8's on the rear and 7's on the front. With staggered tire sizes, the two different width wheels, and the offset from the spindles, the stance looks perfect.

Anything else looks poor with front wider than rear.

[Boog]

Since I am not nearly ready for the wheels yet I am paying particular attention to threads such as these concerning wheel choice and drop specs.
After having ran mixed size wheels and tires on most of my vehicles I am running a set of 8" wheels on my 88 GMC. I wanted to be able to rotate front to rear for a change. Now for my 69 stepside I was pretty much decided to run 8" rallys and 255/70/15 all round with a 2 or 3" front and 4" rear drop. After talking with Chevloray some time back about wheels I thought maybe go back to the 8's and 10's but not if the fronts won't clear. I have an 81 disc front end and 70 rear in mine. I like wide wheels and tires and will NOT run larger than 15" rims. Hey maybe by the time I'm seriously needing wheels the lowered look will be gone and the stock height will be back in fashion and the concern over wheels width and rubbing won't be a concern anymore?

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I've leared this the hard way over the years. It always annoyed me to run same size wheels front and back and the front look wider than the rears.

That's why I always run 8's on the rear and 7's on the front. With staggered tire sizes, the two different width wheels, and the offset from the spindles, the stance looks perfect.

Anything else looks poor with front wider than rear.

He's right.

I installed new Wheel Vintiques wheels, on Saturday. 15x8 front with 4" backspace and 15x10 on the rear with 4.5" backspace. These front wheels do NOT stick out, and do NOT bump or rub anywhere in the wheel well or wheel opening.

I kept my stock rear axle and went with the 7" wide front wheels, like I said in my first reply. It looked good and never, ever bumped or rubbed. I just got tired of the aluminum many-hole style and the 3-bar knockoffs. My new Vette-style rallye wheels look good (in my opinion) and the drive is great. Hadn't driven it for several months, so it felt good to be back on the road.

So, go ahead and make the upgrade. My discs (6-lug) came from ECE. Their ads show different drop heights and the wheel/tire sizes that are on the trucks. In an email, I asked about back spacing and followed their recommendations and I have no regrets.