S10 swap upgrading disc brakes

[Dustint]

I've got a 48 that has been s10 swapped, going through everything and thinking its time to replace brakes while I do some other work also. It's an 85 s10 frame and I have a 2000 s10 extreme 8.5 rear end I will be putting in.
My question is if anyone has upgraded the s10 disc brakes to better components.
Not sure if I want to spend the money on wilwood or something like that but I see corvette c5's or something of the like May be an option also. So just wondering what everyone has done, what's most cost efficient, etc.

[stodd16]

I just did corvette brakes on my s10 spindles easy upgrade but have to run 17 inch wheels with them

[Dustint]

Originally Posted by stodd16

I just did corvette brakes on my s10 spindles easy upgrade but have to run 17 inch wheels with them

How much did the set up run? If not too much trouble where did you get all the components, and what all did you have to get for complete swap? Did you do the rear as well?
I should have also mentioned that I have 2" drop spindles from djm

[918733]

I used brakes from a last generation 4 door blazer they are dual piston caliber and I got the front sway bar as well

[b.sharp]

What parts did you use front the last gen blazer?

[NoClassic]

You will need to swap to the new style hubs to use the blazer brakes. This will also get you a couple more inches or track width which is good with how narrow the s10 stuff is compared to the fender width.

[Dustint]

Guess I should say also if I'm not going to just replace with oem, I'd like something that will look better as well. Will be running 20's front and back so they will definitely be visible, which is why I was leaning more towards something like the corvette or a top brand like wilwood. Seems to be a little more difficult to find rear stuff

[918733]

I bought bell tech spindles for the low look plus I found a wrecked s 10 exstreme for the coil springs and i'm going with slotted rotors to look pretty along with some paint

[Dustint]

Looking at a few different kits and such, for the rears I'm assuming since I have an 8.5 rear end I could just look up rear for a 70-81 camaro, as it has the same rear and bolt pattern, only thing that may differ is the spacing between the axle flange and wms? Would this be an okay thing to assume? not finding a whole lot for stuff by vehicle so thinking may just have to look up by the specs on my rear. Really like wilwood's stuff and the front looks to be super simple, but the price is up there for sure.

[Warrens69GMC]

Front-
You can run 12" B-Body (caprice/ impala) spindles or drop spindles for the same cars with 1LE Camaro rotors (4.75 BC) for bigger brakes. You will need global west upper control arms or UMI control arms.

[Dustint]

I already have djm drop spindles for the s10, so pretty locked in on the fronts without having reworked hubs I believe, may be wrong though

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by NoClassic

You will need to swap to the new style hubs to use the blazer brakes. This will also get you a couple more inches or track width which is good with how narrow the s10 stuff is compared to the fender width.

The S-10 swap brigade might really appreciate a tech thread on how to do that swap.

In fact how to threads on any of the factory parts upgrade swaps that don't require a huge investment in aftermarket parts might be highly appreciated by a lot of the folks who have done that chassis swap. Anyone who can read and comprehend and has a bit of wrench skill can bolt on a kit from the aftermarket vendors but having a list of what factory pieces to put together to build your own "kit" that has parts that you can get over the counter at most parts houses or get used in a good wrecking yard would be a big plus.

[Dustint]

Yeah, anything with a write up would be awesome, or at least a little more detailed list of parts. I've wrenched on stuff since I was old enough to, but mostly semi trucks for dad..so this is my first project vehicle so learning a ton as I go, good detailed info on brake stuff seems kinda few and far between. Time consuming to figure out what will work etc.

[mr48chev]

I just flat like the concept that if you can upgrade with factory pieces that are available through the normal parts channels you go through daily and you don't have to special order them from a specialty house and wait on the brown truck to bring a box that cost more to ship than the part did at times you are better off.

You aren't too likely to ruin a hub or rotor or wear out a set of brake pads on a road trip that you prepared for but if a guy just happened to burn up a wheel bearing and the bearing spun in the hub ruining the hub you are stuck unless you can walk into a regular parts source such as NAPA, O'Reilly's Autozone a dealership or a wrecking yard and source a replacement part.

[918733]

You should vist s10planet.com they have a lot of good info on upgrades

[joedoh]

I like the 2wd 1998-2003 blazer upgrade for a couple reasons

1. like mr48 says, there arent any specialized parts to remember or special order. you just go to the parts store and say 1998 2wd s10 blazer and pads, rotors, calipers, and lines fall off the shelves.

2. it replaces the s10 truck bearings with sealed bearings. this is a big deal because the truck bearings have a lot of stickout through the center of whatever wheel you run, the blazer hubs have none, no center cap issues.

3. the braking performance is vastly better, 11" vented rotors and dual piston calipers. Both of my trucks I have upgraded this way and they will test your seatbelts.

4. it bolts on. literally, just take off your old spindle chunks and bolt the blazer units on. if you are still using abs, the abs sensor plugs in.


its straightforward, from the blazer donor, undo the brake line at the frame (they are slightly longer) put a jack under the lower control arm and unbolt the lower balljoint, separate and do the same for the upper. you can leave it all together as one big chunk.

for your truck, do the same


bolt it all together and hook up the brake lines and bleed.


thats it. you can see I chose to replace the entire front end at the same time, these trucks have at least a hundred thousand miles on them so reusing control arm bushings, balljoints, tie rods, and brakes/rotors is at your own risk. I even bought new timkin sealed bearings because one was just a tiny bit rough while turning. better safe than sorry!
here is the pile.


now your spindles are innies!


its also important to note that a lot of the corvette upgrades use this spindle/bearing upgrade as a BASELINE, meaning you have to do this before you do that.


donor list

1998-2003 s10 blazer 2wd. has to be 2wd, the 4wd hubs require an axle through them to support the sealed bearings and a 4wd spindle wont fit a 2wd anyway. 1997 and down uses the same brakes as a regular s10. a quick way to tell is look at the rear axle, if it has discs, you have the right year donor. might want to grab that axle too (or find yourself a 4x4 1998-2003 donor, it has discs brakes and is about 5 inches wider than the 2wd).

you need:

spindles
bearings
rotors
pads
calipers
brake line

the abs sensor is built into the sealed bearing so if you are using the abs, be sure not to damage the sensor wire.

you can use the blazer control arms and balljoints too if they are newer than yours, they are the same part. there is no way to screw up this install, it bolts on.

if you want to use a 2" drop spindle only one company makes it, BellTech, 2102. They can be really expensive but the best price I have found is on amazon, it floats around 250-290 with free shipping, thats a lot less than summit. http://www.amazon.com/Belltech-2102-Spindle-Set/dp...

[918733]

I did the same swap onto my 92 truck frame and the newer soft lines don't jive with the hard lines how did you over come this situation

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by 918733

I did the same swap onto my 92 truck frame and the newer soft lines don't jive with the hard lines how did you over come this situation

my 98 and 99 adapted no problem, but you can use your stock front brake lines. Make certain you position them so they do not bind when turned lock to lock, because if they do it will apply the brake! The banjo bolt is in a different location on the blazers. Another tact is to use later model (78-87) g body brake lines. buy new brass washers!

good luck!

[chuckmc8]

Subbin in to this . Thanks for posting the swap info and pics

[chuckmc8]

I have the hubs, rotors, and calipers from a 1999 Firebird (I think it was a WS6) anyhoo, its 12" rotors and big aluminum 2 piston calipers. Will these components work with the Belltech 2102 drop spindle? Also , how much width to the front track does the brake upgrade add?

[joedoh]

the firebird brakes wont bolt to the blazer spindles. I have seen camaro brakes used on truck spindles but only by machining the truck rotor into a hub and using a caliper adapter bracket.

the blazer upgrade did not change my track width appreciably.

[chuckmc8]

Originally Posted by joedoh

the firebird brakes wont bolt to the blazer spindles. I have seen camaro brakes used on truck spindles but only by machining the truck rotor into a hub and using a caliper adapter bracket.

the blazer upgrade did not change my track width appreciably.

Thanks! Ill look for the Blazer components.

I had saved the LS brakes for my Camaro, so I guess they will make it over there eventually :-)