front brakes

[PE 017]

Hi guys, I am working on a 50 pu. I have a dropped axle from sids and Chevy car front hubs and brakes. I have read that front wheel bearings , hubs, will fit on truck spindles. Are the spindles the same on cars and trucks? The bearings,(stock ball) were to small for my spindles. If they will fit, where can I get roller bearings for a decent price, I found some for $280! I also read that 1 bearing for the truck, the other for a car is what works. Hoping to find someone who has done this swap before. I have learned alot on this site, thanks for any info. I will get pictures up soon.

[chevyguyase]

We need a lot more information. Are using stock '50, 1/2 ton spindles? What kind of car brakes? Disc brakes? tapered roller bearing adapter kit? Are you wanting to keep your stock wheels? What rear axle do you have, do you want the same wheel bolt pattern?

[PE 017]

Thanks for the reply, I am using stock spindles. The brakes are early chev car bendix with hubs, 5 on 4 3/4 bolt pattern. 52 - 54 year I am guessing. I have 3 different rear ends, all 5 on 4 3/4. I will be using steel wheels w/ white walls. This will be a old school build, hoping someone remembers how this was done? Thx

[chevyguyase]

I'm assuming you are going to car brakes so you can get rid of the 6 bolt front drums? Are you using the car backing plate and hardware or the trucks original? If it's just bearings you are concerned with and you have the drum diameters, width, shoes, etc worked out. They have a place called Bearing Headquarters Co. in St Louis, Mo that can work it out for you. Give them the info such as tapered roller, inside diameter, outside diameter. They can even come up with a seal for you. I once had them make a seal from scratch for power steering on a ' 62 Corvette. Keep in mind if you are keeping drum brakes, ball bearings will work fine. Disc brakes will require tapered roller bearings. 800-392-1150 or bearingheadquarters.com. I'm a retired mechanic and I have no connection with them. Hope this helps

[MARTINSR]

I am sorry I don't remember all the particulars but some of the truck spindles are the same as car, '52-'54? Where as the '47-'51 aren't and you have to change the complete spindles from a car.

Brian

[PE 017]

Thanks for the info, yes I am switching to 5 lug. I have the complete set up, hubs, backing plates, shoes, cyl,springs,drums,etc. Just thought roller bearings would be alot better than stock ball bearings. I found some on eBay, not sure if they are right. I did find some stock measurements to check against my hubs and spindles. I think this was a common swap back in the day, to get away from Huck brakes and get 5 lug. Thanks again

[MARTINSR]

What's funny is on my truck the PO (a family friend) welded up and turned down the spindles in highschool metal shop class around 1970 when the near by (very near by) wrecking yards were full of those 49-54 passenger cars.

Brian

[mr48chev]

If you got the brake set up from me in a trade my spindles were different for some reason and I need to send you back your inner races. That is if you are the one who met me in the Dalles and did a trade. If that's you and you can get your mailing address to me before noon I can get those in the mail today.

The bearing mfg says they use the same bearing but I have run into this in the past.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0055&ppt=C0337

Someone on Ebays has a roller bearing setup for 59.00 Probably China bearings no doubt but it's a consideration. Ebay item 281121140325

[PE 017]

Yes I am the one who met you, but I want to install roller bearings instead of ball bearings. Your post reminded me to check the ball bearing # for both truck and car, if they are the same I would think the rollers would be the same. I would think the hubs would be the same, with either 5 or 6 lug. Thanks for the offer though.

[mr48chev]

I thought I always changed the inner race when I swapped hubs but the last one I did was in 1989.
If you scroll down to the front axle page on this https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf to page 71 it gives the stock measurements for the spindle where the bearings ride on it both in and out. 1.2801 to 1.2806 on the inner and .7490 to .7495 on the outer. The ID of the BCA B 52 bearing set is 1.281 giving between 4 and 9 ten thousands of clearance to let it slip on the spindle.

Looking further I find that the spindle for a 29 to 40 Chevy car and half ton have a spindle diameter of 1.1899 and I think that is the diameter of the spindles I have. Evidently my friend gave me an older axle than he thought he did. Now I hope my king pins fit.

[PE 017]

That might be right because sid thought maybe those car hubs maybe were on a older spindle and that would explain the to small inner bearing race. Thanks for the sizes, I will check them out.I found a 1.281 inner bore & 2.963 outer diameter size on the internet, for the inner bearing.