I beam Brake/Bearing Combo Options

[73kay]

hey guys,

I have noticed that there is a bit of play in my front wheels which I believe to be the ball bearings. I'm at a crossroads and I would like opinions and how to proceed.

I have 6x5.5 lug front and 5x5.5 lug ford rear, all standard smooth steel with chrome smoothie hubcabs in the works. I have a custom bracket made for a drum drum master cylinder, not sure the year. I want to put in all new brake lines too eventually.

Ideally, I would like to upgrade to roller bearings, upgrade to disc and maintain 6 lug. From my research, these are the top three choices.

1. "Quick and Stay Drum" Roller Bearing Conversion Kit: $100
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/1947-5...ion,24928.html

2. "Just Knock It Out" Disc Brake Conversion Kit: $250, but need to find 5x4.75 wheels or use wheel adapters
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Deluxe...ckup,4622.html

3. "Just Pay for it and be Done" 6 Lug Disc Brake Kit - $375, but still need to get bearings
http://www.dreamershotrods.com/Front...GMCPickup.aspx


Sorry for the length and I have done a lot of googling and searching. I know this is a popular topic so please chime in with how you tackled this!

[73kay]

btw, old picture, but you the idea of what I am running. I got new tires since then.

[capnduane]

I chose door #1, and renewed my drum brakes with new shoes, lines, wheel cylinders, and master cylinder. I put in tapered roller bearings, a set from CPP, which was a little cheaper than what you show. Also new heavy duty tie rod and new tie rod ends. New gas shocks, and steering stabilizer. Set toe in at 1/8in. Going on 3 years now and all is good. One spare tire fits all corners.

[73kay]

Sweet, thanks for the info capnduane, that's what I am leaning towards. A couple of questions though:

1. Did you install a "pressure valves" in the brake lines? I can't remember the exact name, but I heard people using them to maintain pressure in the line?

2. Steering stabilizer/tie rods - was that part of a kit?

[capnduane]

No pressure valve in brake lines. All lines, and cylinders, are stock replacements. The heavy duty tie rod, and ends, was a kit from CPP also. Both tie rod kit and tapered wheel bearing kit fit like a glove, and were easy to install. I also adjusted the steering box, but it probably needs to be rebuilt some day.....

[mr48chev]

From about 20 years of driving on the ball bearings I'd say that you need to pack them often as in around 5000 miles and keep them adjusted but don't over tighten them. My old shop teacher taught me that neither tight nor loose is the way you want the meaning suck up the slack but don't put pressure against the bearing an then rock the wrench on the nut so you end up with it at the closest slot to tight but not preloaded. Over the past 50 years I've had very little bearing problems with bearings I adjusted that way including my own and the thousands of them that I did in shops during the years I did brake and front end work.

On the going to disk or not? I'd say that you have to decide if you need the extra stopping power for the driving you want to do. The more traffic you drive in or the more you spend out on the big long roads the better brakes you need. Actually I'd say that if you drive in heavy traffic on a daily basis you need the disk brakes. If it mostly gets driven for pleasure driving with occasional road trips drums should work fine.

[73kay]

Cool. Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna check them out and see what I got going on. I have play on both front wheels but more on the driver side. It's mostly the bearing from looking at it and a little bit from the kingpins.

[73kay]

Sorry mr48chev,

Forgot to answer your q. I want to eventually go to disc but seeing that I just got outta the army and taking a pay cut I wanted to go drum for a while and save up etc.