69 Disc Brake Conversion 8/22

[WadmalawJoe]

I’ve been reading through the countless threads on disc brake conversion and hoping to make a new up to date thread to help others as well as myself!
So for starters my son and I bought a 69 C10 that’s pretty much all original except the previous owner moved the shifter from the column to the floor.
My son will use this truck as his daily driver once we have the brakes updated to front disc brakes and the steering tightened up. So I want the brakes working great.
What I am looking for is the most complete kit or at least some help putting one together.
I plan on keeping the 6 lug pattern, the rims aren’t original, I’m thinking they’ll fit over the disc brake calipers, if not new rims are on the wish list anyway.
Maintaining stock ride height, ( may eventually replace coil springs to make sure its up where it should be and not sagging. )
So the kit for the spindles and calipers sounds simple enough.
However, what about adding power brakes/master cylinder? That’s where things seem to be all over the place.
I get it needs vacuum for the booster, a fitting from the intake to the booster with a check valve.
Brake lines, I’m thinking of replacing ALL of them with a stainless steel kit, so I should get a kit for a 71-72 as they came with front disc brakes?
Which master cylinder w/booster & correct proportional valve should I get?
I saw a company everyone seemed to call ECE was highly recommended but, they’re no longer in business. What other companies have you had good success with? I am looking for quality, dependability, not bargain shopping. Being able to consistently stop quick is relatively important in my book.
Thanks for everyone’s time!

[72c20customcamper]

I would get this booster setup .

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=779896

[A1971Blazer]

I just did my 68
I got the disc brake kit from Summit....it's a CPP kit but Summit shipped free
I went with 6 lug as well because I have 3 sets of wheels already
I ordered a 9" dual diaphragm booster, MC, and proportioning valve kit off ebay

my rear brake lines were rusted out at the back and the rubber hose had collapsed, I made up new line myself all the way from the front to the rear wheel cylinders, which I replaced as well.

I added a CPP front sway bar kit as well, along with new lower control arm shafts and bushings as the old ones were quite loose...
Also used the 2½" drop spindles with stock springs to bring the steering geometry back to factory specs.

I still need to take it to have the alignment done but overall I'm happy with the conversion so far.





I had to get adapters for the hose ends..that's all the extra parts I needed

[Accelo]

72c20customcamper;
I purchased a similar setup. It was a pain to get the lines connected.
I'm not positive but this master cylinder may sit further forward?
Inlinetube.com is a likely best source for the SS lines.
However, they are for factory parts.
I had to cut and double flair, one line, to get the stainless tubing to connect up.
The other had to be re-bent.
I had nothing by hassles getting my brakes functional and leak free.
It's kind of my pet peeve now.
Especially after my friend, with a 68 Camaro, purchased lines and they bolted right in.
He had hours into the project and I had days.

You need to know the lines are routed differently on the disc brake trucks.
The feed line, to the flexible line, terminates in the front of the cross-member.
The stock drum brakes feeds from the rear.
Two methods to deal with this;
1. Route the lines in the stock location for discs. Requires adding a tab to the front of the cross-member to retain the top of the flexible line. Also difficult to install with the motor installed as the lines cross over under the pan where there is little clearance.
2. Use the factory rear feed for the disc brakes. This means a custom rubber flex line. Some members were not all that thrilled with the hose routing.

Note: That dropped spindles can exacerbate the situation. The reposition the caliper in relation to the "A" arms. Be happy you don't have to deal with this extra complication.

Wilwood brakes costs more but it's an engineered package.
Others repurpose other parts and adapt them to the truck. Typically there is more install headaches on these systems.

To further complicate things GM also moved the rear attachment point on the rear differential brake line. It is on the side on the earlier trucks and was moved to the middle in 71.
So one can't just purchase lines for a 71-72 as you will need to change the front and rear line where they attache to the flexible rubber lines.

And I haven't even mentioned the K10 and the leaf spring trucks.
Yup, its stupid.
Cheers

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by A1971Blazer

Attachment 2210459

Attachment 2210460

I had to get adapters for the hose ends..that's all the extra parts I needed
Attachment 2210461

Do you have a part number or source for the adapters? Thanks.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by Accelo

72c20customcamper;
I purchased a similar setup. It was a pain to get the lines connected.
I'm not positive but this master cylinder may sit further forward?
Inlinetube.com is a likely best source for the SS lines.
However, they are for factory parts.
I had to cut and double flair, one line, to get the stainless tubing to connect up.
The other had to be re-bent.
I had nothing by hassles getting my brakes functional and leak free.
It's kind of my pet peeve now.
Especially after my friend, with a 68 Camaro, purchased lines and they bolted right in.
He had hours into the project and I had days.

You need to know the lines are routed differently on the disc brake trucks.
The feed line, to the flexible line, terminates in the front of the cross-member.
The stock drum brakes feeds from the rear.
Two methods to deal with this;
1. Route the lines in the stock location for discs. Requires adding a tab to the front of the cross-member to retain the top of the flexible line. Also difficult to install with the motor installed as the lines cross over under the pan where there is little clearance.
2. Use the factory rear feed for the disc brakes. This means a custom rubber flex line. Some members were not all that thrilled with the hose routing.

Note: That dropped spindles can exacerbate the situation. The reposition the caliper in relation to the "A" arms. Be happy you don't have to deal with this extra complication.

Wilwood brakes costs more but it's an engineered package.
Others repurpose other parts and adapt them to the truck. Typically there is more install headaches on these systems.

To further complicate things GM also moved the rear attachment point on the rear differential brake line. It is on the side on the earlier trucks and was moved to the middle in 71.
So one can't just purchase lines for a 71-72 as you will need to change the front and rear line where they attache to the flexible rubber lines.

And I haven't even mentioned the K10 and the leaf spring trucks.
Yup, its stupid.
Cheers

Reason I said to use that setup is it actually fits the trucks firewall and pedal . Heard a lot of people say they had to modify a supposedly bolt in power vac master assembly .Lines will always be a problem when converting from drum to discs on these trucks .

I've done 3 Chevelle drum to disc conversions the first was a nightmare. Forgot the brand but it took a lot of modifications to get it to work. The next two were from The Right Stuff detailing true bolt in had the first one done in a day and half or there about. Second in less than 6 hours I was driving the car.

[67C10Step]

I used CPP drop spindles, stock height springs, all new front end parts, and a complete kit from Inline Tube. It maintained the lines on the rear of the crossmember. Front flex lines from a 1969 Buick GS are a perfect fit with no adapters needed. I did have to modify them where they go through the tab though.

[Accelo]

I installed a set of front and rear discs from The Right Stuff into a 1962 Impala.
Fronts were straight forward. The rears were horrible. The directions were worse.
Needed a welder which wasn't mentioned but the parts that needed welding were.
Adapting the emergency brake was a lot of work. The Impala rears bolted to the back side of the axle. Makes a huge difference in getting it all to line up.
The Right Stuff is the lowest of the low. Because of their customer service does not exist and the parts are generic. Just my humble opinion.
If I had only installed the fronts maybe I would have felt different about them.

[A1971Blazer]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Do you have a part number or source for the adapters? Thanks.

I just went to NAPA and got them from their assortment of fittings
the female end is 3/8-24 for the existing brake line and the male end is 1/2-20 to fit into the hose that came with the kit.
Also I just connected the hoses in the existing location behind the cross member......they work just fine there...no need to make it more difficult.
I chose to keep the drum brakes in the rear...the front brakes do most of the stopping anyway, and the drum brakes will already lock up the rear wheels
why would I want to lock them up faster/easier with rear disc....waste of time and money

[WadmalawJoe]

Thanks for all the replies! I have some truck parts shopping to do

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by Accelo

I installed a set of front and rear discs from The Right Stuff into a 1962 Impala.
Fronts were straight forward. The rears were horrible. The directions were worse.
Needed a welder which wasn't mentioned but the parts that needed welding were.
Adapting the emergency brake was a lot of work. The Impala rears bolted to the back side of the axle. Makes a huge difference in getting it all to line up.
The Right Stuff is the lowest of the low. Because of their customer service does not exist and the parts are generic. Just my humble opinion.
If I had only installed the fronts maybe I would have felt different about them.

Man I had a totally different experience with them . I called them a few days ago about their kit for my 68 . 3 rings and the phone answered . We talked for good 20 minutes about what's involved and included in the kit .

They even hooked me up when I put a a 9 inch in my Chevelle with the brakes and lines . Which fit perfectly

Sorry for the thread drift

[jjhenry]

I had good luck with a complete deluxe kit from Performance Online for my 8 lug '69 C20.

They have kits for 6 lug, stock height spindles. The deluxe kit includes tie rod ends and ball joints, but you can get the regular kit without them.

On top of the disc brake kit, I got a new power booster master, proportioning valve, and all new stainless lines. Everything bolted up without issue.

[67C10Step]

Drop spindles with Inline Tube hard lines. Above mentioned flex lines and it all fit very well. No complaints.

[WadmalawJoe]

Thank you everyone! I hope to get some parts ordered today!