easy disc brake swap
 

:canada: i have just swapped my drum brakesover to disc brakes by using the front pieces off a 1988 chev pickup. all i had to do was replace my bottom a-arm from a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton a-arm. the top balljoint was the same one but the bottom one had to be changed to a 88 ball joint. it pops right into the 3/4 ton a-arm. it only cost me 140.00 to do it as well. then your steering linkage just has to be adjusted to fit. i hope this helps somebody.

You have any pics? I am interested in how it looks.

i dont have any pictures yet, but will soon.

Damn thats a good idea, let us know how they perform and wear over time!!! My hats off to you!!:)

hello JHickson6: thanks for the reply. another good thing about this swap is the parts needed for this swap are the parts from a 1988-1993 truck including ball joints which are about 1/2 the price of 1968 ball joints.

So what you used was an 88 and up spindel? with which lower balljoint, the 88 and up half, or the older 3/4 balljoint. All this utilizing the older upper control arm using the halfton balljoint?

Definetly feel the 6 lug updated adaptation may be within reach here using the newer semi-floating 14 bolt rear.!!!!!!
(light 3/4ton, - 2500 series)

hello Chop Top: the 88 spindel, rotor, calipers, and ball joints were used in the swap. but you need a 3/4 ton 68 a-arm instead of the 1/2 ton one. the bottom 88 balljoint fits into the 68 a-arm, and the top 88 ball joint fits on the 68 a-arm. the top 88 ball joint you half to grind the rivets off of the 88 a-arm and then bolt it to the 68 a-arm. hope this clears it up. thanks!!!

can you post some pics love to see. did toy have to change your lines or power booster just wanting to know. love to do it if i can do it for cheep. the 900.00 kits are not for me
thanks
Darren

dream 69, Welcome to the board from Maryland. This sounds very interesting!. We would love to see some pics when you can. I don't drive my truck enough to justify the $700 kits either but would go for half of that if it's as simple as you say. I'm assuming you used the 88' 4x4 brakes to retain 6 lugs?. Did you use the newer style Master Cylinder and booster? Thanks.....Jim

I wonder if the 76 3/4 ton lower arm with do? Thats whats under mine now. I would love to try this setup. That would give me more reason to re-install the older style upper arm with new bushings. Is this going to change my track width any??

Hello chop top,
I believe the '76 3/4 ton lower arm is exactly the same but has a higher rubber snubber on it. So in my opinion it shouldn't change the track width any.
dream68

Dream 68, thats an interesting swap! how did the tierods work out with the 88 spindles?(or better put...which ones did you use?)

Dream68, Welcome aboard !!!!





That's the way I tried to do it, but didn't know the 3/4 ton was different. A friend gave me 2-1/2" drop spindles off of a newer truck, I bought everything to do the switch, But it came to a stop when I found out the lower ball joints were different, No one around here knew how to get around it. I went to Tuckers in Las Vegas and bought the complete disc brake,spindle kit from them.
Wish I would have known this then. would have saved me about $600.00.

That's nice about a board such as this, With so many people doing this stuff we learn most of the time the easy way instead of the hard way.....

hello 70C10: i am going to use the master cylinder and booster off a 70 1/2 ton. will work just fine.

Drum master on Calipers?
 

I don't think that is going to provide you with enough fluid volume for the calipers.

2nd that chop top......the calipers will hang also with the residual valve on the drum master......

ok guys, which year master do you suggest?

71-72 I think would be the best, unless someone else has found another one that will bolt on our trucks.

dream 68, i have always been a beleiver in peel the parts off the same truck if you can. My 69 longhorn has ALL the pcs off a 75 C10(master, lines,hoses,prop valve,calipers,reardiff/brakes......yep, its a 1/2 ton ride now! I couldnt say for sure on your combo, but i dont like to mix em. Generally, the pcs that were designed together tend to work best together. Good luck.....crazyL:)

Crazy Longhorn: sorry so late getting back. i used the steering linkage from the 68. the tie rod ends fit the 88 spindle .

Thats cool, its sounds like it will get around all the center link/tierod issues that are involved with using the 71-72,or 73-87 pcs on the older trucks! :)

Dream68 youve got me thinking. Chevy made 6lug 2wd 3/4ton truck 88 up, so would the balljoints and evreything still work, I am wondering if the 6lug spindle is the same as the fivelug so i wouldent have to change the rearend.:confused:

GMC JUNKIE TOO: my 68 chev was a 6 lug before the swap , and is after the swap. all parts work as i have stated before.....

the 6 lug is the same...

awsome, it will be alot cheaper than $899.00 for 6 lug disc brakes evenafter the drop spindles.:D