55.2-59 56 straight axle squarebody hubs

[regan56]

Originally Posted by regan56

I do want the 5on5...i guess the only things I'm not sure of is the bearings and the lugs..the rest i could piece together with no double guessing myself.

The bearings..This is probably the biggest concern i have.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/1947-...ion,24928.html

Would these bearings work? I was going through the 'Parts included in this kit' list and the part number for the outer bearings took me to the bearing obviously but says it would t fit my -56 GMC?

[mgchevyparts]

Originally Posted by regan56

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/1947-...ion,24928.html

Would these bearings work? I was going through the 'Parts included in this kit' list and the part number for the outer bearings took me to the bearing obviously but says it would t fit my -56 GMC?

No, those are for your stock hubs. The disc brake kits come with bearings.

[regan56]

Originally Posted by mgchevyparts

No, those are for your stock hubs. The disc brake kits come with bearings.

Ya I thought about that after a while. Thx for the confirmation. I have been piecing together the parts list and i can't do it for less than the overall kit price minus the master cylinder and booster. Only thing would need to get the different hubs and try and sell the ones from the overall kit

I should say im looking at the kit from Speedway again and piecing that together. That kit was like 269.00 without the booster and cylinder.

[regan56]

Originally Posted by mgchevyparts

All kits use the 70-78 Camaro rotor. Speedway has them drilled in different patterns. The rotor does not fit your spindles directly, an inner bearing adaptor has to be used. It's either the 70-78 Camaro rotors or the 6 lug kit that re-uses your drum hubs, that's all that is available for your stock spindles.
You might find a 1/2" lug stud with a knurl that could be used to substitute the 5/8 studs but you won't know that until you have the rotors in hand and measure the existing hole size. If you want 5 on 5 that's what your choices are.
If you're using alum wheels you can redrill the holes for the larger size, should be done on a vertical mill

Ive found several different 1/2-20 studs with various knurl diameters. .57" .67" some .62".

Any best guess as to the hole diameter left by the 5/8" studs?

[mgchevyparts]

You'll never know without buy the rotors and measuring the hole. Definitely larger then 5/8"
What kind of wheels are you going to use? Alum can be drilled for the larger 5/8 studs

[regan56]

Originally Posted by mgchevyparts

You'll never know without buy the rotors and measuring the hole. Definitely larger then 5/8"
What kind of wheels are you going to use? Alum can be drilled for the larger 5/8 studs

Squarebody Chevy rallies..

[mgchevyparts]

Those wheels came off trucks that used 1/2" studs so maybe a 5/8 stud will fit, you need to check that. Also I would call Speedway and ask if they make the rotor with smaller then 5/8" studs, navigating their website isn't so easy.

[mgchevyparts]

Since I use that same rotor (5 on 4.75") for my early car kits I'll take a look and see if there is any possibility of re-drilling it, maybe you'll catch a break.

[regan56]

Originally Posted by mgchevyparts

Those wheels came off trucks that used 1/2" studs so maybe a 5/8 stud will fit, you need to check that. Also I would call Speedway and ask if they make the rotor with smaller then 5/8" studs, navigating their website isn't so easy.

Bought a 5/8 bolt to check..no luck. Its too large.

Ill call SW and see if they can help. The online request response was absolutely no help.

I guess im just baffled as to why this is such a difficult thing to hunt down?

[mgchevyparts]

As I suspected, absolutely no way you can re-drill. The rotors have a strengthening rib between each lug. They have to be made from new with a different mold.
Hard to find because it's very special purpose and not in any demand. It's surprising to me that Speedway even bothers with them but then they're into the off road crowd.

[mgchevyparts]

You can check if the holes can be drilled out (which they can) AND the correct taper machined back so the nuts seat properly.

[regan56]

i may just abort the 5on5. it seems like a friggin hassle ill have to do when i need to replace the front brakes anyway. i wanted teh 5on5 because thats the rims i had (kinda backwards, but had i known its not as easy to find teh right hubs ..)

i guess at this point i have 2 options for 5x4.75:

1. find a rearend from an late 70's firebird / camaro, tidy it up and slide that in
2. replace the axles and brake drums in my rebuilt (complete new brakes, axle seals and a coat of paint) SB axle (3.07 gears)

[regan56]

Originally Posted by regan56

i may just abort the 5on5. it seems like a friggin hassle ill have to do when i need to replace the front brakes anyway. i wanted teh 5on5 because thats the rims i had (kinda backwards, but had i known its not as easy to find teh right hubs ..)

i guess at this point i have 2 options for 5x4.75:

1. find a rearend from an late 70's firebird / camaro, tidy it up and slide that in
2. replace the axles and brake drums in my rebuilt (complete new brakes, axle seals and a coat of paint) SB axle (3.07 gears)

so looking into option 1. i have found a 10 bolt rear end housing for a "early 70's" camaro for $30. its just a shell and axle tubes, no brakes or gears or axles..just the case.

will the ring and pinion from my truck RE work in there? id have to purchase the axles and brakes and seals etc, but was probably going to have to anyway...

this thread has taken a turn 180 degrees. ill probably start a new one.

[mgchevyparts]

Before you give up. I was researching wheel studs. Typical ARP and Moroso 5/8 studs have knurls from .660 to .685
Moroso has a 1/2" set that has .685" knurl, just might work #46490

It would be nice if Speedway could tell you what the knurl size is but I doubt it.
Worst case buy one rotor and pop a stud out and measure the knurl

[regan56]

Originally Posted by mgchevyparts

Before you give up. I was researching wheel studs. Typical ARP and Moroso 5/8 studs have knurls from .660 to .685
Moroso has a 1/2" set that has .685" knurl, just might work #46490

It would be nice if Speedway could tell you what the knurl size is but I doubt it.
Worst case buy one rotor and pop a stud out and measure the knurl

im guessing the holes in the rotors dont distort? i mean ya i could buy one and check it...its not like i don have a ton of other useless truck metal in the garage

[mgchevyparts]

The ideal situation is the hole in the rotor is slightly smaller then your available knurl on the 1/2" stud. Then you can buy a dimensional ream in the correct size and carefully ream the hole to proper size. Insert studs with care also. If the 5/8 studs have the exact same size knurl as your replacement studs they'll probably press in but there is a risk that they could be loose. You just have to take some caution with cast iron, careless handling could mess up the hole.
It would be nice if Speedway knew the stud size but I kind of doubt it.
That .685" knurl is large and I think there is a good chance the 5/8 stud may be smaller. I'm basing my opinion on what I see listed at Summit for studs in those sizes. If the hole is smaller you want about 5 to 10 thou press fit between hole and knurl

[regan56]

Originally Posted by mgchevyparts

The ideal situation is the hole in the rotor is slightly smaller then your available knurl on the 1/2" stud. Then you can buy a dimensional ream in the correct size and carefully ream the hole to proper size. Insert studs with care also. If the 5/8 studs have the exact same size knurl as your replacement studs they'll probably press in but there is a risk that they could be loose. You just have to take some caution with cast iron, careless handling could mess up the hole.
It would be nice if Speedway knew the stud size but I kind of doubt it.
That .685" knurl is large and I think there is a good chance the 5/8 stud may be smaller. I'm basing my opinion on what I see listed at Summit for studs in those sizes. If the hole is smaller you want about 5 to 10 thou press fit between hole and knurl

thx mgchevy

i guess ive kinda already talked myself into the 5*4.75 pattern. i cab get the rear end for relatively cheap, get the speedway front end drum to disc kit and save the rebuilt truck rearened for another project or sell it to finance a portion of the work

[mgchevyparts]

I realize you probably have already moved ahead with your project. Interestingly I just bought a 59 1/2 ton. I just discovered yesterday that it has 5 lugs all around and a disc kit up front. The rear has been changed from stock. I assumed the bolt pattern was 5 on 4.75 BUT it might be 5 on 5?? I'm going to measure it later today to be certain. I know of no 5 on 5 front kit, this truck was built around 15 years ago so maybe there was such a kit.
I just got the truck 2 days ago. The PO told me it had drums all around. They stopped very well during short test drive and I took his word for it because the drums on my 57 worked so well I just accepted it. So when I was looking under the truck I saw the front rotors so I said no wonder the brakes work so well, LOL. Then during a closer inspection I saw the real reason the brakes work so well, it has a hydro boost master! WOW it does work well. I had noticed yesterday the rear end doesn't look original, then I popped a cap off the wheels and found out it was 5 lug, I had assumed 6 lug when he said it had drums all around. Right now I'm thinking the rear might be from a later Chevy truck so that's whats making me thing it might be 5 on 5.

[mgchevyparts]

Well it's 5 on 5. The front kit is not the one you saw at speedway. I can tell the rotor is not that one and it looks like it may be a truck rotor, I can tell this by the larger hub diameter. I'll have to take a wheel off to get the rotor part number.

I've never been real involved in truck parts/conversions so lots of things for trucks are new to me. This truck also has an interesting power steering. It has a box that looks like a 800 box but it may be a little larger (longer) It's rotated around so the pitman arm is in the original direction. Truck still has stock front suspension./steering. They had to weld in a boxed support on top of the original frame to mount the steering box.

[mgchevyparts]

Well, someone made a 5 on 5 front disc kit at one time. I can't find any now. I've got this one figured out. I could reproduce if I thought there was a market for 5 on 5 stock suspension disc kits

[regan56]

Originally Posted by mgchevyparts

Well, someone made a 5 on 5 front disc kit at one time. I can't find any now. I've got this one figured out. I could reproduce if I thought there was a market for 5 on 5 stock suspension disc kits

interesting stuff there..

yes i have moved on from that as it was just going nowhere and making me frustrated, certainly not from teh information here but the lack of products..it just doesnt make sense.

anyway your new find is interesting nonetheless..

[mgchevyparts]

I suspect this truck build had dealt with the same issues you have. The rear end is out of a later Chevy truck with 5 on 5 so the front kit matches up
The disc kit was professionally made as the brackets are laser cut and any disc kit for this original spindle requires bearing adaptors which are not easy to do without CNC lathe, but I can't find it anywhere and I'm certain you have searched