converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

so i have a 1969 c10 8ft bed and has drums all the way around. and i want to know if any other vehicle spindles brake booster and prop. valve will fit my truck from a junk yard or where ever instead of forking out the grand to order it threw lmc. any help is good. even other websites where i can get cheaper parts. thanks

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

70 to 78 model trucks are great donor vehicles for the front ends. Someone will chime in if I am incorrect on my years, but these are the most common for swaps. Mine is a 71 front end.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

All of these are good sources.
71-87 trucks.
71-91 suburbans.
71-82 2wd blazers.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

Thanks lolife! I gotta store that in my memory banks.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

ok man thanks. im gonna head to junk yard this weekend and see wut i can find. i,ll update yall on what they have

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

Get the booster,MC and prop valve also.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

WWW.TRUCKANDCARSHOP.COM shipping is a lot cheaper and the parts are way better there in Calif they have a on line catalog you can flip throw

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

I was thinking of going to the junkyard when i was doing my truck but i did not want the headache.. i hit up power brakes in orange ca and got a kit for 500. I got drop spindels so it was more. A bolt on kit is under 400. And u get to use your factory a arms. They have a web site. If u have any questions pm. Goodluck.
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Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

I sugest to read
http://www.classicperform.com/discdrop.htm

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

If you want to keep your 6 lug wheels and not have to change your rear end over, a good junk yard swap is converting to the later light 3/4 ton setup. I copied the following info info from this site a while back and if I'd known then what I know now I would have gone this route.

((Swap 6 bolt drum brakes over to 6 bolt disc brakes by using the front pieces off a 1988 Chevrolet pickup. Chevy made 6 lug 2wd 3/4ton trucks from 88 on. The 88 spindle, rotor, calipers, ball joints, and outer tie rods are used. Replace bottom a-arm from a 67 to 70 1/2 ton to a 67 to 70 3/4 ton a-arm. The top ball joint is the same but the bottom one has to be changed to an 88 ball joint. It pops right into the 3/4 ton a-arm. The top 88 ball joint fits into the upper 1/2 ton 69 a-arm, and the bottom 88 ball joint fits on the 67 to 70 ¾ ton a-arm. The top 88 ball joint you have to grind the rivets off of the 88 a-arm and then bolt it to the 69 a-arm.
Use the 69 intermediate shaft with the 88 outer tie rods. The inside tie rod end is changed to PART# : MOOG ES2020RL.(tie rod end). The 88 tie rods are also bulkier than the original 68 setup.))
As far as a good (and cheap) junk yard power brake setup, the Chevy Astro hydroboost unit is the way to go. You can look on this forum for more info on the hydroboost and the 6 lug disk brake swap.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

I don't want to argue,... but I never see this swap as a cheap alternative anymore.
The aftermarket makes standard spindles and drop spindle that will bolt right on your truck.
No balljoint change.
No tie rod change.
No a-arm change.

www.performanceonline.com sells the spindles for $228.
Add auto parts store rotors and calipers and be done.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

pretty sure this is a stickie at the top of the page...
buy a donor truck wheels, tires, all of the brakes, rear axle, extra engine and trans. Sell any good parts scrap the rest. I used a 76 heavy half. F40 brakes, 373 posi, sway bar, sold engine and trans. I bought the truck running for $600, I made money on my disc brake swap.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

Enough said lo life.Who wants the headache. I bolted on my kit right up. No grinding or cursing. When on like butter on toast.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

They have a web site?

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

Don't forget the prop. valve.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

Here you go. Its called abs power brakes and they are in the city of Orange, Ca www.abspowerbrake.com

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

Yup, the kit is 484-6 from www.abspowerbrake.com .... and it has everything you need... Just got off the phone with them and if you already have power brakes you just need the master and prop valve for $650... Nothing else needs to be changed dont even need an alignment afterwards... They also offer tech for it since they actually install these systems themselves to the local customers...

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

I love the search feature on this website!

I'm considering buying a 1967 truck and if I do, I might want to switch to disk brakes also.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

If you do,... the easiest way to get disc brakes is to use 63-70 conversion spindles.
The days of swapping 71-72 and 73-87 WORN OUT parts SHOULD BE long over.
This is 2014,... buy new parts to stop your truck!!!

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

I am not new to junkyards but I am new to brake work. I'd go for a new setup if I could but does one have to go to a 19" wheel? I thought that's what that one site (link in this thread) called for.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

That's all fine and dandy if you have a pocket full of cash. For those of us broke suckers the junk yard is the way to go.......just make sure the parts you get aren't already worn out, and if you have to, replace the important stuff like ball joints and brake hoses.....JMO

Scott

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

I have a '70 C10 and it has power drums up front can I use the brake booster I have or do I need to swap that out as well? What parts are needed if I can keep the current brake booster. Spindles, ball joints, calipers and rotors?

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

You should be fine with the booster unless its worn out. I went the junk yard way, spindles, rotors, calipers, and upper/lower ball joints from a c2500 heavy half. That's if you want to keep six lug. With my setup it required 67-68 3/4 ton lower control arms. I got a bit of a hard time going with this setup because folks said they couldn't get the alignment right. I don't have that issue and actually got a few benefits from it. I already had 2 1/2 coils cut on the front but the heavy half spindles gave me a little extra drop and about another inch in width. I run 6 lug rally wheels so it works for me. If you want more info let me know. If you want to keep it simple buy the aftermarket conversion....JMO

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

Thanks for the info, I have been replacing all the brake lines and the drums are decent I just wanted to upgrade at some point to make the routine maintenance a little easier on me.

I was trying to sell the truck to get a little later model C10 but people aren't willing to even pay $2k for a fully running/driving truck so I am not giving it away.

Re: converting front drums to disc's brakes on 69c10
 

All my original stuff was wore out so I got ball joints and the shaft kits from rockauto. The new 90's heavy brake lines even mounted up to the stock lines. The lower shaft kit also has the locator drill for improved caster.