Dilemma with front axle/brakes

[95greenz28]

Hey guys I have a 1/2 ton pickup. When I bought it there was no front suspension on it. I found a guy that sold me a complete front axle with brakes and all. Problem is I noticed now its a 8 bolt so 3/4 ton axle. Is there a disc brake conversion I can do to eliminate the 8 bolts and go back to 6? What is my best recourse here. Thanks in advance guys

[dwcsr]

Get a different axle for a 55 to 59 1/2 ton. The 8 to 6 bolt conversion is near impossible to get right and costly if you can find the parts.

[95greenz28]

I have the 1/2 ton axle and springs also. I guess I would just need spindles?

[dwcsr]

Spindles for 55-59 and brake sets from 53 to 59

[95greenz28]

Excellent. Maybe somebody that has some spindles for sale will chime in

[dwcsr]

do you have the original steering arms?

[95greenz28]

I believe so

[MARTINSR]

I have a pair of spindles I got with a 55-59 axle I just sold on ebay. I kept the spindles because as I remember they were the same as the late AD truck, is this true? If it's the same as 49-54 Passenger car or 52-up truck I want to keep them. But if they are 55-59 only and won't fit on my 49-54 passenger car front end I will sell them. Does anyone know?

Brian

[whitedog76]

The 53-59 Chevy 3600 and 3800 trucks spindles were the same. I even want to say the 4100's were too.

The 52 and earlier had the same diameter kingpin, but the 53-59 are actually longer. You could use the the early spindles, you just need the early kingpin too.

The 3100 and 3600 trucks from 47-55.1, used the same front leaf springs. All the other components on the 3600's were the same as the 3800's. The 3600 axles were the same as the 3800's, but drilled for the 1.75 springs like the 3100's.

So, you could use a front axle from a 3100 on a 3600 truck, it's a direct swap. I would advise that you change over all the steering linkages, etc... to the 3100 style. Due to the fact that the 3600-3800 trucks used tapered ball joints.

[MARTINSR]

It sounds like what you are saying is that 53-59 3100 are the same so then they would be the same as 49-54 Passenger car? Because the passenger car hubs and brakes will go on the 53 3100 spindle from what I understand, changing it to 5 lug. The 49-54 passenger car spindles will fit on a 47-52 3100 so you can change it over to 5 lug passenger car pattern.

I have a set of each, one set on a passenger car front suspension assy, one set I got with an axle (don't know the year though) AD 3100 (which has a shorter axle than the 55-59 3100) and then the pair I got from the 55-59 Speedway dropped axle I just sold. The passenger car ones are still on the front so I can't do anything with them but the others I could throw a few measurements on them, they are relatively easy to get to in my "wrecking yard".

Brian

[95greenz28]

Well I have that full setup from the 51 Chevy 3/4 ton
However I also have stock 3100 leaf springs and axle. So all I truly need are the spindles that will go onto my stock 53 front axle

[dwcsr]

Spindles on the 3100 are not the same from 53 to 59. somewhere in there they changed from a roller bearing under the axle to a flat stack of brass washers and machined the axle accordingly and changed the backing plate bolt ears. To ID spindles that are pre 54. look at the backing plate bolt flanges they are slightly rounded, 55 to 59 are squared off and heavier. 3100 and 3600 do not interchange

[whitedog76]

The 55.2-59 axle assemblies were different, even though they used the same spindles.

Any 47-55.1 3100 axle assembly will swap to a 3600 truck, but not the 3800. The 3800 used wider springs and the frame was narrower.

Car spindles will only work with car axle assemblies, not the truck. They used a different camber angle, not to mention they were IFS. It was common for guys to swap 1/2 ton 3100 bodies onto car frames, due to the fact they had the same wheel base. The car front hubs would fit on the 3100s also. Thats how alot of guys got 5 lugs and disc brakes. I'm not for sure when the bearings and hubs changed.

[MARTINSR]

Man I seem to remember from my younger days that the passenger car spindle works on the truck. It looks just like it. But in a quick google everyone is just talking about simply putting the hub and drum from the passenger car onto the truck. But I could have sworn you needed to swap the spindles for 47-51 then 51-54 the hubs went on without the spindles needing to be swapped.

Here is a passenger car/Corvette spindle.


http://www.corvettepacifica.com/prod...itioned-53-62/

Brian

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

I have a pair of spindles I got with a 55-59 axle I just sold on ebay. I kept the spindles because as I remember they were the same as the late AD truck, is this true? If it's the same as 49-54 Passenger car or 52-up truck I want to keep them. But if they are 55-59 only and won't fit on my 49-54 passenger car front end I will sell them. Does anyone know?

Brian

If you look thru the manuals at the site in my signature link you might be able to tell. I cannot remember if they get PN specific in the specs or that detailed in the dimensions of spindles, etc. They do have detailed info on spring sizes, I have looked at that before.

[whitedog76]

The car spindles have a 4 degree angle the trucks have a 7 degree angle.

You would need a solid axle from a car to make it work.

[whitedog76]

Here's a good link on the 8 lug disc conversion

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=586788&page=4


Here's a 8 lug disc kit. No reviews on it yet.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/350973126802...3A1123&vxp=mtr

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by whitedog76

The car spindles have a 4 degree angle the trucks have a 7 degree angle.

You would need a solid axle from a car to make it work.

Where are you getting that number? There is no solid axle car, so that's out. But where are you getting that number, is it the king pin inclination of the spindle?


Brian

[whitedog76]

All the info you need on Chevy spindles.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=828405

[MARTINSR]

Thanks, wow, I didn't know that, the KPI is different. OK, well, I have two sets of spindles I can't use on my front end they may just be for sale now.

I'll dig them out and get a good look at them and see what I have.

Brian

[95greenz28]

So to keep stock components on my 53 front end what spindles do I need? It got a bit confusing here.

[whitedog76]

Truck axle, truck spindles.

[95greenz28]

I understand that. What years will fit my 53

[whitedog76]

47-55.1 for 3100 trucks

47-52 and 53-59 for 3600 and 3800 trucks

[95greenz28]

Perfect. Thank you. Now does anyone have any for sale lol