Front disc conversion/5 lug on 3/4

[ZZ4Blazer]

Hello all. New to fullsizes. IM sure this has been covered before, but looked around and couldn't find any concrete answers. Im working on a getting a 70 short bed. Hopefully I can get it tomorrow.

I believe its a 3/4 ton, cause its a 6 lug. Do the 3/4 ton have 6 or 8 lugs?

EDIT: I was reading around the forum more, and I believe it only a 1/2 now that its got 6 lug.

Being a 70, its got drums up front.

I want this truck to bag it. But, Im gonna make this a good driver also. Upgrade to at least front discs, power brakes, power steering, convert to 5 lug, etc.

I'd like to run a set of tubular control arms and drop spindles when I bag it, but would like to convert it to dics soon for better driving till i get the money to bag it.

So, Instead of doing it twice, Id like to use drop spindles as soon as I convert it to 5 lug and discs.

I believe that I can use 73-87 spindles, and I'd assume all the brake components from whatever year(bearings, rotor, pads, caliper).

What else has to be changed? Tie rods? I thought I read in a different post that the control arms on the 1/2 are different from the 3/4. Do they have to be changed to use the drop spindles?

[Tx Firefighter]

You a correct, a 6 lug truck will be a 1/2 ton.

You're on the right track here. You can use the 73 and newer parts with corresponding brakes. You'll need to change the ball joints and outer tie rod end to match the spindles too. You can either change them, or change the whole arm to the later ones, which will of course get you the later disc brake ball joints along for the ride.

You may not know, but the whole front suspension and crossmember unbolt from these trucks. Plenty of guys change the whole unit to the later model one to get the brakes and newer, lower mile parts. Or, you can change just the arms and leave the crossmember in place, or like I said above, just the ball joints, it's your call

One last option is to buy drop spindles for your early truck. There are several different vendors who sell drop spindles that will bolt on without changing any ball joints or anything, and they use the 71 and newer 5 lug brake parts. That's what I did on my 70 when I converted it from 6 lug drum brakes to 5 lug discs. I bought the spindles from Early Classics which bolted onto my truck with no mods, then used 73 and newer brake components.

Remember, when you do a drum to disc swap, you have to replace the master cylinder and proportioning valve with disc units, which will also require some fiddiling with brake lines and hoses.

[ZZ4Blazer]

Yes, Im aware the front crossmember comes out. I currently have a 81 C10 also. There aren't really any good u pull it yards around here. I'll probably just wait till I get all the brake stuff together, and do it all at once. Power booster, master, prop vavle etc.

I'll probably just get a set of Belltech drop spindles for the 73-87. Get all the brake components for my 81. Swap out the balljoints in the stock arms. IMO, its all ways a good idea when working on older stuff like that. For all I know, they're original.

I was looking around Early Classic, and it seems like they're got tons of sweet stuff. I was wondering on swapping the rear axles out to convert that to 5 lug too, they got a kit for that and everthing. Not to mention that 1 peice door glass replacement. I hate those damn vent windows.

Is the bolt pattern 5x5? I beleive thats the "big" Gm pattern. I know my s10 blazer is 5 x 4.75"