Disk conversion, need info??? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

chevy one · 02-25-2008, 10:36 PM

Dose the center link need to come from the donor truck? The donor is a 71 going on to a 67. I have the I/O tie rods, calipers, upper & lower ball joints all new for the 71 year. The spindles are original from the 71 donor. I did not rob the center link, will I need the 71 link to hook the up inner tie rods? If the 71 link in needed will it connect to the 67 pitman and idler arms? My 67 dose have power steering, if this also comes into play as well.

low70chevy · 03-02-2008, 06:22 AM

Hope I can help a little bit with your brake question. I did the disk brake swap on my 70 and yes i had to use the center link from a 71 as well. I Had to use 71 inner and outter tie rod ends and the center link did bolt up to the idler arm and the pitman arm.

**70C10Toejam** · 03-02-2008, 07:05 AM

Does it HAVE to come from the donor truck---easy answer, no. There are adapter adjustment sleeves available. BUT IT IS MUCH EASIER TO TAKE THE CENTER LINK. Cause you can use the inner and outer tie rod ends from the donor and the adj. sleeve all from the same year. There are diff. between years on the tie rods, inner and outer mixes dont mix so well. Much much easier to take it all. I believe the only diff. in the pitman arm is in manual vs. power. I had my '85 setup with the '70 manual box/pitman just fine. It is just so much easier with all the same year.

chevy one · 03-02-2008, 01:57 PM

Thanks pow 70 & Toejam

for clearing this up, I thought this the way ahead.

huero · 03-08-2008, 10:18 AM

If I may, what is needed if you dont have the centerlink. I have a 72 disc brake set up and want to install it in a 69 with manual steering. I have not purchased anything yet. Thanks in advance, huero.

shifty · 03-08-2008, 10:03 PM

This is what I can tell you, take it or leave it.

I have a '68 pickup with front drums.

I have an entire '77 front end in my garage, including the steering box, tie rods, pitman+idler arms, control arms, disc brakes, and this is all getting bolted to my '68.

This is what I can tell you:

The tie rods are absolutely 100% different.

The center link on the '77 is slightly different than the '68, enough to possibly make a difference.

The idler arm is the same.

The pitman arm is 99% the same, and I think it would work BUT I have not tried to bolt my '68 pitman arm to the '77 center link yet (I'm using a '68 power steering box, btw, and it looks very much the same as the '77 box).

Personally, onmy '68, I am using the '77 spindles, so to prevent problems, I'm stealing the '77 center link and using complete '77 tie rods, as previously suggested. If you do not do this, you'll be using the outer tie rod which fits your year of spindle, and you'll use the inner tie rod which fits your center link, which means you may need to buy an adapter to fit the two mismatched tie rods together.

I also think the holes on the '77 center link (where the tie rod connects) were larger than the '68.

YMMV.

02-25-2008, 10:36 PM	#1
chevy one Chevy One Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The BeeHive State Posts: 132	Disk conversion, need info??? Dose the center link need to come from the donor truck? The donor is a 71 going on to a 67. I have the I/O tie rods, calipers, upper & lower ball joints all new for the 71 year. The spindles are original from the 71 donor. I did not rob the center link, will I need the 71 link to hook the up inner tie rods? If the 71 link in needed will it connect to the 67 pitman and idler arms? My 67 dose have power steering, if this also comes into play as well. __________________ Chevy One 67 1/2 Two-on-the-Floor 67 Nova 2Dr Sedan 03 Monte Carlo I'M NOT OLD, JUST A CLASSIC!!!

03-02-2008, 06:22 AM	#2
low70chevy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: tn Posts: 8	Re: Disk conversion, need info??? Hope I can help a little bit with your brake question. I did the disk brake swap on my 70 and yes i had to use the center link from a 71 as well. I Had to use 71 inner and outter tie rod ends and the center link did bolt up to the idler arm and the pitman arm.

03-02-2008, 07:05 AM	#3
70C10Toejam Hellasick Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Death Moans, IA Posts: 876	Re: Disk conversion, need info??? Does it HAVE to come from the donor truck---easy answer, no. There are adapter adjustment sleeves available. BUT IT IS MUCH EASIER TO TAKE THE CENTER LINK. Cause you can use the inner and outer tie rod ends from the donor and the adj. sleeve all from the same year. There are diff. between years on the tie rods, inner and outer mixes dont mix so well. Much much easier to take it all. I believe the only diff. in the pitman arm is in manual vs. power. I had my '85 setup with the '70 manual box/pitman just fine. It is just so much easier with all the same year. __________________ I keep two MAGNUMS in my desk. One's a gun, and I keep it loaded. The other's a bottle and it keeps ME loaded. I'm Tracer Bullet. (Calvin and Hobbes) This life was a test. It was only a test. If this had been an actual life, you would have received instructions on where to go and what to do. RED meat is not bad for you...FUZZY BLUE/GREEN MEAT is bad for you!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUILT FORD TOUGH WITH CHEVY STUFF--sticker at Goodguys Last edited by 70C10Toejam; 03-02-2008 at 07:09 AM.

03-02-2008, 01:57 PM	#4
chevy one Chevy One Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The BeeHive State Posts: 132	Re: Disk conversion, need info??? Thanks pow 70 & Toejam for clearing this up, I thought this the way ahead. __________________ Chevy One 67 1/2 Two-on-the-Floor 67 Nova 2Dr Sedan 03 Monte Carlo I'M NOT OLD, JUST A CLASSIC!!!

03-08-2008, 10:18 AM	#5
huero 1969 Short, Fleet, and Beat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Long Beach, Ca. Posts: 867	Re: Disk conversion, need info??? If I may, what is needed if you dont have the centerlink. I have a 72 disc brake set up and want to install it in a 69 with manual steering. I have not purchased anything yet. Thanks in advance, huero.

03-08-2008, 10:03 PM	#6
shifty Questionable Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 13,373	Re: Disk conversion, need info??? This is what I can tell you, take it or leave it. I have a '68 pickup with front drums. I have an entire '77 front end in my garage, including the steering box, tie rods, pitman+idler arms, control arms, disc brakes, and this is all getting bolted to my '68. This is what I can tell you: The tie rods are absolutely 100% different. The center link on the '77 is slightly different than the '68, enough to possibly make a difference. The idler arm is the same. The pitman arm is 99% the same, and I think it would work BUT I have not tried to bolt my '68 pitman arm to the '77 center link yet (I'm using a '68 power steering box, btw, and it looks very much the same as the '77 box). Personally, onmy '68, I am using the '77 spindles, so to prevent problems, I'm stealing the '77 center link and using complete '77 tie rods, as previously suggested. If you do not do this, you'll be using the outer tie rod which fits your year of spindle, and you'll use the inner tie rod which fits your center link, which means you may need to buy an adapter to fit the two mismatched tie rods together. I also think the holes on the '77 center link (where the tie rod connects) were larger than the '68. YMMV. __________________ If I've got anything up for grabs, it'll be here: 7-hole gauge cluster for a 67-72 p/u FREE (link) I can't check the forum daily. If I don't reply to you within 24 hours, drop me a PM! I'm (hopefully) still alive and will reply faster to a PM. Last edited by shifty; 03-08-2008 at 10:03 PM.



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