Ready to go 1 Ton/K5

[swyfor5]

Seen a lot of this stuff before, but need some advice here. Going with a Dana60 frt, and a 14blt corp rear. Already have a superlift 8" suspension lift, swapping in a np205 to replace my dana20, running the sm465/ 4 speed manual also.Need advice on brake booster upgrades, etc. Also looking at changing the 14 bolt rear to disc brake setup, whew, that's all for now!

[Yukon Jack]

I sure dig the hydroboost I put on my K20 but that might be a little more involved than you are wanting. I would think swapping to a 3/4 ton booster should get you good breaking and would be a simple swap. I probably will do a swap to discs on my K5's 14 bolt when it is brake time for that axle.

When you swap in your 14 bolt, assuming you are using your existing rear driveshaft, you will need a conversion u-joint.

What specific advice are you looking for or than on the brake issue?

[swyfor5]

Thank's YJ. I will know more when I start wrenching.

[Burt4x4]

Hydroboost is suppose to be better than vacume.
I swapped in a 1Ton Vac Booster/Master combo from a 72 K30 pickup.
AJ wrote up a great post about this type of swap..it's here somewere if you search for it.
Lots of fab shops make the disk brake swap brakets like DIY4x, the calipers are usually from a D44 or 10bolt front. If you want an E-brake I've read some guys use Cadilac rear calipers as they have an e-brake lever on them. I just leave my rig in gear and carry a 8" long 4x4 chunk of wood. Well that and I have a line lock on my front calipers if I need to for short periods of time.

[Thealien]

I am seriously looking into hydraboost also. Better brakes and a smaller/cleaner install?

[swyfor5]

Thank's guy's, all good info. Gonna look into the hydroboost setup. Any pics?

[Yukon Jack]

Here is a link to a page on my website about my install.

[bigbadchev72]

Here is a really good write up for you to read. I helped my buddy do it on his 72 jimmy when he swapped over to 3/4ton and disc braked his 14bolt. Everything went together nicely he also used the summit adjustable proportioning valve.

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239503

[swyfor5]

Now that's what I'm talking about. Great info! Pic's help me a lot! From that it looks like the 1 ton booster/mc swap would be fairly simple to do. Thank's guy's!

[swyfor5]

Really getting things going now. Heading to Green Bay, WI., on new year's day, to pick up my new Dana 60 frt, and a 14 blt corp. Got a new superlift u-bolt kit coming also for the front. Looking at all the brake upgrade setups, but one step at a time. Had a change of mindset recently, think I'll collect all the needed components, assemble to function on K5, and then start the teardown/resto.

[swyfor5]

Whew!, just spent over 18 hrs on road trip to Green Bay, Wis. Got the axles home though, and it was worth the snowy roadtrip! Those things are heavy man! Looks like what I wanted, just will need a lot of TLC and money. Just gotta figure out a way to get them outta the back of the pickup! I'll get some pic's asap and post em up here. Happy New Year everybody!

[Yukon Jack]

I bought the Superlift u-bolt kit also - unfortunately the studs that they sell won't work for me - they are a bit too long, unless you have a really thick spring pack, you'll be looking for bolts to replace the studs.

Awesome that you have the axles picked up!

[swyfor5]

Thank's YJ. Thank's for the heads up on the superlift studs. Gonna go out and try to get those beasts out of the back of the truck and on to some pallets. Could be a little tricky by myself!

[swyfor5]

Got the corp 14 bolt out into the snowbank by myself, mistake, threw my back out big time. Called a friend with a wrecker service 3 doors up and he slid the dana 60 out of the back of the pickup onto his flatbed wrecker, then slid it right out next to my 14 blt backbreaker! Good to go for now, will store here till spring, and then throw down! Took some pic's, and will post them asap.

[1tonblaze]

I got the same set up in my blazer 14 bolt single rear wheel rear i had to cut the old spring pads off so i could move them in the little bit they need . I have the off road designs axle u bolt kit along with the zero rate block and the shackel flip kit . diy4x4 is where i got the brackets for my rear disc swap there isnt really to much to do that set up . the front axle was a stright bolt in since i was running a d44 3/4 axle . that 14 bolt is a bear to move by yourself lucky i got a over head chain hoist in the shop .

[swyfor5]

Thanks 1Ton. I plan on doing the disc conv, any pic's of your swap? I was hoping to not have to move the spring mounts, but I guess it's not that big of a deal anyway. I am working on finding a building to start my project, just can't do it outside here. Anybody know of a decent rear disc kit that has almost everything included?

[1tonblaze]

I can get you some pics just going to take a few days to get them . I have heard if you get a dual rear wheel 14 bolt you dont have to cut the spring mounts since they are in the right spots . if you swap for rear disc you are going to have to come up with some sort of e brake witch i am sure you are aware of . when i get mine going again i am going with a drive line e brake and not the caddy rear calipers .

[swyfor5]

Cool, I love pic's! That driveline e-brake sounds like the way to go. I don't want the e-cables underneath anyway. Don't use the e-brake enough anyway, but is great to have when you need it.

[1tonblaze]

my truck is a stick shift so i am going to need it or i am going to have to block up the wheels everytime i park it lol . yeah i dont want the e brake cables hanging to since i am going to have some fun with this truck . bad enough i am going to have some sort of anti wheel hop bar since i went with the shackel flip

[swyfor5]

Yea, I hear ya. Mine is the 4 speed manual also. I am planning on a shackle flip too, to eliminate my current 4" rear blocks. Was looking at the anti-wrap setup from ORD, might work ok. The 4" blocks gotta go when I swap in the corp 14blt, as I want to retain my lift height in the rear.

[1tonblaze]

yeah my truck had the blocks also when it still had the 12 bolt in it . i went with all the offroad designs stuff for my lift i think i had about $1200 tied up in all the lift springs and stuff . blue t fab works has a axel truss set up that you could build your own anit wrap bar from .

[swyfor5]

Thank's 1 Ton for the blue torch tip. Think I had about that into my 8" superlift when I put in. Just gotta get rid of those blocks. Stock axle setup has to go, many reasons, one including the 1 ton axles are just laying there waiting! Also, one time yanking a buddy out of a mudhole, I dairyqueened a rear driveshaft, which in turn squished my rear axle spring mounts under the blocks. No problem getting home though. Just crawled under and removed the rear d-shaft, left in 4x4, and drove home on frt wheel drive!

[swyfor5]

Hey 1ton, question for ya. When you swapped out your stock 12 blt with the 4" blocks and put in the corp 14blt and shackle flip, did it restore your rear lift to where it was? Just want to know if the shackle flip is enough to replace my 4" blocks when I swap in the 14blt?

[63chevyll]

you'll prob have to change the perches on the 14 bolt right??

and i was gonna use this on my next 14 build

http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?rout...tegory&path=37

[1tonblaze]

my springs where broken so i have no clue how high it was before with the blocks and stock springs . the shackel flip is supposed to be 4 inches its self i have a 3 inch lift spring with the zero rate in the mix just to recenter the axel since the shackel flip moves everything forward about a inch or so . I went with this set up of axels because my old stuff was beat since my truck was a snow plow for a time so it was cheeper to upgrade to this then rebuild everything and convert to disc . my front set up is a set of rough country 6 inch springs with the 1 inch longer shackel and shackel hanger kit from ord .