Daily Driver and Disc Brakes

[68_Step]

I am in the process (slowwwww ) of making my 67 C10 a daily driver, which makes me think about disc brakes. I currently have drums on all 4 corners. Trying to decide if I need to go with disc all around or disc on the front and drum on the rear? Since this will be my DD eventually, I think emergency brake is a must. This DD will (and is right now) routinely hauling 1000lbs of feed at a time from the feed mill, cattle trailer, OSB and 2x4s from Lowes – you get the idea. Which way would you go, and why?

[sprint_9]

I would go with some discs on the front and on the rear rebuild the drums, use quality components when you do the rebuild or order parts. That way you get good disc brakes on the front but still retain your parking brake in the rear with the drums.

If you think discs on the rear are a must, be prepared to spend 500+ to get a set up with an e-brake.

[leftybass209]

Nobody i know of has ever complained that their brakes stop their vehicles too well. That being said, if you are hauling 1000lbs daily, then brake fade associated with drum brakes is inevitable. Disc/drum combos have worked and are effective, and could probably get you by safely. It would come down to how fast and safely you would like to stop, versus how much you would like to spend on brakes.

[Dova]

I daily drive my 1970 with disc's up front and drum rear and have had 800plus pounds in the back and stopped just fine with it.

[SS Tim]

Considering that you are running pretty much at design GVW now with the drum brakes, power front disc brakes will feel like a new truck. Go with a factory brake parts swap up front.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...68&postcount=4
Add a front sway bar while you are there as well.
Rebuild the rear drums with quality parts and premium shoes.
But you do need to address the whole 5 or 6 lug issue so often wrestled with here.

Hopefully your "cattle trailer" has good brakes and is not too heavy. With a max GCW of 10,500 lbs (4.11 gears) that would leave about 5500lb for trailer and cargo best case. If you are hauling loads like this often you might want to consider a heavier series truck.

[BB72CHEVKT]

I have run drums and disc on a daily driver and it is an easy choice to pick the disc brake set up.

[Stocker]

Same as posted above.... power front discs and good rebuilt rear drums. You'll have all the braking power you need without the added cost & hassle of fitting rear discs and parking brakes. That said, I am a huge fan of 4-wheel discs -- but I also don't think it's worth the trouble to convert.

[68_Step]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Considering that you are running pretty much at design GVW now with the drum brakes, power front disc brakes will feel like a new truck. Go with a factory brake parts swap up front.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...68&postcount=4
Add a front sway bar while you are there as well.
Rebuild the rear drums with quality parts and premium shoes.
But you do need to address the whole 5 or 6 lug issue so often wrestled with here.

Hopefully your "cattle trailer" has good brakes and is not too heavy. With a max GCW of 10,500 lbs (4.11 gears) that would leave about 5500lb for trailer and cargo best case. If you are hauling loads like this often you might want to consider a heavier series truck.

By factory brake parts, did you mean something like the ECE front disc kit? I have been eyeballing that, standard, no drop. I think I am going to keep it 6 lug.

It already had a sway bar (15/16th) and I just replaced the bushings with Moog bushings. Also replaced the shocks and springs - changed the rear to cargo coils.
If I have a heavy load I use my other truck, 78 K30 Flatbed dually.
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[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by 68_Step

By factory brake parts, did you mean something like the ECE front disc kit? I have been eyeballing that, standard, no drop. I think I am going to keep it 6 lug.

It already had a sway bar (15/16th) and I just replaced the bushings with Moog bushings. Also replaced the shocks and springs - changed the rear to cargo coils.
If I have a heavy load I use my other truck, 78 K30 Flatbed dually.

By factory disc brakes I meant factory disc brakes (71-87) did you look at the link?

Maybe using the factory disc parts and aftermarket 6 lug rotors would be the easiest and cheapest solution. But the rotors would be a special part, thus a potential replacement issue.

Sway bar I was thinking of was the 73 up 1 1/4" square body part.

A 1000lbs in a C10 is a heavy load and you stated this is and will be a routine load. Also stated that you use or plan to use it to haul a cattle trailer this is also a heavy load anyway you look at it. Unless you have a healthy 350 or a big block in front of that three speed I can't see it being happy pulling that trailer.

[domeier]

It takes all of ten minutes a side to replace disc pads and you hardly get dirty doing it.

[MARKDTN]

Front disc, rear drums. The difference will be noticable if you haul much at all.

[midniteblues]

on the kids 67 we put manual 72 disc's up front and the 72 5 lugger in the rear(same setup i'm doing in mine) the later rear axle the drums/brakes are slightly wider than the 67's(if that makes a differnce).
after the swap it made a world of differnce in the pedal feel and stopping power even without power assist.
driving my 67 around with the manual drums they worked pretty good but it did have alot of brake fade and you definitly had too hit that pedal alot earlier than in the kids truck so i can understand where your comeing from with hauling and useing the drums.
swap over too the disc/drum setup you'll be much happier.
i gotta say though my s10 has 4 w disc's with the fancy rotors and that thing can stop on a dime but its a whole differnt truck.
we have never pulled anything or even really ever loaded the kids truck with much of anything so i couldnt help you in that department

[68_Step]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

By factory disc brakes I meant factory disc brakes (71-87) did you look at the link?

Yes I read every word (did not follow all the links off that page yet, but I will) but there were two sections that I thought were directly related to my situation (67-70 truck with 67-70 Crossmember Installed, and 67-70 Truck With 6-lug Disc Brakes: 6-Lug Drum to 6-Lug Disc Conversions) - just to make sure I was reading what you were suggesting.

Maybe using the factory disc parts and aftermarket 6 lug rotors would be the easiest and cheapest solution. But the rotors would be a special part, thus a potential replacement issue.

Sway bar I was thinking of was the 73 up 1 1/4" square body part.

Just checked the local Pick n Pull inventory, that have 3 each 1/2 tons, a 78, 79, and 81. Will call them to check if there is a sway bar on any of them. Would a 3/4 ton bar work?

A 1000lbs in a C10 is a heavy load and you stated this is and will be a routine load. Also stated that you use or plan to use it to haul a cattle trailer this is also a heavy load anyway you look at it. Unless you have a healthy 350 or a big block in front of that three speed I can't see it being happy pulling that trailer.

The trailer is a 16' cattle / stock trailer. Never had more than 2 cows in it at a time. I have been pulling the trailer for several years now, no problems. Feed is routine "in season", when we are doing critters.

[68_Step]

Originally Posted by domeier

It takes all of ten minutes a side to replace disc pads and you hardly get dirty doing it.

Now that is a point in favor of all disc!

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by 68_Step

Just checked the local Pick n Pull inventory, that have 3 each 1/2 tons, a 78, 79, and 81. Will call them to check if there is a sway bar on any of them. Would a 3/4 ton bar work?.

Yes, below is my reply to that same question by another member.

Ok, heres the scoop as best I remember it.

The following applies to 73-87 C/10, C20, C/30 trucks and up to 91 on Burbs C/10-C/20 and C30 old body style trucks.

If its a C10 and has a sway bar it will be 1." and the C20's and C30's had a 1.1/8" bar. You will need the bar, the bushing clamps, and the bushing stands. The bushing stands will be rivited to the frame so you will need to cut them off. I recommend replacing the bushings with a good rubber or polygraphite bushing.

Regarding the bushing stands, there are three ways to go. If your at stock height or slightly lowered you will need the stock stands. If your mildly lowered you can buy a shorter set from ECE that fit tighter to the frame. If your extremely low you can bolt the bushing clamps directly to the frame.

Applications will vary so you need to decide based on bushings at the A arms binding due to mounting height.

[domeier]

Originally Posted by 68_Step

Now that is a point in favor of all disc!

Yeah, that'd be sweet. I despise doing drum brake jobs. Slave cylinders get leaky, you (I, anyway,) always put some arm or plate on backwards and have to do it twice, and all that 2 tons of black soot gets everywhere. Fortunately, the rears wear so slow, you only have to do them maybe once for every two or three sets of front pads.