6 lug disc w/88 and up parts

[jonzcustomshop]

A guy posted this on the hamb, heres the link to the whole thread:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=379775

here is a copy and paste of his post, you will have to link over to the hamb thread to see the responses, there is some good extra info...

what do you guys think of this ? might be the cheapest way to modernize if it is all bolt on...

Heres a tech article for 60-66 chevy pickups that want 6lug disc brakes.

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I don't have pics of my setup yet because my camera is broken but I will try and talk you through the fairly inexpensive install.

Its not really that hard. If you know how to change spindles do a brake job that sort of thing.

Here goes.

You will need a set of spindles from a 1988 2 wheel drive 3/4 ton chevy pickup or 1/2 ton spindles should work also, infact my spindles are half ton spindles that are dropped 2" but stock ones will work the same.

They bolt in place of the stock coil spring spindles from the 63-66 coil spring chevy pickup front ends.

You should be able to find these spindles at most any bone yard as these late model trucks are plentiful now. But they need to be the 88 model year tho because there were some changes I believe after 88. Mine are 88 model spindles and brakes.

Well bolt your late model spindles up, but make sure your carefull when tearing down the old ones because that front spring is under alot of tention and can fatally hurt someone if the proper methods aren't used for letting the tention off of the springs.

Next you need a set of 88 model 3/4 ton 6Lug brake rotors. They take an A3 outer bearing and an A5 inner bearing you will want to pack the bearings full of grease before installing and you will need a new inner seal for the rotors also. The seal will be for an 88 also.


Next you will install the 88 3/4 ton 6 lug rotors onto your newer style spindles with the new bearings and seals.

Then buy brake calipers and brake pads for an 88 3/4 or 1/2 ton 2wd pickup then install them with new hoses.

And your done other than bleeding the brakes and your normal maint procedures for installing the wheels etc....

Then You to can have 6lug disc brakes on an old chevy without sacrificing the 6 lug bolt pattern.

And you can keep your stock rearend.


As far as I can tell everything seems to work fine I haven't got my panel truck driving yet to see if it drives the same as the regular 5 lug disc brakes but I'm pretty sure it will be fine.

You can also use 2" drop spindles for an 88 chevy fullsize halfton if you want the truck lowered more instead of the stock 88 spindles.


I used 1/2 ton dropped 88 spindles with the 3/4 ton rotors and halfton calipers but I checked the part numbers at orielys and the calipers are the same for both 1/2 tons and 3/4 tons with the 6 lug rotors.

The 8 lug rotors might work also for you 3/4 ton 60's truck owners. But I haven't checked into those yet.

I hope you can understand my tech post and if you need some pics of the spindles and rotors I will try to find a camera and take pics of the ones I have if some one needs it.
__________________
Road Demons C.C.
....and I know,
, but he didn't post any yet!

[**grumpy**]

Thanks for the link. I dont know how to do that, but am real curious about whether this will work...

So...Fella's....???

[SCOTI]

This is the harder way to get 6-lug disc brakes.

All the history I've seen on this swap states a requirement for 3/4 ton lower arms because the lower BJ for the 88-98 spindle is a larger diameter than 6X-87's. What I don't see in that link is any mention of the 3/4 ton lower a-arm.

So for this swap, apparently you need 3/4 ton lower a-arms or you'll need to cut out the BJ hole in the stock arms & weld in the correct size patch from a 88-98 arm. Seems easier to get 71-87 disc stuff & add a pair of 6-lug rotors from one of the board supporting vendors.

[Captainfab]

This conversion was posted some time ago in the FAQ here....
http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...ad.php?t=35042

I've got most of the parts to convert my Suburban using these parts......just no time

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by **grumpy**

Thanks for the link. I dont know how to do that, but am real curious about whether this will work...

So...Fella's....???

All the research I've done says it will work just fine. Check out the link I posted to the thread on here ^^^^

[joe231]

There is a guy one here, suicide 63, he did this conversion on his square body crew cab short bed......

here is a link to his thread
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=304940


I believe there are several others on here who have done the swap also.....

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by joe231

There is a guy one here, suicide 63, he did this conversion on his square body crew cab short bed......

here is a link to his thread
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=304940

His crew cab NOW has 5-lug 20" Coys on it. I wonder what happened?

[joe231]

maybe he converted so he could run Coys?

[70 Suburban]

I just ompleated this... not as cheap as I was thinking. the knucle, roter, caliper, and lower arms were $150. I then spent another 170 on upper and lower balljoints, tie rod ends and new lug nuts.
so $320 is still cheaper than the kit I think. all the parts I used were from a 2000 g20 van.

[Vernski]

[QUOTE=jonzcustomshop;3414941]
You will need a set of spindles from a 1988 2 wheel drive 3/4 ton chevy pickup or 1/2 ton spindles should work also, infact my spindles are half ton spindles that are dropped 2" but stock ones will work the same.

Hi Jonz your dropped spindles are for a 1988 I assume. So there's not any difference between the 1/2 or 3/4 spindles? I'm looking to go to disc on the front, but all the 2"-2.5" spindles say you can't run the stock rims. I am eventualy going to 15" rally's. I will read the two articles on this, at this point I'm confused But that's not hard to do.---Vernski

[70 Suburban]

Well the g20 vans use a rim close to stock on our trucks. They are 16in and will clear.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by Vernski

Hi Jonz your dropped spindles are for a 1988 I assume. So there's not any difference between the 1/2 or 3/4 spindles? I'm looking to go to disc on the front, but all the 2"-2.5" spindles say you can't run the stock rims. I am eventualy going to 15" rally's. I will read the two articles on this, at this point I'm confused But that's not hard to do.---Vernski

You can run 15" wheels w/drop spindles. The catch is you need to have limited back-spacing on the wheels. The bigger the amount of drop @ the spindle, the more critical clearance becomes.

I have 3" Bell Tech spindles on my 74 w/15" wheels. It required trimming some of the a-arm lip so the weights & lip of the wheel wouldn't rub the a-arm. We ran 15" ralleys on my old roomates 91swb w/Bell Tech spindles & there were no problems.

The 'late model' spindles mentioned in this thread would be 88-98. The similarity between them is light vs. HD. The light duty spindles were available on lt.duty trucks or single cab 6cyl 2wd's; the HD spindles were available on ext.cab 1/2 tons & lt.duty 3/4 tons.

I've seen the swap done, but IMO it's easier to use standard 71-80 1/2 ton parts w/a pair of 6-lug rotors available from several of our board supporting vendors.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I've seen the swap done, but IMO it's easier to use standard 71-80 1/2 ton parts w/a pair of 6-lug rotors available from several of our board supporting vendors.

I agree!!!

[777ralph]

Something the OP neglected to mention in his original thread "My truck had a later 5lug conversion done on it already b4 I started." So somebody already changed it to the Larger upper ball joint and newer 73-87 lower A arm(with larger ball joint) required to do this swap with stock parts. The stock, smaller, 63-66 balljoints won't fit the newer spindles. He also used aftermarket dropped spindles, not stock ones. It was only easy for him because half the work was already done.
I'm wading through all the conflicting info on this prepping to do the swap on my truck.
Note : Somebody (CPP?) now makes 2"dropped, 1 1/4" disc brake spindles to fit stock 63-66 balljoints, but I want to switch out my A arms to the 73-87 rubber bushed type.
Ralph

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 777ralph

Something the OP neglected to mention in his original thread "My truck had a later 5lug conversion done on it already b4 I started." So somebody already changed it to the Larger upper ball joint and newer 73-87 lower A arm(with larger ball joint) required to do this swap with stock parts. The stock, smaller, 63-66 balljoints won't fit the newer spindles. He also used aftermarket dropped spindles, not stock ones. It was only easy for him because half the work was already done.
I'm wading through all the conflicting info on this prepping to do the swap on my truck.
Note : Somebody (CPP?) now makes 2"dropped, 1 1/4" disc brake spindles to fit stock 63-66 balljoints, but I want to switch out my A arms to the 73-87 rubber bushed type.
Ralph

There are multiple vendors that offer dropped spindles for 1.25" rotor 63-70 applications. If you're purchasing spindles anyway & want to use 73-87 arms, just get 73-87 spindles & BJ's.

[777ralph]

That's the plan, SCOTI, but are the rotors stock 88-98 6 luggers, or something special?
Ralph

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 777ralph

That's the plan, SCOTI, but are the rotors stock 88-98 6 luggers, or something special?
Ralph

They're standard 1.25" 'blanks' for a 71-87 application that are drilled for a 6-lug pattern vs. the standard 5-lug. The 88-98 6-lug rotors will not work on 71-87 spindles because the hub dimensions (specifically the bearing placement) is different.

[777ralph]

Thanks, SCOTI ! You've cleared up a lot of my questions. Of ourse if I ponder this a bit, I'll have more!
Ralph

[CSoliz]

Originally Posted by lolife99

I agree!!!

Is there a link or how to for this?

[kdrodworks316]

I have used nissan hubs and rotors on a stock spindle, 87 up hardbody

[777ralph]

Whoah! That's a new one for me! Please give us more details. Stock 63-66 spindle?
Ralph

[mcmullinauctions]

There has been so much said I am starting to get confused...

I have a set spindles, rotors, calipers from a 1992 chevy halfton (5 lug).

I know 1968 is the preferred year but...All I need is:
(1)Lower A arms from a 3/4 2wd 1968 to 1987 (knowing that 73-87 had larger bump stops)
(2)spindles and calipers from the 1992 chevy 2wd 1/2 ton
(3) Rotorsm(1.25") from a 1988-1992 7200 gvw 2wd 3/4 ton (I drive a 1994...wish I could rob parts from it, lol)

And what else? I have a ZERO budget so I am snatching up parts as I find them for free. I just need to make sure I am gathering the right ones.

Also does a 1969 chevy truck rear end have the same tracking bar and perches as a 1963? I know they are the same width.

[70 Suburban]

i DID A WRITE UP ON IT WITH PICS.. SEND YOUR EMAIL AND ILL SEND IT TO YOU... BUT YOU WILL NEED OFFICE 2007

[kdrodworks316]

Originally Posted by kdrodworks316

I have used nissan hubs and rotors on a stock spindle, 87 up hardbody

I did them on a 71 chev abou 13 years ago, far as I know they were stock spindles, bolted right on using they chev bearings and calipers. I had a parts list, I will see if I still got it in the snapon tower of toolbox

[Captainfab]

You will also need the '88-'98 lower ball joints. The upper ball joints from the '88-'98 I believe will fit the '73-'87 upper control arms. You will need the outer tierods and adjusting sleeves from the '88-'98 along with the ES2020L tierods for the inners. Other than bearings and seals, that's about all I can think of at the moment. I will be putting together a list of part numbers for this conversion and posting them soon.

The '65-'72 12 bolts used the short panhard bar whereas the '63 & '64 used the long one that connected to a bracket welded to the passenger side axle tube. You can use a '65-'72 12 bolt in your '63 with the short panhard bar. However you will need to tweek the bar a little because the angle of the frame bracket is a little different for the long bar.

Originally Posted by mcmullinauctions

There has been so much said I am starting to get confused...

I have a set spindles, rotors, calipers from a 1992 chevy halfton (5 lug).

I know 1968 is the preferred year but...All I need is:
(1)Lower A arms from a 3/4 2wd 1968 to 1987 (knowing that 73-87 had larger bump stops)
(2)spindles and calipers from the 1992 chevy 2wd 1/2 ton
(3) Rotorsm(1.25") from a 1988-1992 7200 gvw 2wd 3/4 ton (I drive a 1994...wish I could rob parts from it, lol)

And what else? I have a ZERO budget so I am snatching up parts as I find them for free. I just need to make sure I am gathering the right ones.

Also does a 1969 chevy truck rear end have the same tracking bar and perches as a 1963? I know they are the same width.