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Old 01-01-2007, 01:02 AM   #1
bigblackcat
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arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

I have a 60 chevy swb box and would like to install disc brakes. As i dont have a mountain of cash to throw at this project, I want to keep it low buck. In a post by "mongo" he reports that all you have to do in swap out tha uper and lower A arms and spindles off a disc brake truck say 71 and newer. I has seen post that claim you have to swap out the whole cross member from the donor truck. Has any body out there completed this swap with just the A arms? And has any body done it to a 60 chev? The 60 chevy's have the torsion bar suspension.
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Old 01-01-2007, 12:22 PM   #2
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

The swap out posted by "mongo" will not work with the 60-62 trucks. Starting in 63 Chevy switched to a spring set up and they used diffrent A arms. You can do a complete cross member swap, or you can get spindles ( stock or lowered) with spindes beeing easiest to do, while some will say the cross meber is cheeper, take into account it would be wise to replace all bushings,ball joints, inspect or replace tie rods, calipers , rotors , hoses, bearins , seas etc. it can add up.
One thing to keep in mind is the NEED to replace your master cylinder, this can be pricey ( 300.00-450.00)if you have a manual transmision. This is becuse the master cylinder controls ( on difrent resivours) the brakes and hydrulic clutch.
I am leaning on the drop spindels on my 60. and fabing up a seprete brake and clutch master. Good luck keep us posted

Last edited by slepysal; 07-18-2007 at 12:04 AM.
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Old 01-01-2007, 01:24 PM   #3
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

With the brake and clutch part. What about a circle track set up. I ran one in my 50 and it worked great. The have a balince bar to adj front and rear pressure so there's no need for a proportioning valve. here's a link to one
http://www.daymotorsports.com/product/868/c/C9/
They also have different style masters. I ran one's with remote reservoirs.
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Old 01-01-2007, 01:25 PM   #4
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

If you just use spindles and you need to rebuild that 60 front end it will cost plenty. Price out some bushings and ball joints. If you use a crossmember for a mid 70's you can get a set of ball joints for about $60 if you look hard enough. Summit sells energy suspension bushing kits for $57 for a 75.. The clutch issue is something you will have to deal with also.. You need to study more before you jump into things.. Maybe I can hook up with Slepysal someday and look at his truck.
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Old 01-01-2007, 02:57 PM   #5
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

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If you just use spindles and you need to rebuild that 60 front end it will cost plenty. Price out some bushings and ball joints. .
Good point !!! I stand corected, spindles would be easier,not cheeper.
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Old 01-02-2007, 01:04 AM   #6
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

I just found a complete crosmember with all the hardware for the disk brake conversion. Will the engine in my truck need to be removed to complete this swap?
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Old 01-02-2007, 01:08 AM   #7
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

You should be able to support the front of the motor on a jack stand and do all the needed work. Just don't forget to unbolt the lower portion of the motor mounts on the crossmember.
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Old 01-02-2007, 01:16 AM   #8
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

This thread showes how he supported the motor.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=137398
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Old 01-02-2007, 01:32 AM   #9
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

Hey black cat I dig your truck. what kind of drop do you have on it? What size lowering blocks you running ? Nice very nice
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Old 01-02-2007, 11:14 AM   #10
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

torsion bars cranked down and rear springs cut. Old school style.
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Old 01-02-2007, 11:45 AM   #11
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

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torsion bars cranked down and rear springs cut. Old school style.
very cool paint job too.
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Old 01-06-2007, 04:22 PM   #12
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

Has anybody heard if there is a width difference on the frames from 60-66, 67-72, and 73-87??????? Reason I ask is that I was talking to a friend about swapping out my crossmember from my 60 to a 78 and he said that he did a crossmember swap out on a 66 and tried to use a mid 70's crossmember and it was wider than the 66. So then he installed one from a 72 and it was correct width. Any comments on this??????
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Old 01-06-2007, 05:47 PM   #13
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

I have heard that the 60-62 frames are wider than 63-66. I know for sure the rear of the frames 60-62 are wider. Not sure about the rest.
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Old 01-06-2007, 10:16 PM   #14
62CHEVYC10
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

hey bigblackcat, I have a 62 that I converted to disk brakes. I removed the torsion bar set up and crossmember and installed the complete crossmember and suspension from an 85 half ton donor truck. very easy to do just had to drill a couple holes and make a bracket to use the 85 idler arm. Plus you can drop it with coils and spindles. I have 3 inch dropped coils up front and fours in the rear. The frames are the same width. I ran into no unexpected problems when I did mine. Some fabrication experience is useful but i do that for a living. If you can wrench you can do the swap.
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Old 01-07-2007, 01:06 AM   #15
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

Hey BCat, we have already PM'd, on this topic I too have completed the swap like 62ChevyC10 and am just echoing his remarks.
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Old 01-07-2007, 07:19 PM   #16
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

so it looks like my engine has a front mount, but also has the holes on the side of the block for engine mounts. Would it be easier so convert my engine to side mounts when I convert the crossmember?
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Old 01-08-2007, 12:35 AM   #17
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

I would use the side mounts. They bolt to the crossmember anf the top of the frame rail.
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Old 01-08-2007, 01:18 AM   #18
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Re: arm swap for disc brakes 60 chevy

Ditto - PoorBoy
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