drum or disk?

[warndogg]

I purchased a 70' swb with 4 wheel power drums. Not sure what to do with the brake system. On inspection I need shoes all the way around as well as the small rubber brake lines at the spindles, also springs (they look original). Both front bearings need to be replaced. And I have oil on the power booster so probably the M/C is leaking and prop valve.

With all that said I have been looking at all the great info on here about the "bolt on" spindle and axle kits from various vendors. Just not sure if I want to spend the extra on disc conversion. Other than greater wheel options, are discs really that much better? Also are these true bolt on kits or am I going to spend hours fabing things?

P.S. this is coming from a novice garage mechanic with basic tools.

[ecgate]

Disc are way easier to assemble than drum brakes. I have a disc kit from POL and it is a true bolt on kit. I had no problems at all. With that said I think going disc is a no brainer.

[lolife99]

GM went to disc brakes on the 1971 model trucks.
That was 42+ years ago.
Time to upgrade,...

[70cst]

My vote is disc

[volksworld]

don't even think of staying with drums...I converted mine 32 years ago...suggestion for a novice,break the job into segments...do master and valve ,bleed and test drive, then fronts or rears ,bleed and drive then do remaining axle...this way you avoid the "I replaced everything its all new I've been trying to bleed the brakes for 3 days I have no pedal what do you guys think is the problem?" situation. as long as you had a pedal when you started you can figure out when you screwed up or installed the defective part .one of my favorites was a wheel cylinder where the bleeder hole was never drilled...outside ,after dark in the snow...

[warndogg]

Thanks for the replies! I guess I have my answer.
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[c10Dream'n]

Originally Posted by warndogg

Thanks for the replies! I guess I have my answer.
Posted via Mobile Device

another vote for disc...

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by c10Dream'n

another vote for disc...

Yup, you need to do it. I drove mine with drums for 5 years, and the last 11 with disc. No comparison.

[c10srule]

go with disc, you can get 6 or 5 lug rotors depending on your preference

[Jerryrig]

+1 for disc....

about to update my build thread in the next few days because i just did this conversion.

[nlped]

Mine was 4 wheel power drum when I bought it and drove it home... They were sketchy AT BEST. I now have 13" 4 wheel disc brakes with the appropriate m/c & p/v. It's like night & day. I vote to at least go to front disc, but this is when you need to decide if you'll stay 6 lug or if you're gonna go 5 lug.
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[warndogg]

I definitely want to go 4 way disc and swap to 5 lug. I need to find a local shop as I don't have the space. @nlped curious what was your total parts cost? I'll look forward to reading your build thread.
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[nlped]

Gosh, I don't really know how to price it, as I bought the parts a piece or 2 at a time. I bought the McGaughy brake kits (front included 2 1/2" drop spindles) from Stylintrucks.com for about $1000 on sale. Then the m/c & p/v came from CPP for about $120 and then I also bought new brake hard lines from inlinetube.com for $155. So about $1300 got the parts and I installed all the parts myself and added other pieces/parts as I went to fix the steering and suspension issues I ran into.
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[CC69Rat]

Another 4wheel disc swap here, I have the same kit (basically) as Ed ^^

I paid ~$1800 for mine, all things considered. That's 2.5" dropped spindles included, as well as Hotchkis 2" F and 6"R dropped springs. The $1800 number was all of this, including shipping. The only thing it did not include was a power booster (if you want to run one) or a M/C. Pics in my GMC build thread.

The only thing I don't really care for on the McGaughys kit is the brake pad surface is not as big as the surface on the rotor.. so you lose a little brake efficiency. I'm looking right now for some kind of way to cross reference another brake pad to use with this caliper that might be a little larger and come closer to fully utilizing 'Big Brakes' and not wasting any of what this kit could truly be.

Wilwood and Baer make some SWEET stuff too, it just depends on the budget I guess.

My Pop and I took my GMC out the other day to Burnish' the brakes. Pop told me just roll along up to this redlight and push the brakes pretty good. I had to let off to keep him off of the dash / windshield. I'm telling you man .. the McGaughys kit will stand the truck on the front bumper. .. and it could be better ..

I cant imagine Wilwood / Baer .. or some of the more pricey stuff out there. I don't have enough GO to justify that much WHOA if you know what I mean. Supercharged LS3 running Road Atlanta (?) I'd definitely look at bigger brakes that what I have on mine. Every day driver, stock discs would be more than you'd ever need. Occasional cones, messin around on a curvy mountain road .. the McGaughys stuff is awesome. I guess you get what you pay for.

[warndogg]

Thanks for all the input on here guys! Another related question: I like the stance the previous owner had on this truck, unfortunately with cut coils its not the best ride. Is there some way to reference my current amount of drop? Looks like I got about little over 1 inch from a arm to frame.
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[dmw319]

i went from 4 power drum brakes to just converting the fronts to disc and its much more of a safer truck now! maybe someday ill do the rears but you can do it a little at a time. its not too bad and im just basically just a garage mechanic too.

also post some pics and we can help tell you what lowering springs to get!

[Lattimer]

I want to do disks someday, but for now I just rebuilt my drums. This is mostly because my wheels won't clear disks, and I really don't feel like messing with it right now. It stops decent with all new stuff in the front, and my truck is basically a cruiser and will never tow and barely haul anything.

Down the road when its time for brakes again I will do the swap.