Disc Brakes on 67 K10

[ed2552]

Does anyone make a kit to convert a 67 K10 w/ a Dana 44 from drums to discs?
I would rle like to get some factory style discs for it so she stops decently.

[special-K]

The only drum brake Dana44 you can adapt to disc brakes is the last year,1970,because they have open knuckles.Swapping a later axle is the way to go,along with the rest of the disc brake system.

[too much stuff]

I would just swap the whole front end. I believe it is basically a bolt in deal.

[LONGHAIR]

Does anyone make a kit to convert a 67 K10 w/ a Dana 44 from drums to discs?
I would rle like to get some factory style discs for it so she stops decently.

Unless you swap in a power booster to, you really won't gain much. The only dis-advantage to drums, in the front, is in adjustment/maintenance. Discs are less likely to "pull" when stopping, but they don't stop any better than properly adjusted drums.

[JAKES 68GMC]

The drum brakes on my 68 stop really good, maybe better than the 96 stops.

[ed2552]

It already has power brakes, and i would swap from a drum-drum m/c to a disc-drum and a new booster. I have heard that a new front end swaps right in, but where is the best place to get one, a junkyard?

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

Unless you swap in a power booster to, you really won't gain much. The only dis-advantage to drums, in the front, is in adjustment/maintenance. Discs are less likely to "pull" when stopping, but they don't stop any better than properly adjusted drums.

I respectfully disagree. Disc brakes do stop better. You can get one good stop out of a set of drums. After that they are hot and fade fast. Discs dissipate the heat better. That is why EVERY vehicle now comes with front disc brakes and many with front and rear discs.

Find a 71 or 72 front end, and bolt in the whole works. I'm not sure but I think 71-87 fronts will bolt in. Maybe somebody else will chime in here.

You'll need rims that fit over the front disc calipers. You can find those on 71-87 Chevy 4x4s. If the rims on your 67 are original, they won't work on the new front.

[ed2552]

I have the stock 16's off of my 98 Tahoe, will they work?

[1969k10stepside]

Any gm solid front axle till they went ifs will work.Just get the spring plates if it's a corp 10 bolt front end,and not a Dana 44.I don't think those new of rims you have will work on it without modifications.

[ed2552]

I may check on the rims tomorrow, i want a Dana 44, anyone know of a good place in Southern MN to find one?

[duallyjams]

Check your gear ratio so if you decide to swap out you can get the right one to bolt in and go. Dics brakes are better for off road also because they are self cleaning where drum brakes have to be pulled apart and cleaned.This board is a good place to look for one but you need be a site supporter to ask.

[LONGHAIR]

I respectfully disagree. Disc brakes do stop better. You can get one good stop out of a set of drums. After that they are hot and fade fast. Discs dissipate the heat better. That is why EVERY vehicle now comes with front disc brakes and many with front and rear discs

Ah...the eternal disagreement.
Properly adjusted and maintained drums stop just fine....and with less effort.
Discs require "power" to work well....ever drive non-power discs? I have, my first car was a '69 Camero SS/RS with non-power disc brakes....far more peadl pressure required to stop that thing.
Drums can/will fade in extreme use, but rotors can/will warp in extreme use too. When the drums cool, you are right back where you were....rotors are in the shop being turned.
Discs do have an advantage in off-road. They clean much better.

As far as "EVERY" vehicle....first of all not so, especially with bigger vehicles. 18 wheelers, dump trucks and other heavy trucks rely on drum brakes every day. The main reason that new cars and trucks have front discs is in maintenence. When cars/trucks were first introduced they were "machines" that need to be worked-with to get the performance required. Today that is just not the case. There are so many "drivers" out there that only know how to work the key and the radio.

I am as guilty as anyone else, I don't know that I would want to fiddle with that on my daily driver either....for a toy/hobby vehicle, why not?
Personally I would swap to discs too....I just object to the idea that they stop better....it's just not so.

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

Ah...the eternal disagreement.
Properly adjusted and maintained drums stop just fine....and with less effort.
Discs require "power" to work well....ever drive non-power discs? I have, my first car was a '69 Camero SS/RS with non-power disc brakes....far more peadl pressure required to stop that thing.
Drums can/will fade in extreme use, but rotors can/will warp in extreme use too. When the drums cool, you are right back where you were....rotors are in the shop being turned.
Discs do have an advantage in off-road. They clean much better.

As far as "EVERY" vehicle....first of all not so, especially with bigger vehicles. 18 wheelers, dump trucks and other heavy trucks rely on drum brakes every day. The main reason that new cars and trucks have front discs is in maintenence. When cars/trucks were first introduced they were "machines" that need to be worked-with to get the performance required. Today that is just not the case. There are so many "drivers" out there that only know how to work the key and the radio.

I am as guilty as anyone else, I don't know that I would want to fiddle with that on my daily driver either....for a toy/hobby vehicle, why not?
Personally I would swap to discs too....I just object to the idea that they stop better....it's just not so.

Properly adjusted drums will stop you good. But that one good stop will heat up the drums. Then you're sunk.

Do this. Take a disc brake vehicle to a safe location. Get the vehicle up to speed and lock them up. Then do it again. Both times it will lock up and stop the vehicle.

Now take your properly adjusted drums up to speed and lock them up. The first time they may or may not lock. The second time they won't.

Now why is this a big deal? Well say you're pulling your boat in traffic. Something happens and you need to get on the brakes. Hard. The chances are you are still in traffic and may still need brakes the 2nd time.

So now argue you don't drive in traffic. You only drive in a rural area. A deer jumps out. You get on the binders hard. Now your front drums are hot. You continue on down the road and a mom in her minivan pulls out in front of you because she is paying attention to the kids in the back seat. Whether or not it is her fault you get on your hot drums and glide right into her precious cargo.

I'll take discs any day.

[duallyjams]

Yee Haa here we go. Manual drum brakes when adjusted correctly will work great but most of the time they are not. Disc brakes no adjustment needed.
I've had manual drum and manual disc, you have to push on both of them.So if you want the best go with hydroboost 4 wheel disc.

[msgross]

check out my build thread, I used a 1982 corp 10bolt with 3.73's in my 68 and it "basically" bolts right in. Only difference was the thickness of the axle tube, so I had to get new u-bolts (should anyway) and use the top ubolt plates off the donor truck. You could even find one with a sway bar and adapt that too...

But the easist way is to check the ratio, hit the junkyard or craigslist ($75-$150 max for a complete setup).

[mrein3]

Back on subject...
If you go with a whole new front axel assembly you need to make sure you get one that matches your rear. You can't have a 3.73 in the back and a 3.07 in the front.

[special-K]

Don`t forget the disc brake proportioning valve,if not mentioned.The best thing to do is grab a parts truck or at least grab the complete front brake system from a donor..

The reason every vehicle comes with front disc brakes is because the knucklehead American general public doesn`t maintain or adjust anything on their vehicles.That`s why a multitude of things have changed on vehicles.Now,those people drive their disc breaks until the rotors are ate up.
There`s also a hella lot of stuck caliper out ther with vehicles pulling worse than a maladjusted set of shoes.Also,drums still seem good enough for the rears on most vehicles.GM trucks went back to drum on rear,didn`t they?I know my friend`s `07 Classic K2500 does and earlier ones have discs.He said they went back.
Discs are definately easier to work on.

[lesauto]

Are you smoking crack a drum will warp as fast as a rotor. 24 years experince owener of an 8000 square foot repair shop.

[jeffahart]

I've got a 70 K20. I'm getting rid of my drums. Looked for new drums, made me mad. I got a D60 and 14Bolt out of a CUCV sitting in my garage waiting for me to put them in.

My 2 cents, get a D44 and stick it in.

[bhc41051]

If you do swap out your front end please don't scrap your locking hubs, they're very hard to find.

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by bhc41051

If you do swap out your front end please don't scrap your locking hubs, they're very hard to find.

Has Warn hubs