Dana 60 rear end disc brake conversion

[masterlock]

Hey guys, I have a 78 k20 with a Dana 60 rear end. Can someone point me in the right direction for a disc brake conversion kit. All I can find is ones for fords. Not sure exactly what I should be looking for. Any help would be great.

[JIMs70GMC]

does your dana 60 have slip on drums or are they held to the hub with the lug nuts pressed through it?
There was a shop in Washington state that sold a disc brake kit for the dana 60 that had the pressed on stud/drum/hub style. I think it was Blackbird's or something like that.

[masterlock]

Yeah I saw some posts about that blackbird place but after some searching I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist any longer. Honestly I'm not sure if they are pressed through or not. Would there be any way to tell without taking the drum apart?

[slotard]

You're sure it's a D60? I would have expected a 14FF. I have a 14FF that I'd like to put discs on, sadly most kits have no ebrake.

[masterlock]

There she is,disregard the circle

[JIMs70GMC]

Originally Posted by masterlock

Yeah I saw some posts about that blackbird place but after some searching I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist any longer. Honestly I'm not sure if they are pressed through or not. Would there be any way to tell without taking the drum apart?

The dana 60 in the rear of my 70 GMC has drums that can be removed by taking the tire off, if you have to pull the axle out and take the nut off the spindle to remove the hub/drum assembly then you have the dana 60 that should be able to get the bracket for the 3/4 ton front disc and caliper.

[masterlock]

This is what I'm working with sorry for the sideways picture

[4 Wheelin Fudpucker]

Get your drums ported, and you wont need discs. You can get them ported for about $60 bucks a drum. They will work as good as the fronts.
Its a fix from before discs were invented.
Even after discs, racers used ported drum because they are WAY lighter than discs.
Less weight, more speed

[slotard]

Odd, regarding the 14 bolt full float I've always heard that the disc setup is way lighter.

[jocko]

Can you describe "porting"? Interested. I can't imagine any D60 drum being lighter than a disk/caliper, so am curious about what you're describing Fud - interested.

[masterlock]

Ok so mystery solved incase anyone was wondering. I spoke to Shawn at Lugnut4X4 an he set me straight. The Dana 60 was used by chevy up until 1972 so someone swapped out my rear end at some point. He sells conversion kits that will fit and at very reasonable prices. Ill update once i get it installed. Thanks guys

[slotard]

I didn't think the 67-72 typically used D60s, I thought they were Eaton HO52/HO72, but I haven't done enough research to be by any means confident about that.

[mrolds88]

My 72C2500 GMC has a D60. Leaf spring trucks 72 back to ? got the 60's And the coil sprung trucks got the H052.

[slotard]

That makes sense, thanks. I wonder why. I don't pay that much attention to the older trucks so I didn't know that

[gmachinz]

I do local builds from time to time involving rear disc brake conversions on these trucks. If you're running a D60 rear, I can set you up with a pinion mounted ebrake assembly and custom built cables to tie into your existing ebrake cable to the rear-assuming its in good shape. Here's a pic showing a typical 9" Ford and D60 pinion ebrake.....

[slotard]

Have you done something like that for a 14FF?

[4 Wheelin Fudpucker]

Originally Posted by jocko

Can you describe "porting"? Interested. I can't imagine any D60 drum being lighter than a disk/caliper, so am curious about what you're describing Fud - interested.

http://www.chtopping.com/CustomRod4/

as not to hijack this thread, start another if you want to talk about ported drums. My ole man showed how to do this in the 60s. I still do it today.

[gmachinz]

Originally Posted by slotard

Have you done something like that for a 14FF?

No, not for the 14FF. But, I have rear disc brake kits available for them....at least for 85-older, 86-up and semi-floating 14FF's. The rear disc kits have options for calipers too....then, there are options to make the e-brake cables too-I'd need pics of your clevis pin and an overall length for each cable. Stuff like this tho is easier to talk about over the phone if you're really interested in a kit. I install this kind of thing locally but over the internet or phone it might be tough to visualize ya know?

[JIMs70GMC]

Originally Posted by slotard

I didn't think the 67-72 typically used D60s, I thought they were Eaton HO52/HO72, but I haven't done enough research to be by any means confident about that.

My 70 GMC K25 has a stock dana 60 rear, I also had a 71 K20 that had the H072. I believe the GMCs came with the dana 60s more frequently than the chevys.

[gmachinz]

I also have options for the 4x4 guys running a 205 TC-there are t-case ebrake kits available too. So that way, standard calipers in the rear and a rotor/caliper ebrake @ the t-case output area.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by 4 Wheelin Fudpucker

http://www.chtopping.com/CustomRod4/

as not to hijack this thread, start another if you want to talk about ported drums. My ole man showed how to do this in the 60s. I still do it today.

thanks - I had never heard anyone call drilling cooling holes in the drums "porting" - thought maybe I was missing out on some neat trick. Not sure I'll ever build enough heat in the rear drums to need to chop holes in them.

[mcmlxix]

For $400 I picked up a 2005 GMC 14 bolt full float rear with factory disc brakes and integral drum in hat e-brake... 4.10 gears and G80 locker.... just an idea...

[gmachinz]

Originally Posted by mcmlxix

For $400 I picked up a 2005 GMC 14 bolt full float rear with factory disc brakes and integral drum in hat e-brake... 4.10 gears and G80 locker.... just an idea...

Ive thought of that for my 86 too....do you have measurements on it compared to say, a stock 12-bolt truck rear? Width? Leaf spring locations? Shock locations? If you can find one that isn't beat to death its gotta be a worthwhile swap I would think. Of course, I'd need a 1/2 ton rear tho....

[mcmlxix]

Originally Posted by gmachinz

Ive thought of that for my 86 too....do you have measurements on it compared to say, a stock 12-bolt truck rear? Width? Leaf spring locations? Shock locations? If you can find one that isn't beat to death its gotta be a worthwhile swap I would think. Of course, I'd need a 1/2 ton rear tho....

Sorry - I don't remember the dimensions. I made custom shock mount and used new perches to adjust for the lift on the 72 Blazer it went under...

[slotard]

I've read on the internet (so it must be true) that WMS spacing is a few inches longer.

I still considered it, but for some reason there don't seem to be any junkyards with modern stuff around here.