front disc brakes

[rustbucket]

I do not want to go to the expense of buying the front disc brake conversion kit for my '63.

What year/make can i use as a good substitute if I head to the junk yard.

 

[dvalentine]

Form 73 through the 80's front crossmember swap is what you will be looking for.

But be aware, you will most likely only save a few hundred bucks after repairing/ rebuilding the old brakes , ball joints, bushings, etc etc... If you are considering the swap to improve braking a rebuild of the old stuff will be essential.

The kits like ones from Early Classic Ent are a good value, bolt right in and have NEW parts to start.

val

 

[texascowboy]

I agree with val; I found a good front end off of a 83 and was going to make it work but by the time I priced everything it wsa cheaper to re build the original equipment and have them adjusted and they turned out great.
just my 2* good luck

 

[gitrunindady]

dval is right, but.....as long as your not lookin for corvette like suspension responses, i took the stuff of an '85 in a junk yard, didnt replace a thing but the tie rod ends, and its all good. try and find a fr. sway bar too, those help our trucks ALOT!, either way, the '85 stuff was more than 20yrs newer than the crap i had. pack the cups full of grease, make sure the donor truck is decent looking and not a pos, and you should buy your self a little time in the rebuilding of the suspension, so its your call....oh yea, and it cost me a whole $200 bucks for everything, non power brakes, of course.... makes me drive just a little slower and stop a little sooner....
g.t.

 

[aimless]

I agree with all above.

Rust bucket, I think you will really like the ease of attaching the front break kit to your truck anyway as opposed to trying to mate a new year brake system to it. Sure it costs a little extra, but you can have your truck going in a DAY.

 

[williamb82]

dval is right, but.....as long as your not lookin for corvette like suspension responses, i took the stuff of an '85 in a junk yard, didnt replace a thing but the tie rod ends, and its all good. try and find a fr. sway bar too, those help our trucks ALOT!, either way, the '85 stuff was more than 20yrs newer than the crap i had. pack the cups full of grease, make sure the donor truck is decent looking and not a pos, and you should buy your self a little time in the rebuilding of the suspension, so its your call....oh yea, and it cost me a whole $200 bucks for everything, non power brakes, of course.... makes me drive just a little slower and stop a little sooner....
g.t.

are there any other trucks we can use sway bars from? if so what years? i was just gonna buy the addco front and rear bars for my 64.

 

[gitrunindady]

fr. sway bars from '73-86.5 yr. trucks will fit our trucks..., with the 'heavy duty' 1.25 disc brakes... as long as you dont intend to lower the truck the bar will fit, you can re use the brackets aswell. I've got the 1 1/4" on mine.....handles VERY well...
g.t.

 

[greg65]

sway bar

I put an Early Classic sway bar on my truck and it came with the brackets for a lowered suspension. The inch and a quarter bar works great or it did until i disassembled the truck.

 

[williamb82]

whats the diff between the normal brackets and the ones for a lowered truck? mines been lowered some but not slammed. later ill put full length springs back in the front and just install 2in drop spindles. to get it the ride height i want so the suspension geometry will all still be correct. but for now id like to stop the massive body roll around corners.

also, what about a rear swaybar? or is aftermarket the only way to go on that?

 

[66 KUSTOM]

lowered truck brackets= lower profile bracket for more clearance under the front end, fits closer to the frame. plus the early classics sway bar is much bigger in diamater so the bushing has a bigger hole to hold it. shouldnt need a rear sway bar if your running the trailing arms with a pan hard bar.