I've puzzled over this same issue with my truck since I brought it home.
Short answer: Take Tim's advice above. And, bartamos is right about safety equipment.
Longer answer...This was one of the first upgrades I decided I HAD to do when I got my truck a few years ago. I have been planning it since then. Haven't done it yet for a couple of reasons. First, can't afford the complete kits and the likely wheel changes required to use them. Second, I was going in so many different directions with my project and I ended up chasing my tail on this and other upgrade ideas.
Decided I wanted roller bearings. Good. Happy with that upgrade. But, that changes what bracket set/kit I can use. That changes the wheels. That changes the spacing. If I use a spacer, that needs to come with whatever bracket/partial kit I choose, but how does that affect the bearings? Some say they wear faster with a spacer. I have no clue. Oh, wait...my kingpins need replacement. Is now the time to do the upgrade? Oh yeah...I haven't got the money for the big kit...
What I ended up doing was buying a cheap front axle from a frame a guy was scrapping. So, I have been taking that apart, cleaning it on the bench, learning how things go together, finding the too-rusted-to-repair parts, changing out the kingpins and, when I have found the brackets and rotors and calipers and bearings and wheels and hoses and (hopefully) original hubs and spindles that play nice together, go with those. The spare axle keeps my truck on the road throughout all of this.
The point is, I am a novice. And, everything I do has an effect on the other end. So it has taken me almost three years to figure out that my truck has been running and stopping this whole time with the standard drums on it. I did have to change out some rusted tubing and some wheel cylinders, but that has been, by far, the cheapest repair I have made on this truck.
I'd recommend putting back to original and taking your time puzzling out the ramifications of the disc upgrade. Unless, of course, you've got a bunch of money to throw at it...
Just my amateur .02 worth.
Jim
