The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun 1949 3800 Front Disc Brakes

Erik,

I presume you have a half ton truck, it is always best to state what you are working with up front?

Anyway, it is relatively easy to make your own disc brake setup. Find a disc with the proper wheel bolt pattern and and that registers on the wheel where the old drum brake used to register. Might have to do some light machine work on the disc to match them up. Front discs from wherever your 8.8 came from would be a good place to start, while there, grab the the caliper too. It is OK to grab used parts to start with.

If everything fits up to the front of your truck, whatever your truck is, then arrange to hook up an air line to the caliper, like HRL suggested, place the caliper on the mounted disc in an appropriate position, apply air to the caliper which will then clamp it to the disc. Then you can design your caliper mounting bracket using appropriate bolts, spacers, etc. Cut out a bracket of the appropriate thickness in steel, be a good time to replace antique flexible brake lines with new of the correct length.

Disc brakes usually need power so setting up and installing that is the next part.

If doing this on a half ton Chevy or GMC truck, Blazer discs and calipers would be appropriate to use.

Ed