I think it’s awesome you guys are rocking those big girls. Very unique. As for how they should handle, if the front ends are tight, steering adjusted, lubed, brakes done, they should perform very well. They’re not a new Duramax, so don’t expect that. My ‘51 GMC 1 ton has all new components up front, adjusted brakes, and it handles and drives very nicely. I never hesitate to take mine into the city. That being said, I still drive much more defensively than when I’m around home.
One time I was coming home from a show/shine and was being tailgated by 2 pickup trucks followed by 2 semi tractor trailers. I was clipping along at 60, but a lot of people drive like idiots here. I was irritated by them and was watching them closely. I was approaching a large bridge on a river when a white tailed doe jump over the guard rail in front of me. No! I slammed on the brakes (hoping that all my efforts of building this truck weren’t going to be destroyed. And also hoping that all my frame component work was going to save my truck).
My brakes locked up. Horn blaring. Smoke rising from the tires. Those pickups and semis started piling on their brakes. The deer scrambling, getting closer, the trucks getting larger in my rear view mirror… I can still picture that Chevy bow tie on that truck’s grille and how close it got in that mirror.
Then everything in the clear. No collision with the deer. No collision on my back end.
If you do them thoroughly and correctly, those old brakes work just fine.
