New to site for posting but spent lot of time looking at the old post on how to put front disc brakes on a 1941 heavy Chevy truck = not sure if its worth posting. Finally came up with relative simple hack. have 1941 1 1/2 ton that I started working on a few years back. Frame off restoration but replaced engine with a 292 and t4 transmission out of a 1969 c20 and a dually rear end form a late 90s Chevy 3500. Have been stymied for a couple years on converting the front drum brakes to disc. Not much help out there and wasn't going to drop several K for a total front end replacement. After much alcohol one evening we figured out how to mount the Jim Carter 1/2 ton front disc kit to the existing hub and spindle. Only had to machine about 1/16th off the hub and another 1/16 off the rotor to ensure flush fit. Bore the holes to same diameter then install a 3/8 inch spacer center rotor between pads. All in for around $500. Anyone interested in old engine or tranny parts let me know or i will turn into yard art. Next I need to find a better front window frame as mine has cancer in bottom from sitting on uncles farm for 50 years. Thoughts???
hdpegleg, First off, Welcome to Stovebolt! That being said, your post is less a Welcome Centre introduction and more of a technical post that best fits in our Big Bolts forum, so it's been moved there in keeping with the site guidelines.
Feel free to post a new introduction to yourself and your truck in the Welcome Centre. Please post some overall pictures of your truck, seeing how you have already figured out that action. We do love to see them!
BTW - Before you do further posts, suggest you read through this helpful guide to get your posts to the best spots in Stovebolt.
Once again, Welcome to the 'Bolt!
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
I have been knocking ideas around on what to do with the front axle on my 1946 Chevy 1 1/2 ton. I'm not that far in to the rebuild, but what you did there is a very interesting option. It is difficult finding information on the front axles, a lot of things to consider. Thanks for posting that.
51 GMC 100 with 59 chevy 261 under the hood. 3 on the floor with 3.42 gear.
The only comment I have is a 1/2 ton brake assembly may not be heavy enough for a 1.5 Ton Truck. I went down the path with my 1958 1.5 ton. I found some larger brakes to adapt to the original hubs. The set up I have works great.
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
If you don't like driving yourTruck, you won't drive yourTruck..| Living life in the SLOW lane
A lot of the front and rear axle conversions I have heard of on this forum come from motorhomes.
Originally Posted by TUTS 59
The only comment I have is a 1/2 ton brake assembly may not be heavy enough for a 1.5 Ton Truck. I went down the path with my 1958 1.5 ton. I found some larger brakes to adapt to the original hubs. The set up I have works great.
I definitely agree 1/2 ton brakes are too light. If it was a daily driver that wasn't hauling anything other than the weight of the truck, maybe, but you are better off going heavier in your brake selection than lighter. The last thing you want is to not be able to stop!
Never hurts to go bigger, but that half ton setup already has about three times the heat dissipating capabilities of those old Huck brakes. If it's not hauling two yards of gravel down a hill every day, then those brakes are probably quite adequate. Because it's brakes, I might have gone with prevailing torque locknuts versus Nyloc, but if you torqued them to the correct value for the diameter, thread, and hardness of the bolts then they won't come loose anyway.
Enclosed is a picture showing 1.375” x 14” disc assembly from GMC P-3500 HD truck mounted, kingpin out, on my ‘55 two ton truck. Looks exactly like Rich’s application. Larger disc, similar applications, as suggested in text appear to be possible, with minor machining and fabrication required, caliper bracket in particular. Air in system(HRL) allows pieces to be clamped together for design and marking.
Enclosed assembly is essentially a bolt up (Grigg), only fabrication required is new kingpin bushings($12.00)
Ed
Last edited by EdPruss; 11/06/202410:24 PM.
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires. '47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle. '54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed. '55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
Hey guys, I am still making front disc brake conversion kits for 1.5 - 2 Ton trucks. I'll do a for sale post. If anyone has questions, feel free to call, email or text me for details on the kits.
That being said, your post is less a Welcome Centre introduction and more of a technical post that best fits in our 
