The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 6 lug disks / original rims / whats your version?

OK, borrowed a K1500 front rotor assembly from the wrecking yard and bought a new caliper to try to fit things up. Before I get too far down this path I want to make sure I am not re-inventing the wheel. Anybody out there done this?

Okie Dokie, lots of good ideas out there :p First lesson, while newer chevy studs come right out with a few hammer blows, nothing doing with the AD studs . . . I tried beating them out, I tried drilling them out, I tried HEATing them out and all I got was a ring around the collar. You might say these are a royal butt itch. Drove to the shop at work and used the 20 ton press and presto! studs are in the trash - two points for the Northern Tools Chinese press. Now back home to see if this is going to fit. Pictures anyone? I promise to make them small - Note to self . . . remember to buy a press next time you are at Harbor Freight :o :p

OK, the K1500 disk fits like a dream, but after placing the caliper on it and then mounting the rim, I can only get about 20 degrees of rotation on the rim before the caliper scrapes on the rivet and grinds to a stop. This disk is 11-7/8" in diameter. Man it fits like it was designed to go on this old hub. I am going to cruise the wrecking yard again after I get some sleep and see if I can find a slightly smaller diameter. I found a couple kits on the web, but none mention whether they can be used with the original rims . . . DON'T WORRY, I'll keep you all posted. Where is Lucyann when you need him?

I had to grind down truck caliper but made bracket for the small vette calip and they did not touch on 16 inch wheels. If you heat the studs red and give them a hit they come right out(i know they should not cause they get bigger,but they also get softer) One hit and they are out. I also mounted the hubs in the lathe and trued the fronts of the hubs up as they were really pretty far off for discs.I also put 6 lug nuts on and turned the rotors on the hubs so they ran real true also. Sorry no pixs as most guys dont go six lugs.

I have gotten several replies from 6 lug kit vendors and they all say it is impossible to keep the original rims with 6 lugs. What do you think of turning the disks down in diameter by 1/4" or so? I could then pull the caliper in far enough to clear everything. Thanks for the tip on truing up the hub / disk assy - I'll check TIR on the assembly when done. Might be a good excuse to have the company buy a lathe

Ken you can take a lot off those calip. I never thought to cut the rotors cause if i had a come back i would have to make another rotor. But i dont see why you cant.The only problem with that is you will have to remove some of the brake pad cause the inside will rub on the radius.(and maybe some of the calip) The vette calip fit good plus it stopped real good. Yo do have to make a fixed braket as it is not a sliding calip.Its 4 spot also.How about welding the wheel and grinding off the rivets?????Gotta be safer than rivets.

Ken,
I have a kit from Buffalo on my '40. I first replace the front axle/spindles with '52 burb. This is a 6 lug design. I don't have original wheels though. When you do Buffalo has a thin spacer to accomodate.

Well, after cruising the junk yards and picking up a Nissan front rotor and looking at it compared to the K1500 rotor, I have decided to stick with GM parts and take 1/4" - 3/8" off the radius of the rotor to bring the caliper closer to the spindle. The rotor will be a one-off, but the modification will be easy and provide much better braking than the smaller japanese rotors.

Here is a picture of the caliper installed on an AD Hub.

Here is a another picture showing the huge difference between the Nissan rotor and the GM rotor.

I am going to pick up a vette caliper to check how hard it would be to mount a fixed caliper, if it looks too tough, the calipers I have shown are 1987 K1500, these have floating pins which should make the process of building the braket between the backing plate mounting bolts and the caliper pins easy. I'll laser burn brackets from 3/8" steel plate and bolt-up / fit-up / mig weld as required. More to come

Ken, don't know if you want to keep original wheels ,but have you given any thought to maybe getting set of later 16" wheels?

rather than doing that, why not get a 11" rotor from a car and have it drilled for 6 bolts.
Dennis

The goal is to have stock rims and not have to run spacers while getting the best brakes possible on the front of this suburban. It will be used occationally to tow and will also get driven hard from time to time - I know what it is like to have lousy brakes and I want the front end of this thing to be as stout as possible. If given the choice to drill a 5 lug rotor into 6 lugs or use a stock 6 lug rotor and turn the diameter down, I'll go with turning before I go with drilling, I have to turn it anyway to true it up after mounting on the AD hub.

Dennis, does the Buffalo kit use a late model Chev 4x4 rotor?

Ken: Buffalo Enterprises; 25625 Dahl Road; Arlington, Wa 98223

Rotor: '71-84 Chev 1/2 ton 4wd
Caliper: 77-78 Chev 1/2 ton 4wd or
71-76 Chev Impala (among others)

He has invented the wheel here. Add 3/16" spacers to work with most stock rims for extra $25.

It's worth the trip up there to see his truck gallery, but please call first.

Classic Performance copied the kit, they have more info on their website.

darn! Forgot the phone #: 360-652-7684.Remember he is a one man shop. May have short patience with Solo type questions.

Wow, $850 looks like all the same/similar parts I am using too. New calipers + OEM Pads $150/pair, new OEM rotors @ $130 / pair, laser burned / bent brakets 2 hrs design/drafting = 6 pack of beer + $35 at BBC steel, farting around having a fun time with my two boys in the wrecking yard . . . brake lines around $35/pair, new studs / misc. stuff they have in kit $100 tops, thats $500 - $600 tops and I can have the satisfaction that mine won't rub and won't need spacers. . . now those bearings, I wouldn't mind upgrading to those. I'll give Buffalo a call, I am starting a project up in Sedro Woolley soon and Arlington is on the way, I would like to meet him and see his stuff.