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| | | | Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 58 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 58 | Had a guy stop by the house today. He has a '48 3/4-ton w/ orig. wheels (8 lug). Think he said got it from his neighbor. First old anything. Wants to upgrade front to disc brakes but doesn't want to changed his wheels or bolt pattern. Lock ring on rims. Wants to stay orig. but wants safe brakes. Gave him an issue of my Goodguys Mag. and told him about this site. Thought I would post the question for him. See if anyone has info for him next time he stops by.
1954 custom 1-ton (1 of a kind)
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 91 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 91 | I am not an expert, but have developed my oppinions on the issue:
I have also never done it, wondering if it would work.
There is not a kit you can purchase for the 3/4 ton.
Buy brake parts for newer model truck from parts store eg. autozone.com and retrofit them to your truck.
Remove, backing plate and add cylinder bracket, then cut backing plate to fit over and around cylinder. Once the backing plate is cut there is no turning around. Buy 8 lug disk which will fit over front hub. Monkey around with spacing between bracket, spindle, and disk until right.
Buy new wheels 6.5 x 16 and if there is clearance problems use spacers to correct.
Im thinking about trying it.
If this won't work, someone please stop me. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 874 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 874 | A couple guys on here have posted about doing the retro-fit 8 lug disc brakes. Do a search and see what they did.
Also...just an upgrade to Bendix brakes ('53 and later on the 3600) will be a little improvement.
They are also larger. 12" vs. 11" | | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 5,152 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 5,152 | Originally posted by Dave's Custom '54:
Wants to upgrade front to disc brakes but doesn't want to changed his wheels or bolt pattern. Lock ring on rims. He isn't the first one to want to accomplish this, but so far there is no kit available. Its not been difficult to adapt disk brakes to the spindles, the challenge is to mount calipers that will clear the stock wheels. A little searching here should bring up a thread with pictures and part numbers that one guy came up with. --- I found it: Disk Brake Conversion
1955 1st GMC Suburban | 1954 GMC 250 trailer puller project | 1954 GMC 250 Hydra-Matic | 1954 Chevy 3100 . 1947 Chevy COE | and more...
It's true. I really don't do anything but browse the Internet looking for trouble... | | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 | I would just redo what's there and add a dual res master and a vacuum booster. They had plenty of braking power if they are in good shape. Unless you figure out how to make it go faster than 45 MPH, you won't need any more braking power,
Scott | | |
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