The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline disc brake set for my 55 3200 2nd Task Force

What is the difference between the kits from Performance Online (POL) and Classic Performance Products (CPP)?

Pricing them out - they are within $50. I think that I would change out the bearings to rollers, too.

I am not sure if I have the knowledge, time, and/or patience to find all the parts from flaps, salvage yards, and internet vendors to put the system together. I am not sure how much I would save anyways.

Any of you have advice, experience, and/or comments on this?

There are about 6 suppliers in my area that sell about the same kit(s), CPP being one of them. Some of the six lug kits use rotors & calipers from a mid 70's 4X4 and your existing hubs. They also require new wheel bearings and most won't work with your stock wheels.
There is also a kit available which makes the conversion to 5 lug with a 4 3/4 bolt pattern. Since it won't match your stock rear end you would have to redrill the axles or change it out.
Matching 5 lug wheels will be required also. This kit uses rotors and calipers from mid 70's Malibu, Camaro, Cutlass, etc.
We installed a kit on a 55 Cameo that came from ABS that is 6 lug and allows for stock wheels. I'm not sure what component parts are used but it came with brackets, 11" rotors, calipers, bearings and was essentially a bolt on.
Fred

Hi Fred. Thank you for the information.

I would like to stay with my original six lug stock wheels. I do not care to change to the 5 lug.

If you remember which kit you put on the 55 Cameo - please let me know. I have heard that some of the kits will not allow me to use my original wheels.

Thanks again.

If your original wheels are 16" you can use the CPP kit.

Hi Cletis,

No, I am using the 15 inch wheels.

Fifteens might work with spacers.

I put the cpp kit on my 59 1/2 ton long bed. My truck had an aftermarket 15 inch rim with 275/60R15 tires no issues with clearance. I am also putting the Cpp kit on my 1940 gmc. The 40 is running 16 inch artillery wheels. I had to do a wee bit if grinding to make the wheels work, but they worked without a spacer.

Thanks for all the information.

So. It comes down to grinding or spacers. Where is the grinding (if needed) at? On the wheels? How do you do that? On a lathe (sp)?

Or if spacers are needed. How much shim is needed? Where do I get the spacers? Do I have to make them? Do I need to shim (spacer) all four wheels?

Thanks again

Dennis,
Contact ABS in Orange, CA. 714-771-6549, www.abspowerbrake.com.
The kit was not in their catalogue, they made it up for us. They use a one piece rotor/hub which is 6 lug. No grinding, cutting or spacers, and allows for stock 15" wheels. The price was about the same as the other suppliers kits. However, the other suppliers could not provide this particular configuration.
Fred

This picture shows where I had to trim the 16" wheels.

The 15" wheels from my '83 Jimmy fit with no mods but stock 15" will not go on.

Thanks for all the comments, experience, and suggestions.

I'm still not clear on what needs grinding? What rubs and why?

The calipers will rub on the inside of the stock wheels where they are welded (or riveted) together. Later factory wheels and aftermarket wheels are designed differently and allow for more clearance.
Fred

dennis,
i bought the performanceonline kit for my 57.
i also like to get things in kit form, all pieces ready to bolt in.

i went with the 5 lug x 4.750 lug pattern front rotors. their kit utilizes front calipers, rotors, bearings for 1970-1978 camaro. easily found at your local auto parts suppiler for any future replacements.

i did go with aftermarket wheels.

i am now happy with it, but did have some issues with their customer service in the beginning. i have had the power brake kit installed since about july of last year. works great.

i have some pics on my photo album and you can search my past posts from around june/july of 2008 for a bunch of input from the guys here on helping me when i was doing the install.

any questions, feel free to ask.

leonard

Sorry Cletis. I did not look at your picture. Now, I know where the grinding is. My Bad.

Leonard. I have got to ask. Are you saying the roller bearings are for a 1970-1978 camaro? I think I would rather get the rest in a kit that is bolt in. May cost more. But hey. I am not a bright as most. And did you put in the under-floor brake booster or the firewall one? Just wondering. I lean towards the firewall one since I do not like crawling under the truck.

Does anyone have opinions? Has anyone put on the firewall booster? Is is hard to do? Other than appearance under the hood is the a plus or minus to this?

TIA

dennis,
i bought a complete kit from performanceonline.
yes, it uses modern roller bearings that happen to be for a 1970-78 camaro, since the rotors and calipers are from the same vehicle, 70-78 camaro. the kit comes with a bearing adaptor that slides over your original spindle for the new bearings to be able to work.

i used the under floor board mount, since it was the easiest to install, bolting up in the original location, and using my original brake pedal.
yes, it is a little bit of a pain to fill with fluid, but once its full and in correct working order, you dont have to keep filling.
also, if you go with a fire wall mount, i think you have to reinforce that area with bracing, since the factory fire wall is not strong enough for the brake pedal pressure you will be applying.
someone correct me if i am wrong on that, but i believe i seen in an article that you have to reinforce the fire wall.

hope this helps dennis.

leonard

Thanks to all for the information and experiences.

Sounds like kits from CPP and POL are basically the same.

So. I will watch for one of them to be on sale. Then I will upgrade to disc brakes.

Again. Thank you very much

you got it, any time.

leonard

rfs56,

Do you have any more information on the one piece rotor and caliper? What calipers and pads does this work with? This sounds like a better plan that trying to attach my orginal hubs back to 4x4 rotors per Buffalo. Thanks!

57 Vroom vroom,
I'm not sure what rotors are used, they are 11" and appear to use the same bearings, calipers, pads, & brackets as the 5 lug conversion on my 56 which uses components from mid 70 Malibu/Camaro/Cutlass cars. As far as I can tell the only difference is they are 6 lug. ABS has a shop where they install brake & steering conversions and they have come up with a number of inovations. Some of the early foreign trucks had a 6 lug configuration but I don't know if they are used in this instance.
Fred

I don't beleive that would be the case. Those foreign trucks used a 2 peice hub/rotor assembly, with the rotor bolted to the backside of the hub. The bearing sizes are also much smaller than what would be found on the Chevy trucks.

Good point, it's been a long time since I worked on any of them. I just remembered that they were 6 lug.
I'll probably be going over there within the next week for some stuff on a current project and I'll see if they will divulge the secret. I wish they were available years ago when I did the conversion to my truck. I'll post my findings.
Fred

Fred thanks for the heads up on this supplier. I plan to keep my 235/75/15 on the 56 and add at least front disc.
Brad

I put the 12" set from CPP on my 55 1st. All went pretty well until I got it all put together and realized that the brake pads extended 1/8 of an inch out beyond the rotors. I've been doing brakes for 20 years and always they sit about 1/8 inch inside the edge of the rotor. After about two weeks of wrangling with CPP, their final answer was,"thats correct"??? I am happy with the function of the new system. I plan on welding the caliper mount holes and redrill them 1/4 inch in toward the hub. this should correct the problem.I also used the under cab master and booster. With the factory four speed I can't hook up my speedo. Still working on that one. But it is worth the effort, because now that truck STOPS.

For anyone that has already completed the conversion and kept the 6 bolt, is there an absolute prefered year and model for the calipers and rotors? Just wanting to avoid several trips to the local parts store if I can avoid it! Thanks guys...

I put the PerformanceOnline 6 lug brake kit on my 56 1/2ton. I am pretty sure that the rotors,calipers, pads and wheel studs are 73 K-5 Blazer parts, as I did some measureing of parts before I installed them. Just in case I needed to buy replacement/repair parts at some point in the future. You will re-use your original hubs, so you will want to convert to roller wheel bearings, the original ball wheel bearings won't give good service. I'm running with a 1 inch bore dual master cylinder, not power asist, located under the floor. Original rear brake shoe assemblies (added self adjusters to them) with 1 inch wheel cylinders. Pedal feel is real good, and brakes are very user freindly. No proportioning valve was needed, stops straight with the slightest bit of rear wheel lockup if you REALLY clamp down on it in the rain. I'm running 16 x 7 inch Chrome Smoothies. I am very happy with this set-up.

Ok, this might be a silly question, but if I am not using the spacer, will the wheel studs hold the rotor to the hub? I just cannot tell from any of the information that I have on assembly of rotor to hub.

Thanks, as I am trying to get everything around to start on this later this week with some assistance and do not want to be running to the store continually for parts.