The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline One side finished New Disc Brake kit install with question

So I just finished the drivers side Kingpin and new disc brake kit from Speedway Motors. Very impressive kit with heavy duty brackets. Everything for 249.00! I thought it would be junk.
Hers the question. The spindle nut goes on much further than the old hubs. The cotter pin hole is too far out at the tip. Can't I drill a second hole so that the nut won't back away? I wouldnt think the integrity would be compromised.
Any thoughts here?

By the way, very first kingpin install for me. Took about 3 hrs for one side but it was a learning experience. I think other side should take less than 2.
Interesting thing was, just like has been written here many times, was lack of grease by previous owners. You could see the top was silver shiny, bottom was rusty and pitted and was worn, obviously where the play was when pushing tire at 12-6. It's awesome now. I will grease them from now on with front jacked up as noted here. Thanks all...

Is there a thick washer between nut and the outer bearing?

Yes, it has the key way slot tang, but it still goes further than the existing hole. Unless there are nuts with longer tabs

Can you post a link to the kit your using?
Are the caliper plates off set?

Depending on how much farther the nut goes on to the spindle you may want to look into double nutting. One other thing comes to mind. Are you using Roller bearings (old style) or radial bearings (newer style)?

Here is the link
www.speedwaymotors.com/Deluxe-Disc-Brake-Kit-1941-1959-Chevy-Half-Ton-Pickup,4622.html

It puts each wheel out 7/8, ok for me cause I bought all new wheels.

Brian, They are the new style rollers.

I am going to post photos in a few days of the install...

I am planning on doing this very soon. My concern is, I hear that you cant use your original stock 15 inch wheels, THEN I hear you can with a 1/8" spacer. Then I hear there is some grinding to do on the tie rod ends.

THEN I hear there is some removal of some metal on the transmission crossmember for the power brake/dual master setup.
I was actually told by Classic to NOT do this because its just more trouble than its worth. They could have sold me more than $500 worth of stuff, but I felt they were being honest.

So, I am kinda stubborn and really want front disc brakes. I also want original wheels, and I don't want to grind on my newly repainted frame. Lots of questions. I WILL write a very comprehensive how-to on this to end this issue once and for all, but any information prior to the misery would be very much appreciated.

Dave, I'm using 15" smoothies so I don't know about originals, but I can tell you there was no grinding tie rods with this kit
I did have to grind the top of the bump stop off slightly, took all but 1 minute and also the nut on the kingpin key that holds it in. No biggie. It all booted right up.

But, my question was still about drilling a second hole closer to hub for cotter pin?

You can't drill that if you had kryptonite drills. Hardened after machining. If you try , you will screw up the threads. If you take it off and take it to a machinist, they can do it. But you need to find out why it's like that. The kits are not made to have to drill a hole. Aren't the old bearings ball bearings and the new are tapered roller bearings?

For Deve, first off I am running a V8 with a different crossmember than original.

When I installed my m/c and booster under the floor I did have to cut a notch out to clear the very end of the m/c.
However, I was surprised to find that instead of being hollow inside there was a 1/4" piece of flat steel "standing up" inside the hollow crossmember. When I trimmed out the member I barely had to cut any of that flat steel. I was impressed! The crossmember came from Chassis Engineering.

Now that I plan to put a 700R4 in my panel I will be moving the crossmember back four inches and it will clear the crossmember.

Just FYI... and here is a pic.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/Crossmembercutout001.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/Crossmembercutout004.jpg

Just to be on the safe side you can see a gusset I welded to the bottom side.

Thanks for the link

This guy added washers
...link... post222
I believe he is a member here, I don't recall his name.
Might be the same kit you linked


I used the P.O.L. Kit and used my original 6lug hubs

I would want to know if this is normal, from the company that sold the kit to you. And the "fix" should be what they say to do in an email you can save.

I believe you can get castellated nuts that are thicker--I am pretty sure you can for tie-rod ends and other front-end parts, not sure about spindles, but it is either a thicker washer or a thicker nut because you do want to keep it from backing off with a cotter pin.

Nice work! You have a tubular steel crossmember. Mine is the original one. Not tubular at all. I will have to just get the kit and then heavily document the whole process so others never have to deal with these issues again. Its a HUGE deal for me since I already spent around a grand painting the frame (and crossmember) and expect to have to do it all over again.

Then there is the new MC being in a different place because of the power booster, and there is no filling the MC during normal service without changing the cab floor to accommodate the change.

This is what I do. Document and try to make sense out of these kinds of changes. My frustration comes from asking, then changing the words around and asking again, then asking a different way, times 100, to get the answers I need to just get started. In the end I prevail, but my question about what changes are necessary starting from a standard, original 1950 3100 still stands. Anyones input is always appreciated. Its a worthwhile upgrade because the single cylinder MC is rather dangerous already, but add all around drum brakes, and there is room for improvement. One thing is for sure, this whole venture will be very carefully documented so this is never an issue for anyone ever again.

Are the original wheels usable? Is there some trimming of the original tie rod ends?

Brothers sells a kit that includes NEW hubs that are made for the conversion. How does this change the equation... etc.

I am a pain in the [censored] but when I am done with all of this, we will have a brand new fully documented method of very easily making sense out of this.