brake options/help

[installman57]

I'll try to make this short. I got my 77 kc back from my son this year which was when I joined this forum. I bought the truck about 5 years ago and was told that the 78-79 disc front suspension would bolt on, so we aquired the parts from a parted out truck. Now i foind out from here that it won't fit. It looks to me the lower arms might work with some spacers or the later inner bushings and the uppers appear to bolt on. I also would need to fab a strut rod bracet as the strut rod is longer from the 78, that is easy. I don't mind using the solid rotors for now, as I can upgrade to hb spindles and brakes later. Will this stuff work? What would I need to use most of what I got and save some money. All these parts have already been restored and sitting in the garage for a few years, so there's already a fair amount invested. Thanks for your help, I've picked up alot from you guys already.

[datzenmike]

If it was easy we'd all have disc brakes. The lower arms are mounted to the frame in a different place and the arms are different too so no way to swap stuff to make it work. In addition the '77 and earlier fronts are king pin. I don't know of any successful 'swaps' for this. There is a disc brake 'kit' sold by a guy on here using vented rotors and calipers you have to find. Take a look at it and maybe you might get an idea from it.

[installman57]

Thanks. I'll try to sell the suspension for what I have in replacement parts and do something else.

[yello620]

The 78/79 lower control arms can be made to fit with some spacers. And the uppers will bolt on, BUT they are way too short which causes camber problems. A custom upper control arm is available from Beebani. The 78/79 tension rods can be made to work if you put them in a lathe and shorten them and then rethread them too. The tension rods also need a little bit of the bend removed from them to fit hte current frame brackets. Basically you need to straighten the rods a little bit, and it is super easy, put the short end in a solid vise and make one good hard pull on the long end and they are almost perfect. Yes, they bend that easy.

[mklotz70]

let's not forget that putting the ball joint set up on will push the track width out 1.25" per side.

[installman57]

I've got no problem with the track width. I can just change the wheels. I know someone who can lathe down the tension rods also. I thought Beebani's arms were to go with hardbody lowers and spindles. Aren't these wider/longer than the 78 parts? Also, anybody know if colorado wheels fit datsuns? How much would the upper arms cost?

[flatcat19]

I've got no problem with the track width. I can just change the wheels. I know someone who can lathe down the tension rods also. I thought Beebani's arms were to go with hardbody lowers and spindles. Aren't these wider/longer than the 78 parts? Also, anybody know if colorado wheels fit datsuns? How much would the upper arms cost?

 

You answered your own question.

 

 

I think Colorado rims are a different lug pattern.

[datsunaholic]

The only way to make the 78-79 parts directly work on a earlier truck is to cut the A-arm towers off the frame and swap those too. There's a pretty serious angle difference on the top mount, the disc brake ones are angled whereas the drum ones are parallel to the frame.

[yello620]

I've got no problem with the track width. I can just change the wheels. I know someone who can lathe down the tension rods also. I thought Beebani's arms were to go with hardbody lowers and spindles. Aren't these wider/longer than the 78 parts? Also, anybody know if colorado wheels fit datsuns? How much would the upper arms cost?

 

The Beebani arms work with the 78/79 lower arm, not the HB lower arm. And they work with EITHER spindle.