W100 Sweptline Disc Brake Conversion
W200 Sweptline Small Knuckle Disc Brake Conversion
Our disc brake conversion kit for 1961 to 1971 Dodge W100/W200 trucks includes the following:
Note: This kit is for the small knuckle (3300 LB) Dana 44 axle only.
1. 2 ea. 3/8" plate steel caliper brackets.
These bolt directly to the knuckle with no modification or welding required.
2. 2 ea. hubs machined to accept the GMC rotor.
3. 16 ea. 1/2" wheel studs.
These extend through the rotor and hub flange securing both the rotors and the wheels to the hubs.
4. 20 ea. 3/8" NF X 1 1/4" grade 8 bolts.
For attaching the caliper brackets to the knuckle.
5. 16 ea. wheel studs.
Price: $370 plus shipping and two serviceable hubs.
You will need to purchase the following locally:
1. 2 ea. 78 - 87 GM 3/4 ton 4X4 rotors. (About $25 each new).
2. 2 ea. 71 - 78 GM 3/4 ton 4X4 calipers (right and left). About $55 each rebuilt.
Dimensional data
Rotor OD 12.5" Caliper pin hole spacing 7 1/64"
Rotor depth 2 13/16" Pad thickness .390"
Rotor thickness 1.285"
Rotor mount flange dia. 7 7/8"
Rotor casting # 4476
8 bolt holes on 6.5" dia.
Note: Please send your hubs to us with the bearing cups installed. We use these to center the hub in our lathe.
Note: Remove the brake drum from the hub by pressing out the studs. Do not send the hub with the drum attached. Some wheel studs are swaged to hold the drum on. A special cutter is used to remove the swaging. If these studs are pressed out without removing the swage it will ruin the hub.
Disc brake installation instructions
General information:
I have tried to make the installation of this disc brake kit as easy as possible. No grinding, drilling or modification to the knuckle or calipers is required. We install each set on a test fixture and check them both for proper fit and with a dial indicator for run out .
Axial (lateral) run out should be .006" or less, radial run out can be as much as .010" without causing problems. Ours are .003" to .005" measured at the outside edge of the rotor ( 12.5" diameter)
Installation of front brakes
1. Remove the old hubs, drums, shoes, wheel cylinders and backing plates from the spindles. They should now look like Photo 1 below. If your front axle hasn't been serviced lately this is a good time to do a complete tear down and replace the seals and bad bearings. There are two different spindle bolt patterns, pictured below is the 12 hole. There is also a six hole. Our brake set will work on either one.
2. Install the caliper brackets with the ears pointing rearward and inboard as shown below. Use the 3/8" NF X 1 1/2" bolts to install them on the knuckles. Do not use the flat washers that where on the bolts or the heads will hit the hub when it is installed. Torque the bolts to 35 ft. lbs.
3. Place one of your rotors on the right hub as shown below. Insert the wheel studs provided into the holes making sure that the serations on the bolt align with the ones in the hub. Either use a press or a hammer and drift to seat them. Make certain that the mating surfaces are clean and free from burrs that might cause runout.
4. Install a new inner bearing and hub seal. Pack the bearing cones with high temp. disc brake grease (also the entire interior of the hub). You should read the appropriate chapter of your trucks maintenance manual for proper installation of the hub and its nuts.
5. Next install the right side caliper with it's pads in place (make sure that the bleeding nipple is pointing up and the cylinder is to the inside).
6. Insert the caliper pins from the back side through the caliper, then through the 7/16" NF threaded holes in the caliper bracket ears, under the inside pad hooks, through the holes in the outside pads, and finally through the outer caliper holes. After you tighten down the caliper pins against the caliper pin bushings it should look like this. Be careful not to cross thread the caliper pin. Use your fingers to start it as you wiggle the opposite end to get the alignment right.
Below is a close up of the caliper pin installation, notice how the inside pad has a hook that rides on top of the pin. Failure to install both of these hooks as shown may allow the pad to drop down out of position resulting in partial or complete brake failure.
Note: if the caliper seems to be too far out for it to fit over the caliper bracket this may be caused by an outside pad lining that is a little too thick. If it is only a few thousandths too thick use a disc or belt sander to remove the excess. Before doing this make certain that the problem is not caused by an improperly seated outside pad.
Hooking up to your hard lines
The following brake parts can be purchased from a Carquest or NAPA parts store. I'm sure that they are available elsewhere as well.
1. Below is a photo of a GMC brake line that is compatible with this caliper and is the proper length. It was purchased from a CarQuest parts store and it's part number is left side: SP5129 right side: SP5128 (NAPA# 4136759 and 4136760). It's inlet has 3/8"NF threads for 3/16" metal brake lines
.
2. There are two fittings that are made by the Edelmann company. One changes a 3/8"NF flare to a 7/16"NF flare it's part number is 258430. The other one is a part number 258340. It reduces a 7/16" flare to a 3/8"NF flare. You can use these to go from one line size to the other (keep this to a minimum as each one you add is another potential leak looking for a time to happen)
3. If you are using the modern GMC flex hose just described do not use the original Dodge banjo bolt and copper washers, they are not compatible with the the modern hoses. You will need to purchase new GMC bolts (the correct copper washers come with the calipers). Be aware that there are two different lengths, a long and a short. The one you want is the long one (it measures 1.10" from its end to the underside of the head). If you get the short one by mistake you will know it because there won't be enough threads sticking out to thread it into the caliper. This bolt is made by Bendix Brake Co.
4. Metal brake lines are carried by most auto parts stores. They come in various lengths (8" to 60") and diameters (3/16" to 3/8") they are usually made by Edelmann. If you are still using the original lines that the truck came with change them, they are probably badly rusted inside if not outside.