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Can you swap front axles on a Pilothouse truck??


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Hi Old Dodge folks:

 

Has anyone on here taken a 1/2 ton truck front axle and mounted into a 1-ton truck chassis???

 

I was talking to the folks at ECI brakes and they told me that if I could swap out my 1-ton front axle for a 1/2 ton front axle they would be able to get a disc brake kit fixed up for me. 

 

I am thinking about buying a 1-ton truck and want to convert the front brakes to a disc brake set-up for it.

 

Thanks for any insight...

 

MikeC

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1/2 ton axle should bolt right in...except for not being able to use your 1 ton drums and hubs.

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I can’t agree with Jeff...Disc are 99 out of a 100x better then drum when installed and the proper master and proportioning valve.  I did this exact swap in my 1 ton, took a 1/2 ton axle and swapped right in to use the Rusty Hope  brake kit.  You also can’t buy new drums if needed for 1 ton, so if they are past the wear limit your on the hunt for good used, also you can only get shoes religned, not new.

 

Find a new axle and get your project under way!

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My 1 ton still uses factory brakes but with a 55-57 T-Bird booster...awesome brakes for my 40 years of ownership.

Have driven the heck out of it .

No disc's needed for me on any of my old Mopars..?

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25 minutes ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

My 1 ton still uses factory brakes but with a 55-57 T-Bird booster...awesome brakes for my 40 years of ownership.

Have driven the heck out of it .

No disc's needed for me on any of my old Mopars..?

 

Hard brake twice in a minute and we’ll talk again ??

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I've locked em up enough times in my long ownership. safe and straight.

This truck was my daily driver for almost 10 years here in Seattle tacoma Everett area....

It probably stops as good as most of the disc brake conversions..maybe better.

Although too many hard stops and the fade factor could be an issue... but I never drive it to that point especially now that it's an elderly though very healthy antique  ..

.To me it's just my good old dodge truck with excellent brakes I've driven longer than most of the people who see it have been alive.

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Your plan depends on the ultimate use of the1T.  If is going to be used as a 1T truck, I would seriously reconsider a passenger car based brake system.  Weight and planned speed should dictate the brake.  55MPH and a loaded truck,  my choice would be the original with a new dual master and all new lines.  Freeway speeds empty, disks using pickup or very large car parts.  JMHO

 

The tonners have bigger brakes, wheels, bearings and tires for a reason.

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17 hours ago, NiftyFifty said:

I can’t agree with Jeff...Disc are 99 out of a 100x better then drum when installed and the proper master and proportioning valve.  I did this exact swap in my 1 ton, took a 1/2 ton axle and swapped right in to use the Rusty Hope  brake kit.  You also can’t buy new drums if needed for 1 ton, so if they are past the wear limit your on the hunt for good used, also you can only get shoes religned, not new.

 

Find a new axle and get your project under way!

My biggest deal with disc brakes is ease of getting parts...I had 1953 Chevy 1 ton...the drums were passed there ability to get turned and there were no new ones available...so I swapped out the 1-ton axle and put in a 1/2 ton front axle with brake kit from CPP

8 hours ago, kencombs said:

Your plan depends on the ultimate use of the1T.  If is going to be used as a 1T truck, I would seriously reconsider a passenger car based brake system.  Weight and planned speed should dictate the brake.  55MPH and a loaded truck,  my choice would be the original with a new dual master and all new lines.  Freeway speeds empty, disks using pickup or very large car parts.  JMHO

 

The tonners have bigger brakes, wheels, bearings and tires for a reason.

With a truck this age... I won't use it much...where I live you need a hot rod to get around...(fuel injection...MacPherson struts....4 wheel drive and disc brakes all the way around)...I might possibly try to drive it to work...I work about 11-12 miles from my home...2 lanes and 4 lane high-speed commuter roads...I drove my 1 ton 1953 Chevy to work a couple of times...thought I was in horse and buggy compared to the other vehicles around me...

This is probably going to be a toy that maybe I can take to the lumber yard to get some 2x4's in...my dad had one back in the 1960s and I have really fond memories of him and riding around in it...

The book "Truck" by John Jerome is one of my favorite books

 

MikeC

9780553113570.jpg

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I had the same plans...just a “runner” not a driver...but that has changed so many times, and if I could do it all over again I would have done IFS and a V8 swap, but it never hurts to upgrade parts like the brakes and suspension, because if you do ever do a power upgrade or a diff swap or T5 trans conversion you have to have the ability to stop and control it.

 

good luck on your build!

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I am going on 4 years of daily use of my 52 B-3-C. I did a 4 wheel disc system on it because I was concerned about the ability to stop quickly and safely in heavy traffic here in SoCal. This is certainly one of the best decisions I made during my build. I used Rusty Hope up front and a 2002 Grand Cherokee 3.55 rear axle with 12" discs in the rear. Also used a matching M/C and a proportioning valve with all new 3/16" lines. This set up has performed absolutely flawlessly day in and day out. Best feature is the extremely effective "panic" braking without ever locking any of the wheels up. Try this with drums....

 

Driving a vintage truck in the kind of traffic we have here all of the time would not be much fun if it won't stop like a modern vehicle. 

Jeff

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5 hours ago, jeffsunzeri said:

VPW have brand spanking new drums for the 1 tons. They ought to give another 80 years of service or more to the original brake systems.

I didn’t see any 6 lug drums?  I would still go disc...and for real drivability I would swap out the rear diff too...4:10 gearing is zero fun with a 3 or 4 speed non syncro 

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pretty late for my two cents, just saying.

I have a B1C 3/4 ton with a 1/2 ton front end on it.

I guarantee you, was a easy swap or the farmer would not have done it.

Not sure how much difference between the 1 ton and 3/4 ton frames.

I bet it would not be to bad of a swap.

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16 hours ago, jeffsunzeri said:

VPW have brand spanking new drums for the 1 tons. They ought to give another 80 years of service or more to the original brake systems.

 

they MAY or may NOT.  By pictures at least I'd make a call before assuming.  And if they do, looks only to be the fronts.

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