WANTED Front Drum Spindles 1968 Town & Country

[chaparral2f]

I have purchased a set of '68 drums will they work with rotors and calipers from '69-72 car. This is really getting confusing, please let me know thanks, Rene'.

 

[twostick]

I have purchased a set of '68 drums will they work with rotors and calipers from '69-72 car. This is really getting confusing, please let me know thanks, Rene'.

I think Ross must have been having a bad day. He has a thread on here that covers the swap from drum to disc brakes and it's quite detailed.

The short answer is no, 69+ disc brakes will not fit on drum spindles. You will need 69 to early 72 or late 72 to 73 spindles. The later spindles are preferred because the rotors are cheaper but all the components are identical other than the bearing size of the rotors.

If you are converting from the 4 piston Budd system you will also need to change the lower ball joints too. 65-68 drum and 69-73 disc spindles use the same ball joints.

If your Budd lower ball joints are in serviceable condition and your calipers have been rebuilt with stainless steel sleeves you should be able to sell them for enough to pay for most if not all the parts you need to someone that has to have "original".

Budd ball joints are over $1000 a pair new IF you can get them. You already know what the calipers cost so half price or a little less of new is still some $$$$.

Now if you have the ability to fabricate your own caliper brackets I think the 69 rotor will physically fit the drum spindle but that's a whole different subject.

Kevin

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Thanks for everyone's tolerance!

René, I was bass akwards in my directions to you. As I was prompted by both Wolffen and Twostick to rethink my memories, I realized that I had steered you in the wrong direction.

You need 65-68 drum brake lower ball joints, and this permits you to use 69-73 DISC spindles, which bolt right in after swapping in the required ball joints. The ball joints and geometry are all the same between 65-68 drum brake cars and 69 -73 disc brake cars, permitting the swap.

I was wrong when I said the disc hardware will bolt onto the drum brake spindles. Sorry.

Aftermarket kits DO bolt onto drum brake spindles using special adapter plates included in their kits. Those and sometimes the less than ideal rotor size leads some people to assert that the aftermarket kits aren't quite up to the task of stopping our heavy cars. Others say they're just fine. I tend to go with the factory engineered stuff just to be sure.

So, to reiterate: you need 69 - 72 disc brake spindles and rotors OR 73 disc brake spindles and rotors, and the appropriate and easy to find drum brake lower ball joints. You already have the proper booster and master and prop valve and lines factory installed in your car which is half the battle.

I hope this clears things up for you and sorry if I led you to buy drum brake spindles in error. Your other option is to use your new drum brake spindles and buy one of the aftermarket disc setups.

 

[chaparral2f]

I found some rotors I am going to put back on the factory set. Hopefully this is end of the brake problem. Thanks to all responded