Fitting a newer B/J beam in a early bus

[davejohansen]

I've exchanged some email conversations with a fella in the States. He upgraded his 61 DC with a beam out of a 69 and used calipers from a 73. Obviously he has accomplished it but anybody have any thoughts. It seems pretty easy to upgrade to disc brakes by using a new beam, plus you get ball joints instead of Kingpin.

If simply adding later year beams would give you disc brakes why do companies sell adapter kits to get disc brakes installed.

Dave

[riffraff]

I'm no expert on this, but I'm pretty sure that the fat chick beams are both wider and taller than a split beam. That makes them track an inch or two wider (looks strange under the doglegs) and makes the front end sit an inch or two higher(Makes you look like you are going uphill all the time.
Then, if you want to run wide fives, the front tracks even wider with the adapters.
If you want to drop the front end, you can get bay drop spindles, but (from what I understand) lowering the beam with adjusters throws the geometry of the b/j beams off really badly.
I think the reason that there are an abundance of disc brake kits available for splits is because it is less painful to add discs than to add the b/j beam.

[commercialair]

I don't believe a '69 beam will easily bolt up to your bus. '68 will. The beams bolt pattern changed in '69 (or was it '70?) and then the whole B/J and spindle combo changed again in '73. Also, the '68 brakes are wide 5 as drums, but narrow 5 as the later disks. Like Keith said, you'll need adapters and this will give you a raised and widened beam. Kind of the opposite of what most people are after these days. Dropped spindles will bring it down to the stock height.

I guess the "earth shoe" or "uphill" look may be in some day...but I'd stick to current trends.

Chris

[rareair]

69 and later beams are the same pattern.
King and link pin beams ride better anyways.

[Mowser]

I read up on a guy that recently did this to his early double cab. His approach confirmed what most have already stated. With the new beam out and available he installed adjusters, drop spindles, and then narrowed it (I believe 3"s) to get it to look correct. If memory serves the Bay window front track width is somewhere around 2"s wider. He went an extra inch for adapters and for extra clearance for wider tires. The beam he was putting in (I think) was our of a '73.

Disc brakes would sure be nice driving around the mountains but that's what gears are for.

[davejohansen]

Seems more hassle than benefit. Flipped kingpins are back on the to do list.

Thanks for the input guys.

Dave