I have a S6 73 Dart with manual drum brakes. I bought a spool mount K member to swap to V8. Do I have to switch to disc brakes. The K member has the lower control arm attached. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
K member brakes
- Thread starter kegr2010
- Start date
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Go to myMopar.com and look in the parts book.
My best guess is that the lower arm would be the same disk or drum. Spindle and ball joints may be diferent
The tortion bars would be diferent /6 to V8
Also you might want to update the brakes going to a V8. (10" drum or disc)
My best guess is that the lower arm would be the same disk or drum. Spindle and ball joints may be diferent
The tortion bars would be diferent /6 to V8
Also you might want to update the brakes going to a V8. (10" drum or disc)
doug 371
Well-Known Member
No you don't have to and it would be easier to use your lower control arms keeping the upper/lower/spindle all together...
You really need to post more information.
What are your goals for this car?
What V8 do you intend to use?
What are you going to be doing with this car?
You do not HAVE to swap to discs but it's a safety issue. You'll be driving on the road with modern cars, good brakes, tires, ABS, all that.
You most likely have 9" drums, small bolt pattern (5 X 4.0"). Not only are the brakes inadequate, the lower ball joint is smaller with smaller attaching bolts. Next you'll be asking what are the largest tires I can fit? Not a good idea yet.
The typical earlier A-body cars got 10" drums standard with a V8 but 1973 was a transition year to single piston discs with the larger bolt psttern (5 X 4.5"). A huge improvement .You can source the parts here. But then the front bolt pattern won't match the rear. New wheels and tires add to the expense.
What are your goals for this car?
What V8 do you intend to use?
What are you going to be doing with this car?
You do not HAVE to swap to discs but it's a safety issue. You'll be driving on the road with modern cars, good brakes, tires, ABS, all that.
You most likely have 9" drums, small bolt pattern (5 X 4.0"). Not only are the brakes inadequate, the lower ball joint is smaller with smaller attaching bolts. Next you'll be asking what are the largest tires I can fit? Not a good idea yet.
The typical earlier A-body cars got 10" drums standard with a V8 but 1973 was a transition year to single piston discs with the larger bolt psttern (5 X 4.5"). A huge improvement .You can source the parts here. But then the front bolt pattern won't match the rear. New wheels and tires add to the expense.
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
You don't have to, but you should.
I cant remember for sure but I think the big ball joint went standard in 73. Hopefully someone can chime in and say for sure.
For a cruiser there is nothing wrong with drum brakes. If you have the disc spindles, etc I would run them but run what you have. You can always change to disc later if you dont like the drums.
For a cruiser there is nothing wrong with drum brakes. If you have the disc spindles, etc I would run them but run what you have. You can always change to disc later if you dont like the drums.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
My understanding is that the big ball joints were only used on disc and large drum cars. The smaller slant 9" drums were small ball I believe
OP there is a BUNCH of interchaneability on K members. For example if you do not wish to do anything except put the V8 in, EVERYTHING off your slant K will transfer to the V8 one except the engine mounts. You don't need to change the lower control arms no matter what you do, unless you are adding a factory anti sway bar, and yours does not have one. The connecting tabs are on the LCAs and are different before 73.
If you are changing to BBP disc and don't have big ball joint upper arms, you will need upper and lower ball joints for the disc spindles, and the spindles, and of course the disc brake parts. And you will need upper A arms to convert to the big ball joints. Many guys swap the spindles left to right and mount the calipers to the rear instead of the front--for more anti-roll bar clearance. Make sure whatever you do that you get the bleeders and hose connections "up." You will need different hoses if you mount the calipers to the rear
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
The "archive" Big Block Dart tech pages has a LOT of great info, including front end part numbers..............Here:
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