Chevy calipers seem to be the most popular for a disc swap. Most people use the "large" caliper (7.0625" pin centers) from 1/2 or 3/4 ton trucks or blazers. I have always given the parts idiots an application of " 74 chevy blazer 4x4" and got the calipers needed for the job at hand. Upon visiting the local parts dummy today, they were out of stock.
So, on to the question.
What is the difference between the large (7.0625" on center) calipers of various years? ie the parts books say: '71 thru 78 use one caliper, 79 thru 83 use another and 84 thru 86 use yet another and so on and so forth, 1/2 and 3/4 tons using different part numbers also.
Is there any difference? Piston diameter? Banjo bolt diameter?
Parts dummy says "no way any of them will interchange" and is unwilling to take a bunch down from the shelf for me to compare. So do they all interchange, but the parts books tell them no to keep them dumb?:confused:

I haven't really covered all of the year model applications but if I've needed calipers I usually just throw out years until we find one. With that said the only real differences I've ever noticed is the casting around the banjo bolt hole, different castings forcing the brake hose to be positioned at different angles but never preventing installation or requiring a new hose. I've heard there are different size banjo bolts but never run across one.

I think they'll all interchange.

I've never noticed a difference that'd prevent it. And I KNOW that the 76 GMC 44 front and my 78 waggy front brakes interchange happily

One of the differences I've run across is metric vs standard thread on the banjo bolt. I don't know what year it changed.

Aggro,

I did a bunch of research on these at www.carparts.com while researching 14b disc brake swap.

I know in the late 70's the 1/2 and 3/4 ton stuff is exactly the same - same part numbers.

go to the website, start punching in different apps and scribbling down the caliper part numbers - it's good info.

Sounds like the parts monkeys are idiots!

Brian, I believe 85 and up use a 3/8" banjo. I have used both the early and the late, I think that is the only diff

As mentioned above, different casting is the only difference that I've run into. When I was building my front axle for the SAS, I didn't have any cores, so I bought a set of '76 calipers. When I built the 9" for the rear, I got some cores from B&T, but they wouldn't give me a set of '76 calipers because the casting was different. I never bothered to ask which year casting I ended up with.

Originally posted by Ben W
One of the differences I've run across is metric vs standard thread on the banjo bolt. I don't know what year it changed.


DING DING DING DING, we have a winner! Just compared a set of '85 and '78 calipers and the banjo bolts were metric in the '85's. The casting was also different, but not different enough not to use the '85 caliper on a '78 caliper bracket.

Exactly what I thought. Thanks.