how to upgrade nonvented front disc to vented?

[87octane]

Got a 83 2wd Royal 4d55t with nonvented front discs. I see the 4wd got vented front discs. What's the list of parts that are needed to swap over?
Obviously 4wd caliper and caliper bracket and discs. What about hubs and spindles? Any wisdom here?

[pennyman1]

Get the spindles, hubs, rotors, and calipers from a 2nd gen (87 and up) 2wd ram - 50 / MM - they have vented rotors. The 2nd gen hubs and calipers with fit on the 1st gen spindles, but the caliper bracket bolts and brake line won't clear to tighten them. Or you could get AIM drop spindles which are made like the 2nd gen spindles for caliper mounting. The 2nd gen rotor by itself will not work with the 1st gen caliper due to a different offset of the rotor to the hub. Once you make the switch, you can get Hawk performance disk brake pads off ebay for $9.00 a set.

[87octane]

Thanks, Pennyman1. Is it generally accepted that vented fronts haul a load down the mountain better than non vented? Or is there anything special (or even adequate) about the non vented rotors taking a lot of abuse?

[pennyman1]

Have run the solid rotors on my 1980 since new and even with a power lift gate (400#) and 1200 lbs in the bed I had no problems with stopping. But I do want the vented rotors as I am putting a conquest turbo motor in and want to be able to stop as well as go.

[87octane]

Now that I'm driving this rig again, it's surprising how grippy the stock fronts are, at least initially. Compression braking from the TD keeps me off the brakes a lot also. Maybe I'm trying to fix something that ain't broke. Unlike the psychotic rear drums in the rain, but that for a different thread.