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1/2T to 3/4T Conversion Questions

J

joe dirt

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My cousin wants to swap the axles from his rustbucket 1984 Chevy K20 into a pretty nice 1986 Chevy K10 he just bought. The 3/4T has a D44 front and a 9.5 SF 14-bolt rear. The 1/2T has D44 front and 10-bolt rear. Both trucks are regular cab long beds and have stock suspension components, drivelines and auto trannys, although I am not sure which auto trannys they have or which T-Case they have.

Can we swap springs as well? I think that would make the job a lot easier overall. I don't know if the springs are the same length/width since he hasn't brought the K10 home yet. Also, will the 1/2T truck driveshaft u-joints mate up with the 3/4T pinions?

Thanks for any advice.
 
joe dirt said:
My cousin wants to swap the axles from his rustbucket 1984 Chevy K20 into a pretty nice 1986 Chevy K10 he just bought. The 3/4T has a D44 front and a 9.5 SF 14-bolt rear. The 1/2T has D44 front and 10-bolt rear. Both trucks are regular cab long beds and have stock suspension components, drivelines and auto trannys, although I am not sure which auto trannys they have or which T-Case they have.

Can we swap springs as well? I think that would make the job a lot easier overall. I don't know if the springs are the same length/width since he hasn't brought the K10 home yet. Also, will the 1/2T truck driveshaft u-joints mate up with the 3/4T pinions?

Thanks for any advice.
Click to expand...

Everything should bolt right up as far as leaf springs and axles go. The 3/4 ton rear will be 3" wider than the 1/2 ton. I think think the 3/4 ton front will also be wider by about 2" (someone else will know this for sure)

The rear yokes take different size u-joints. you can buy the conversion u-joint or you can swap the yoke from the 10 to the 14bolt sf. They are both 30-spline pinions, and both yokes have the same mounting depths. You'll just need to swap the seal-pretector-flange-thingy from the 14 bolt sf yoke to the 10 bolt yoke. If you do this you don't have to use a special U-joint.
 
Are you sure both the '84 and '86 have a dana 44 front? Chevy stopped using the Dana 44 around 1979 and started using the 10 bolt. First pic is a 10 bolt, the second is a Dana 44. The 44 cover has flat sides, the 10 bolt is all round.
 
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The axles will swap directly no need to do anything with the springs and the axles are the same width. The conversion u-joint is easy but if he has the same t-cases you can just swap the whole driveshaft even easier.
 
Divorced, I am not for sure about the D44's. A guy down the road looked at them and said they were D44's. I don't know. I'm not that good at identifying front axles. Rears are easier to ID. I was looking for some 4.10 gears for my truck's front axle and the same guy told me that my 1985 K20 has a "corporate D44" whatever that is. I know the rear is a 9.5 SF 14bolt. I can't access the pictures you posted, not enough member priveleges in my account (free)

Thanks for all the info, might tear into it this weekend, weather permitting.
 
He doesn't know for sure what he is telling you if he says "corporate D44". The choices are "corporate 10 bolt" or "Dana 44". If you email me at the addy below I can send you pics, or do a Google image search for "10 bolt" or "Dana 44", you should find what you need.
 
Beware the Easy way. It might look easier to take out 4 bolts on the springs, than the 8 nuts on the u-bolts, but those bolts get rusted to the sleeve in the springeyes. If the spring bushings look good, I would just swap axles, if not, get a torch and be prepared to work.:grin:
 
the 3/4ton is 2 inches wider, but that is in the hub itself, each is 1" wider than a 1/2 ton hub..the axle itself is the same width
 
Thanks guys. I looked at the axle id chart yesterday and they look like the 10-bolt to me. It's a lot easier on my RAM 2500 since I know that it has a D80 rear and a D60 front. Just curious, but will the u-bolts be reusable? In the past, I've always found them to be kinda "sprung" which make them difficult, if not impossible, to get back into the top plate.
 
You are not "supposed" to reuse u-bolts. I reuse mine all the time though. I smash them back closed in a vise so they will go through the spring plates.
 
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