1974 Jimmy

[texarback]

Currently I am working on the rear axle. I cleaned and painted it. I have rebuilt the drum brakes. I would be finished except I'm in an epic battle with a pinion and carrier that obviously hate one another.

I'm having a hard time getting the bad pattern to move towards a good pattern.

Before...



Had a touch of rust inside the case...



Painted with KBS. First thing I learned, don't brush. Brushing leaves a lot to be desired. They say you can do it, but don't. I actually had the gun all ready, full of paint, and it crapped out. So, in a panic I brushed. It is what it is as they say.


Took the rusty axles and soaked them in Evaporust.

Turned out really good...

I ended up using all new brake hardware. I didn't reuse anything.

Here is the final axle waiting on the guts to be put back in...

 

[texarback]

Cool rig. Keep up the good work.

Interesting wheels on it.

Martin

My uncle had the original rims but someone walked off with them. Or, they are in the back of some long forgotten room at his house.

Depending on what it looks like when the truck is done, I thought about blasting them and painting white. I kind of like the look of them but think I will end up going with the factory style.

 

[JIMDINK]

I nearly ruined mine when I removed it. One of the pegs twisted off but I was able to get a half turn on the nub with nut when I reinstalled it luckily.

 

[texarback]

Yeah, I broke mine in two when taking it off. I didn’t think I would ever find another one.

 

[texarback]

I've started working on the Dana 44. It is all torn apart and now I've started the cleaning process.

 

[texarback]

Removed the hubs, spindles, knuckles, and ball joints. Everything looks bad right now but I think most of it will clean up. I do think I'll have to replace the passenger side gear in the hub. There clearly was some debris that scored it pretty bad.

The backside of this one is really rough. I didn't take a picture of the damage.

 

[texarback]

Being a rookie at all this, I purchased ball joints and u joints from LMC. Specific to the U Joints, they are not Spicer. Should I consider putting what I bough on and rolling with it or should I buy the Spicer flavors?

Amazon.com

 

[texarback]

What was the original factory hub setup for a 1974 Jimmy?

I assume this is all I need to know: https://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c718_dana_44_front_chevy.html

 

[blazer74]

1974 You have drive flanges. Full time 4x4 with the automatic trans.
Manual Trans came with manual locking hubs.
1974 Dana 44 also came with small bearing hubs, mid year 77 went to large bearing hubs.
I would run the best bearings I could find such as Timken, BCA. Stay away from the plastic caged bearings.

 

[JIMDINK]

My 74 has full time 4x4, full time hubs, manuel trans, dana 44 axle.

 

[blazer74]

Someone has changed the trans or the axle.
Manuals came with lockout hubs

 

[texarback]

JIMDINK, thanks for the pictures. Seeing the brake dust shield has answered a question I had. Mine were welded to the whatever you call it that bolts to the axle. I’ve wondered if that was how they came and it appears not. Yours are welded much more robustly than mine are so assume it wasn’t factory.

 

[texarback]

Also, what did you paint everything with?

 

[JIMDINK]

After wire wheel I used Rust Oleum Rust Reformer then Rust Oleum Satin stops rust.

 

[JIMDINK]

Someone has changed the trans or the axle.
Manuals came with lockout hubs

Here's the tag.

Why would you have manuel hubs with full time 4x4?

And why only with manual trans?
I thought you have to change hubs to manuel if you do the part time kit.

 

[blazer74]

No need to drive around in full time NP 203 adds unnecessary stress on the driveline and eliminates front wobble when powering through a turn. Adding locking hubs gives you that option. You don’t have to add the part time kit in the Tcase if one chooses not to .
I didn’t add the Tcase kit. When you add the kit it removes the splashing that is required to lube the rear output bearing so you have to engage the Tcase to full time or 4high and drive around a few miles every 100 miles or so IIRC.
You have a manual trans and a full time ?
Locking hubs was option F76 after looking a bit.
My understanding was manuals had the NP205 Part Time Tcase and lockouts but apparently not.
Learned something new.
Looks like the 73-74 the 203 was standard and 205 was available behind the the V8.

 

[82355]

Someone has changed the trans or the axle.
Manuals came with lockout hubs

Incorrect.

In the early years, manual lockout hubs were an extra cost option, not standard equipment. The first K30 (1977) was not available with lockouts at all.

Also, in '74-'75, all K series trucks (Blazer, Jimmy, pickup, or Suburban) ordered with a V8 engine, came standard with an NP203, regardless of transmission. It wasn't until '75-79 that automatics came with an NP203, and manuals came with an NP205.

So a '74 K10 Jimmy, ordered with a V8 engine would have an NP203, and drive slugs.

Martin

 

[blazer74]

Corrected
Thanks

 

[Chickntrk]

No need to drive around in full time NP 203 adds unnecessary stress on the driveline and eliminates front wobble when powering through a turn. Adding locking hubs gives you that option. You don’t have to add the part time kit in the Tcase if one chooses not to .
I didn’t add the Tcase kit. When you add the kit it removes the splashing that is required to lube the rear output bearing so you have to engage the Tcase to full time or 4high and drive around a few miles every 100 miles or so IIRC.
You have a manual trans and a full time ?
Locking hubs was option F76 after looking a bit.
My understanding was manuals had the NP205 Part Time Tcase and lockouts but apparently not.
Learned something new.
Looks like the 73-74 the 203 was standard and 205 was available behind the the V8.

False.

You can’t add locking hubs to a 203 truck unless you convert the t case or drive around in hi loc. If you only add hubs and unlock them the truck won’t move.

 

[blazer74]

Drives just fine in High loc with the hubs unlocked. I removed the slugs and added locking hubs over 2 decades ago.
Must be in loc high or low.