Another wold this fit my truck post(axle gods)

[2005z71chevy]

sorry guys i know this gets old but i was just on ebay and i noticed this guy was selling a set of axles near where i live i was woundering if you guys knew how these axle would match up with my truck. i have a 1989 gmc jimmy. Would the spring peraches line up? will drive shaft lengts and u joint sizes be the same? how about the steeing? the axles are from a 1978 k20 4x4 plow truck. they are 8 lug he says they are a dana 44 front and 14 bolt rear. is this right i though that the d44 was a 6 lug? well what ever you can get out of that would be a great help. thaks nick

 

[rick88blaze]

They should bolt up just fine. As for the D44- it came in a 6 lug version for the 1/2 tons, and an 8 lug for teh 3/4 tons.

Rick

 

[jk3078]

Dana 44's could be had in 8 or 6 lug. The axles will bolt in but be sure to get the u-bolts and spring plates from the 14b rear. Your rear driveline will work but you will need to get a conversion u-joint (1/2tonx3/4ton) any decent parts store will hook you up.The front shaft will be fine. Are you lifted? If so then you will need to get steering correction to fit the 44, your 10b parts wont work. Also I've heard that 10b brake lines wont work on 44's. Really its an easy swap so go for it if the price is right.

 

[DirtyJim]

i just finished the restoration of my 88 jimmy. it has an 8" lift with 38.5" boggers. while i still have some cash left i was thinking of converting the 1/2 ton axles to 1 ton, or do you think a 1/2 ton will hold up? the rear end is a 3.73 posi from jasper with less than 10k miles on it.

 

[rjfguitar]

i just finished the restoration of my 88 jimmy. it has an 8" lift with 38.5" boggers. while i still have some cash left i was thinking of converting the 1/2 ton axles to 1 ton, or do you think a 1/2 ton will hold up? the rear end is a 3.73 posi from jasper with less than 10k miles on it.

For 1, 3.73's are WAY to high for those tires. You need 5.13's, but could get away with as high as 4.56's.

the 10b rear will not hold up if you plan on taking the truck offroad. It should work fine on the street, if it had decent gearing. The 14B rear really should be used in conjunction with a tire 35" or larger (depending on the type of tire, a 35x12.50 A/T will work with a 10B but a 35x16 bogger will not.) You get a lot better braking from a 14BFF, I couldn't believe how much difference the braking was with the large 14BFF drums, I could really tell when I was pulling a trailer too.

You've got to do something about those gears, I would get a 14BFF rear to gain...
1. Here is your opportunity to properly gear with a 4.56 to a preferable 5.13
2. Much stouter that should have no problem handling those 38.5's on and off road.
3. better brakes, big tires are harder to slow their spinning
4. A big honkin' 14BFF looks better slung underneith.

You don't neccessarely need a D60 front (that would be 1 ton gear) if you don't wheel and even if you do, as long as you stay away from rocks, roots, and are carefull when turning hard. If you restored your truck I would imagine the wheeling is minimal and a D60 definantly isn't needed.

Plus, a D44 r 10B front from a 3/4t is a heck of a lot cheaper and easier to find than a somewhat rare D60.

 

[DirtyJim]

my plan was to buy a rotted out 80's pickup with 1 ton axles and "swap" them to my jimmy. if i found a pickup with the D60's would the leaf springs sit in the axles the same as the 1/2 ton or would i have to get new springs? i know that i would need new u bolts, rear driveshaft, and brakelines.

 

[rjfguitar]

my plan was to buy a rotted out 80's pickup with 1 ton axles and "swap" them to my jimmy. if i found a pickup with the D60's would the leaf springs sit in the axles the same as the 1/2 ton or would i have to get new springs? i know that i would need new u bolts, rear driveshaft, and brakelines.

Good luck finding that truck that hasn't already been torn apart, or is being parted out and the owner wants $1,500 for the D60.

There is only a D60 front, the rear is the same 14BFF.

The front D60 would bolt in besides the ubolts and plates, but the pads will line up. On 1 tons the rear spring perches are narrower than 1/2 and 3/4 tons. A different pair of springs doesn't help. You would have to cut the spring perches off of the axle tubes and reweld them in the right location.

3/4ton 14BFF's have the same width perches as your 1/2t and do not require movement for the swap, a 3/4t 14 bolts right in.

There again, you will still have to regear what ever you find. It would be even harder to find an untouched K30 that even has 4.56 gearing. most likely with what ever you go with will have 4.10's and will require regearing anyway.

 

[DirtyJim]

i plan on rebuilding the gears and locking the axles that i get. i am going to show this truck but just at cruise nights. i just dont want to drop the rear end in a swamp. i am not going to go rock crawling with it, just mudding and a couple hill climbs. my best bet is to go with a 3/4 ton set and regear them to 4.56?

 

[rjfguitar]

my best bet is to go with a 3/4 ton set and regear them to 4.56?

Yes. except that if you do regear then go 5.13's, 4.56's is still not low enough really. The only way I'd even consider 4.56 with that huge of a tire is if I found a set of 3/4t's that had rare factory 4.56's. Then maybe I might go for it.

I know you are thinking this gearing sounds too low, but trust me. I though the same thing the first time I heard of a guy running 4.56's on 35's and saying it was about perfect.

I have 4.10's, if I ever decide to make my K5 a street legal truck again it will leave the driveway with 4.88's. I'm only running 35's too.