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axles for the mud truck

M

mwood1985

1/2 ton status
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Jan 20, 2011
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Marietta Ga
ive got all my parts together for the blazer. 383 stroker 465/205 the wheels and tires im picking up tomorrow 40 inch boggers. the lift kit is on ect. now the big question stopping me from finishing it. what chevys came stock with the dana 60 and 14 bolt axles? i need 1 tons and i figured id go boneyard hunting. i was assuming all 8 lug axles are dana 60s on the front but my buddy said some dana 44s were 8 lug too. someone school me on the 1 ton axles
 
oh yup. 10bolt and D44 had some 8 lug.


D60 has D60 cast into the center section bottom right usually IIRC. if you cant tell other than just the size of it. and the size of the lockouts.
 
you need a 1 ton truck.

k30

so 73-91 4wd 1ton

there are alot of 8 lug dana 44's

Dana 60 is huge, has kingpins, and massive brakes/calipers with no regular bolts on them

d44 is small, balljoint, regular calipers
 
factory dana 60 = k30 or 35 1 ton truck only.

3/4 ton 8 lug dana 44 or corp 10 bolt.

but still look as someone might have swaped in a 60.

get a 14ff from a 3/4 ton and it will be direct bolt in. get it from a 1ton = move spring perches and shock mounts.

dana 60 front = bolt in . get spring plates and calipers and bolt it in.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

1ton from 77-91

and look for 3 ubolts as 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton got 4 ubolts. and no ball joints 4 bolt caps were ball joints would be at.
 
Oh bingo thats the dead ringer, I forgot about that one.

D60 only has 3 ubolts. and uses 2 stud on the one side on the pumpkin.


But DON"T assume a 1ton has a D60......... more than likely some one has robbed it and swapped in a D44/10bolt 8lug and sold it off to some sucker........ DONT be that sucker.
 
dana 44 8 lug how long would it hold up to 40s if i take it easy? i know where one is and it'll get the thing drivable faster. i wont have the 8 lug 6 lug problem. its a temporary 1/2 ton solution to a 1 ton problem but hey why not while im hunting for the elusive dana 60
 
mwood1985 said:
dana 44 8 lug how long would it hold up to 40s if i take it easy? i know where one is and it'll get the thing drivable faster. i wont have the 8 lug 6 lug problem. its a temporary 1/2 ton solution to a 1 ton problem but hey why not while im hunting for the elusive dana 60
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I've heard of mud guys getting away with dana 44's up front with 40'' tires. Your shafts and u-joints are probably the biggest thing to worry about. Stay out of the rocks and avoid power hopping and you might be ok for a while. Its all hearsay until **** hits the fan and you wish you had gotten a 60 :haha:
 
fyi stock its 2 bolts not studs.

and 44/10 bolt will hold a bit if good spicer solid NON greaseable joints. good fresh greased wheel bearings nice and tight. good prem ball joints.

and if you get 3/4 ton. same calipers/pads as 1/2 ton so unbolt and hang up and out of the way and swap axle and bolt back on and pump the pedal . no need to blead brakes .
 
What type of mudding ? Competition or play? Ever plan on rockin'? D44 will work if only mud. I am running 44" TSLs on 12 bolt rear with locker and 10 bolt open front with a bbc.
 
im staying out of the rocks just something to take out and have fun with on the weekends. im trying to build it now so i dont have to try and fix weak links later. why not go 1 ton and all now when i have the truck torn down. with a dana 60 and a 14ff is one better than the other from different years or are they all the same strength
 
Might as well stick with your plan if it's already apart and have access to the beef. I stayed with 1/2 ton to save weight.
 
a couple big questions is a) how much power do you have, b) how hard will you be driving it, c) will you have a front locker. if you have a big power motor and drive w/ your foot flat on the floor, you'll be stressing the axels & joint more. also, are you planning on throwing a locker in the front. a 44/10 bolt will live a lot longer w/ an open diff. throw a locker or limited slip in it and you'll be breaking much sooner.

if it was me, anything over 35s or 37s and i wouldn't think twice about going to a d60.
 
DEMON44 said:
Oh bingo thats the dead ringer, I forgot about that one.

D60 only has 3 ubolts. and uses 2 stud on the one side on the pumpkin.


But DON"T assume a 1ton has a D60......... more than likely some one has robbed it and swapped in a D44/10bolt 8lug and sold it off to some sucker........ DONT be that sucker.
Click to expand...

Be a little careful following this, Dodge D44's use studs on the passenger side just like GM 60's. Your best bet is to look for kingpins and a 60F cast into the front diff at the bottom right of the differential cover.



mwood1985 said:
im staying out of the rocks just something to take out and have fun with on the weekends. im trying to build it now so i dont have to try and fix weak links later. why not go 1 ton and all now when i have the truck torn down. with a dana 60 and a 14ff is one better than the other from different years or are they all the same strength
Click to expand...

With GM 60's they are all essentially the same.

With Dodge front ends, you'd only consider a kingpin front end which was used up until 1993. The newer Dodge front ends are not worth messing with.

As for Ford front ends, you'd have to change your t-case to a driver's side drop and even then you'd really only want a 77-79 D60.
 
im going 40-44 inch boggers front and rear locker and the 383 chassis dynoed a hair under 475 hp and while im easy on my Ranger when i wheel it the blazer was bought to hammer on the gas lol so im betting ill snap anything less than a dana 60.
 
lots of guys run reg tsl on the front to float a bit and take some stress offf the front and boggers rear to push .
 
i thought about that but where we play your not gonna float anyhow. its red georgia clay and the only way to get out is to sling it out of the way. ideally the trucks out there run rockwells and tractor tires but i dont have that luxury without buying a bigger DD to pull the trailer. but i can drive it there and back so its still gotta be semi street legal
 
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