D44 gear swapability

[rcurrier44]

I have a closed nuckled drum brake D44 in the front of my new 1961 3/4 ton. I want to swap to a disk brake open nuckled D44 but don't have one around with 4.56 gears in it like the close nuckled one.

Does anyone know if I can swap the carrier and all from the closed nuckled D44 to an open nuckled D44? I have been searching and can't find info on an D44 this old. Anyone know if the axle splines are the same in both axles?

Thanks
ROB

 

[rcurrier44]

TTT

 

[79chevyk10]

Don't think just swappin the carrier is a good idea, the housings are all different and that means you will have to reset you backlash and pinion depth along with the pinion bearing preload, just a small movement of 0.001" can really change your gear pattern. You must know how to set up gears in order to do that swap. If you do, then it should be simple, just some labor hours out of the weekend.

Just remember all housings are a little different and need different setup, most of the time.

 

[rcurrier44]

Yep I have the tools and know how to set up gears. I just don't know if the carriers are the same between closed knuckled D44's and open knuckled D44's. None of the info or places on the web I can find go that far back.

 

[rcurrier44]

TTT

 

[ColAdo82K5]

The Reider Racing Gears and Rears catalog lists the gear sets as being the same from 1960-1980 in GM applications.

Blake