STEERING ARM

[pelley]

I AM GETTING READY TO PUT A 4 INCH LIFT ON MY 88 K5, WHICH HAS HAD A 1 TON AXLE SWAP DONE BEFORE I GOT IT, SO IT HAS A 14 BOLT REAR AND A 44 FRONT. DONT KNOW WHAT YEAR THEY ARE. ANYWAY HOW EXACTLY DO YOU TAKE OFF THE STEERING ARM TO USE THE DROPPED ONE? AND IS THERE AN EASY WAY?
ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT
THANKS
RON

 

[big83chevy4x4]

if it has a d44 front its not a 1 ton, its 3/4 ton.

on the d44 there are 3 bolts that hold the arm on. remove these and beat the crap out of it till its off. or you can heat it up to get it to come off.

also its a raised arm, or a drop draglink. not the other way around /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

 

[clarkjw24]

[ QUOTE ]
if it has a d44 front its not a 1 ton, its 3/4 ton.

on the d44 there are 3 bolts that hold the arm on. remove these and beat the crap out of it till its off. or you can heat it up to get it to come off.

also its a raised arm, or a drop draglink. not the other way around /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

big is right its a 3/4 front but what you don't want to do is heat it too much. It will mess up the ball joint and possibly the studs and nuts. What I do now is weld the nut to the stud and back it all out. Replacing the studs, nuts and wedge washers is recommended. Sometimes you get lucky and with a few taps and some wd40 they come off but those wedge washers suck.

 

[pelley]

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY TRUCK IS A 3/4 TON OR A 1/2 TON FROM THE FACTORY? IT MIGHT BE THE ORIGINAL FRONT END.

 

[big83chevy4x4]

the only difference is the 1/2 ton is 6 lug and 3/4 ton is 8 lug. the d60 1ton front axle had 3 ubolts and has kingpins instead of balljoints.

 

[pelley]

so in 88, did the 1/2 ton come with 10 bolt front and rear 6 bolt from the factory, and the if so what comes on the 3/4 originaly

 

[big83chevy4x4]

yep, 88 half ton came with a 10 bolt f&r which were 6 lug.

the 3/4 tons came with a 14 bolt full floating or 14 bolt semi floating rear. the ff has a 10.5" ring gear and the sf has a 9,5" ring gear, both 8 lug, but the newer 14bsf (IFS trucks) can be 6 lug.
the 3/4 front was a 8 lug 10 bolt or 8 lug d44.

 

[ugly_blazer]

[ QUOTE ]
HOW DO I KNOW IF MY TRUCK IS A 3/4 TON OR A 1/2 TON FROM THE FACTORY? IT MIGHT BE THE ORIGINAL FRONT END.

[/ QUOTE ]

A factory 3/4 ton K5? To the best of my knowledge this was never available.