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Subjective Sensibility

A handshake agreement and a 2500 mile drive later, I have my work cut out for me. The goal is a reliable camping and hunting truck with good off road capability and potential for a daily driver.
Overview Gallery Discussion
I probably could have installed this 3/4 axle in the time it took to strip it, clean it, spray it with rust neutralizer, clean it, and paint it, but I just can't put dirty shit back together so I spent the day making this 48 year old axle look shiny and new. I suppose not being able to leave well enough alone is why many of us are here.

Axle Front Painted small.jpg
 
Behold! The 5/8 ton K5 Blazer!
It's a pain doing this solo but I got it in there. Reused the old hardware for now. There will be a lift kit someday but these are parts I have on hand and can install today. New springs will go in with new ubolts some other day. Just need to reattach the brakes and swap the hubs over to the new axle. Then I can start on the rear.

Front Axle Installed.JPEG
 
So I pulled the drums off the 14bff. One side had nasty old brakes in it, as expected.
The other side had NOTHING in it. That was a surprise.

The biggest bugger is the missing top pin that bolts through the backing plate where the springs hook onto and the top of the shoes pivot on. I can't seem to find that anywhere. Anyone have any idea where I find that dang top pin/bolt?

For the cost of all the drums and hardware i'm nearing a disc conversion here but that missing piece has me flummoxed.
 
I have a 2 spare backing plates,
From 77 14bff eith the large shoes. 13x 2.5"
 
Care to sell one of these this bits? My backing plates are totally solid aside from needing cleaning and paint. I just spent half an hour looking for the name of this little part and can't even find that.

1738509835033.png
 
My 14bff has nothing inside either drum, when I added up shoes, drums, hardware etc I was over the cost of discs so I went that way
 
Yeah I'll go to storage and get the plates. Can probably have it in the mail tomorrow. PM your mailing address
 
You rock Wes! I'm missing the driver's side.

And the cost of disc conversion in my scenario is a few hundred more than sticking with drums. That's before doing anything about an EBrake too. My drums may even be serviceable. I haven't cleaned them up yet to measure the surfaces.

1738510594392.png
 
While I am all up in this axle's business, are stronger covers really a big deal? I'm not into rock crawling but I suppose backing into a tree stump or hidden rock isn't entirely unlikely. I looked at shave kits and I don't think I really need to max out ground clearance but I wouldn't mind just grinding off the bottom lip of the case which would not require any welding, just a modified diff cover if not trimming down the stock one.
 
Polymath said:
While I am all up in this axle's business, are stronger covers really a big deal? I'm not into rock crawling but I suppose backing into a tree stump or hidden rock isn't entirely unlikely. I looked at shave kits and I don't think I really need to max out ground clearance but I wouldn't mind just grinding off the bottom lip of the case which would not require any welding, just a modified diff cover if not trimming down the stock one.
Click to expand...
If you shave the axle, get the HD thick plate cover. The stock cover will not be rigid enough to not leak after you trim the lip down.
 
I cut off the big lip off mine just enough to match the 3/8 thick DIY4X cover. I’ve never got hung up on the rear axle.
Also that area in front of that big lip as it rises to the pinion is thin in comparison to the rest of the casting (mine is a 79 model)
 
Polymath said:
While I am all up in this axle's business, are stronger covers really a big deal? I'm not into rock crawling but I suppose backing into a tree stump or hidden rock isn't entirely unlikely. I looked at shave kits and I don't think I really need to max out ground clearance but I wouldn't mind just grinding off the bottom lip of the case which would not require any welding, just a modified diff cover if not trimming down the stock one.
Click to expand...
I have a ring that was cut for making a cover made from 3/8" plate and I am just reinforcing the edges of my cover.
I don't see the need to get a complete cover in my case.
Shaving the lip is all I am doing.
 
I've been eyeballing this WiY kit:
diyfabparts.com

14 Bolt Shave Kit

Save yourself 3/4" of ground clearance over the standard 14 bolt lip with DIY Fab Parts 14 Bolt Shave Kit. Choose Welded and we handle it all in house or pick Unwelded for a do it yourself approach.
diyfabparts.com

Though I don't have a welding table I could clamp it to in order to prevent warping. Been pondering if I could weld it together with it bolted on the housing or if that would damage the housing somehow.

In any case, this may have to come later for me. Damn new home furnace ate up every ounce of disposable funds so i'm back to working on things that take more time than money to do.

I also found that it's impossible to get my hands on the parking brake lever in the left drum. Number 7 here:

GMPartsWiki - Illustration Catalog P&A 51A February 1983

www.gmpartswiki.com
Part number 334307 seems to be discontinued everywhere I have found a listing. As far as I can tell, this is the only part of the drum brakes you can't buy anymore.
Anyone have one left over from a disc conversion?
 
Polymath said:
I've been eyeballing this WiY kit:
diyfabparts.com

14 Bolt Shave Kit

Save yourself 3/4" of ground clearance over the standard 14 bolt lip with DIY Fab Parts 14 Bolt Shave Kit. Choose Welded and we handle it all in house or pick Unwelded for a do it yourself approach.
diyfabparts.com

Though I don't have a welding table I could clamp it to in order to prevent warping. Been pondering if I could weld it together with it bolted on the housing or if that would damage the housing somehow.

In any case, this may have to come later for me. Damn new home furnace ate up every ounce of disposable funds so i'm back to working on things that take more time than money to do.

I also found that it's impossible to get my hands on the parking brake lever in the left drum. Number 7 here:

GMPartsWiki - Illustration Catalog P&A 51A February 1983

www.gmpartswiki.com
Part number 334307 seems to be discontinued everywhere I have found a listing. As far as I can tell, this is the only part of the drum brakes you can't buy anymore.
Anyone have one left over from a disc conversion?
Click to expand...
Yeah I was lucky it only was a $50 part to fix my 27 year old furnace.
I was fearing the worst.
 
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