1974 Chevy Deluxe Dana 44 to Dana 60 Conversion

[1974Custom20]

My Dana 44 blew up. My Cousin Mechanic said easiest route is to swap out a full diff from another truck, rather than try to rebuild the whole thing. He said while I'm at it, we should go for a Dana 60 since my truck has a plow and they are easier to find. Besides the beefier ubolt plates, do we need to source anything else from the donor truck? Steering, brakes, suspension? He thought the steering might have to switch over, it doesn't look the same in later years.

My truck has a 350 engine and 4 speed manual tranny. It's a 3/4 ton (k20) incase any of that makes any difference.

This is not a show truck. It's my weekly go to the dump runner and plow for my own personal driveway and anytime I need to buy something at home depot.

 

[marks86]

My Dana 44 blew up. My Cousin Mechanic said easiest route is to swap out a full diff from another truck, rather than try to rebuild the whole thing. He said while I'm at it, we should go for a Dana 60 since my truck has a plow and they are easier to find. Besides the beefier ubolt plates, do we need to source anything else from the donor truck? Steering, brakes, suspension? He thought the steering might have to switch over, it doesn't look the same in later years.

My truck has a 350 engine and 4 speed manual tranny. It's a 3/4 ton (k20) incase any of that makes any difference.

This is not a show truck. It's my weekly go to the dump runner and plow for my own personal driveway and anytime I need to buy something at home depot.

A dana44/10bolt is alot easier to find and ALOT cheaper,now don't get me wrong a dana60 Is a fantastic axle but until you run big tires and off road hardcore a dana60 Is an overkill

 

[1974Custom20]

Local junkyard network can't find a dana44. Dana 60 are easier to find around here. If I need to use a Dana 60, what else do I need? One person on FB told me I would need the drag link. My mechanic thought he might need the whole steering setup - but he's only guessing. GM must have switched to a dana 60 for a reason... I'm guessing because dana 44's fail.

 

[CSFJ]

There was never a "switch". The dana 60 was put under the 1 ton trucks, while the 1/2 and 3/4 tons ran the dana 44/10 bolt. Same thing the other manufacturers did. Had nothing to do with weaknesses in the 44, only a heavier duty axle for heavier duty trucks.

 

[1974Custom20]

There was never a "switch". The dana 60 was put under the 1 ton trucks, while the 1/2 and 3/4 tons ran the dana 44/10 bolt. Same thing the other manufacturers did. Had nothing to do with weaknesses in the 44, only a heavier duty axle for heavier duty trucks.

Hmmm. I was told a 3/4 ton pickup had dana 44 from 1973-1976 and from 1976(mid year) to 1987 they used the Dana 60. Are you telling me you can find a stock 1986 K20 truck with a dana 44?

 

[CSFJ]

Hmmm. I was told a 3/4 ton pickup had dana 44 from 1973-1976 and from 1976(mid year) to 1987 they used the Dana 60. Are you telling me you can find a stock 1986 K20 truck with a dana 44?

No. After the late 70's (can't remember if it was '78 or '79) the 1/2 and 3/4 tons ran the corporate 10 bolt in the front end. This held true up untill the end of production.

 

[1974Custom20]

If I want to go to 10 bolt, what components do I need besides the actual diff? Can I re-use the dana 44 ubolt plates?

 

[CSFJ]

I would think you could. As far as I know the only thing that changed was the axle housing.

 

[1974Custom20]

If the axle housing is thicker like the dana 60 that would be an issue.

 

[CSFJ]

It's not a heavier housing. For whatever reason, they decided to go with a corporate designed axle for the 1/2 and 3/4 platform truck. Putting a 10 bolt under your truck should be a direct swap.

 

[marks86]

Correct and dana44 to 10bolt is pretty much a direct swap, I would suggest Installing new ubolts in the process

 

[1974Custom20]

I find it very odd that when I call a junkyard they quote me the dana 60 automatically and don't mention a 10 bolt - are they called something else?

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I find it very odd that when I call a junkyard they quote me the dana 60 automatically and don't mention a 10 bolt - are they called something else?

Call another yard, and another mechanic.

Chevy, NEVER put a 60 in the front of anything less than a 1 ton, period. No one's Peepaw special ordered one, the factory didn't do weird thing's, Chevy was very straightforward with it. Ford, was odd, but not Chevy.


Running a search on car-part.com, arbitrarily picking a Boston MA because it's the only city in MA I can think of, I found a ton of them with arbitraily picked 3.73 gear's for about 350.

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The simplest thing to do is replace what came out part for part. A Dana 60 for a Chevy runs somewhere between 700 and 1200. Also you'll need to have your driveshaft shortened, and get a conversion ujoint if you choose a 60.

 

[1974Custom20]

I need 410s. I couldn't find any for a 4x4 on there when I looked.

 

[1974Custom20]

I couldn't find locally, all very far away. Mechanic is my cousin, so I can't get rid of him.