Dana 44 front on a 1981?

[BearKing]

I thought the Corp 10 bolt was issued in about 79? My all original 1981 GMC K2500 has the Dana 44 front and the Corp 14 Bolt rear. The entire truck is original. Only 86,000 miles but the engine needs a rebuild. It has the 292 with the SM465. What say the hive? Thanks guys in adance.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I thought the Corp 10 bolt was issued in about 79? My all original 1981 GMC K2500 has the Dana 44 front and the Corp 14 Bolt rear. The entire truck is original. Only 86,000 miles but the engine needs a rebuild. It has the 292 with the SM465. What say the hive? Thanks guys in adance.

this happened yes

through 78 according to spicer

You must be registered for see images attach

78-80 according to spicer

You must be registered for see images attach

I have a k20 with a d44 front, its a 1980.

79 and 80 are "supposed" to be the end of d44 but people have found exceptions. whats the numbers on the diff point to for build year?

 

[Strick]

I have never seen a truck in the 80's with a "factory" Dana 44 but have seen them in '79. I thought that '77 was the end but have certainly seen them used after '77; just not in '81.

 

[rpcraft]

77 - 79 they had stock reserves that they continued to put into trucks. They bolted up the same ans shared the same bolt torque specs for the most part so I don't think they really ever made a big deal on the build sheets so while on the assembly line they just put whatever came down next on the parts carts.

 

[dvdswan]

Nothing is impossible. But chances are that your "all original" is not all original. Even if you bought it brand new, it could have had an issue during pre-delivery inspection and that's what the dealer had on hand. Who knows?

 

[rpcraft]

I'm sure along the way for some reason someone swapped it. Could have been an issue in delivery, maintenance issues, etc etc. I think the bummer for you is you will never know. The only upside is if you ever decide to lift and go with crossover steering you have the proper knuckle to machine so there is a few bucks saved.

 

[AuroraGirl]

1980 k25 and if it mattered, f44 and c6p

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

4.10 but not 4.10, im pretty sure its 4.09

 

[rpcraft]

1980 k25 and if it mattered, f44 and c6p

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

4.10 but not 4.10, im pretty sure its 4.09

Numbers are rounded up for whatever reason. Don't ask me why. I guess maybe just to put people at ease. A Dana 44 comes out to like 4.090909, as does the 14 bolt corporate. Becuase there are digits after the 9 they just rounded it up to 4.10. The difference between 4.10 and 4.09 though would be imperceptable on pavement, dirt, or ay other place where you could find to measure the difference. On toyotas and some other trucks its a 4.11, still, such a small difference it would not matter overall.

 

[Strick]

That's definitely a Dana44 as evidenced by the housing cover and the steering linkages. The tag on my Dana44HD is stamped 4.09 too. I'd much rather have the 44 instead of the 10 bolt Corporate as well. Well, I really prefer 60's but they are not quite as easy to find & pay for.

Strickland

 

[Bextreme04]

For what its worth, my 1980 K25 F44 8600GVW truck has the original Corporate 10 bolt in it. If you clean off the top of your axle tube, you should be able to find a stamping on it. That stamping will correspond to a year/application/gear ratio and should match your truck if original. I know there were a few years there where it could be either/or as you can see by Taylors truck and my truck that are basically identical year/option trucks but with different front axles.

 

[dvdswan]

I'm sure along the way for some reason someone swapped it. Could have been an issue in delivery, maintenance issues, etc etc. I think the bummer for you is you will never know. The only upside is if you ever decide to lift and go with crossover steering you have the proper knuckle to machine so there is a few bucks saved.

Good thought, but the flattop knuckle for the passenger side was only up to 76 or 77 vehicles. So they would have to locate a flattop right side knuckle or buy an aftermarket knuckle.

From the pictures, he doesn't have a flattop on the R/S.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Good thought, but the flattop knuckle for the passenger side was only up to 76 or 77 vehicles. So they would have to locate a flattop right side knuckle or buy an aftermarket knuckle.

From the pictures, he doesn't have a flattop on the R/S.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

77 K25 d44
no idea ratio tho

I also have a 78 k10 with d44

You must be registered for see images attach

Also for fun, a rear D60 semi float 5x5.5 4.10 from a 67-72 ish f series

 

[AuroraGirl]

For what its worth, my 1980 K25 F44 8600GVW truck has the original Corporate 10 bolt in it. If you clean off the top of your axle tube, you should be able to find a stamping on it. That stamping will correspond to a year/application/gear ratio and should match your truck if original. I know there were a few years there where it could be either/or as you can see by Taylors truck and my truck that are basically identical year/option trucks but with different front axles.

Did you by chance have C6P too?
and 4.10s? The carrier break at 3.73 seems like it may have decided a lot as that and up would be d44 and below 10 bolt, but that was a vague pdf thing not a spicer themselves thing

 

[AuroraGirl]

That's definitely a Dana44 as evidenced by the housing cover and the steering linkages. The tag on my Dana44HD is stamped 4.09 too. I'd much rather have the 44 instead of the 10 bolt Corporate as well. Well, I really prefer 60's but they are not quite as easy to find & pay for.

Strickland

wHAT makes yours a HD?

 

[dvdswan]

IIRC, HDs where used in 1Ts until 77 when they started to install Dana 60s in 1Ts.