10 bolt to 12 bolt worth it & used axle prices

[TDoc]

Found a D44 / corporate 10 bolt and 12 bolt rearend locally out of a 1977 K5

Front axle has a seal leak but includes a Detroit EZ locker installed.

12 bolt rearend is open diff but he will include a Detroit EZ locker for it as well (not installed).

3:73 ratio. $500 total for both. Good deal? Too much?

Both my k5 & k10 are 3:73. Thinking of putting the 12 bolt in my 86 k5 to replace the 10 bolt and putting the front axle in my 79 k10 to hopefully fix the terrible handling and wearing of the outside edges of the front tires. I put ball joints in the k10 years ago, had it aligned and they said axle has a lot of positive camber which isn’t adjustable.

Wheels and tires NOT included

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[legopnuematic]

Strength wise a ten bolt rear is really a little stronger (in some areas) than a twelve bolt rear. All else equal with a good setup/overall condition both really should be about the same.

That is a Dana 44 front. Once again strength wise really about the same as the ten bolt front, the 10 bolt front is much less incident prone than the 10 bolt rear as it is a full floating axle up front.

@idahovette has great knowledge on aligning these trucks. The positive camber is how they are all from the factory.

 

[TDoc]

Strength wise a ten bolt rear is really a little stronger (in some areas) than a twelve bolt rear. All else equal with a good setup/overall condition both really should be about the same.

That is a Dana 44 front. Once again strength wise really about the same as the ten bolt front, the 10 bolt front is much less incident prone than the 10 bolt rear as it is a full floating axle up front.

@idahovette has great knowledge on aligning these trucks. The positive camber is how they are all from the factory.

My 86 k5 drives great and doesn’t wear the outside’s edges of the tires compared to the 79 k10. I’ve heard about the positive camber from the factory but something must have changed from 79 to 86.

 

[Zelph]

What’s the toe measure at? If it’s in too much it will cause outside wear.

 

[TDoc]

What’s the toe measure at? If it’s in too much it will cause outside wear.

I’ve tried it at 0 or just a touch 1/8” toed in and it still handles terrible. Just by looking at the k10 you can see it has a lot of positive camber which the k5 has hardly any.

 

[bucket]

There's also ways to adjust the camber. Im just not sure if those parts are available anymore. There at least used to be offset ball joints/sleeves and also tapered spindle shims.

 

[legopnuematic]

I'm not seeing any offset ball joints, but offset sleeves are available.

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[PrairieDrifter]

I bought the same setup after I blew up two 10 bolt rears. I got mine for $400 but that was 2-3 years ago. The front 10 bolt has been good to me even with 35's.

 

[Jawzjeep]

There's also ways to adjust the camber. Im just not sure if those parts are available anymore. There at least used to be offset ball joints/sleeves and also tapered spindle shims.

I was going to recommend the spindle shims.

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[Ricko1966]

Found a D44 / corporate 10 bolt and 12 bolt rearend locally out of a 1977 K5

Front axle has a seal leak but includes a Detroit EZ locker installed.

12 bolt rearend is open diff but he will include a Detroit EZ locker for it as well (not installed).

3:73 ratio. $500 total for both. Good deal? Too much?

Both my k5 & k10 are 3:73. Thinking of putting the 12 bolt in my 86 k5 to replace the 10 bolt and putting the front axle in my 79 k10 to hopefully fix the terrible handling and wearing of the outside edges of the front tires. I put ball joints in the k10 years ago, had it aligned and they said axle has a lot of positive camber which isn’t adjustable.

Wheels and tires NOT included

You must be registered for see images attach

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There are several ways to adjust front camber on a k series. Offset sleeves, Shims,and Movotech makes a caster camber kit with up to 3 degrees of adjustment, someone else ICRC sells adjuster sleeves in 1/4 degree increments.

 

[idahovette]

I was going to recommend the spindle shims.

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These are 1 degree shims depending on which way you install them........that means they change the alignment setting 1 degree, so you have to know what the measurements are before you start. If your truck is at 1 degree positive camber, these will let you go to 0 with the thick side down. Also these shims come in different increments of 1/4 degrees, if I remember correctly. Also for 1/2 ton style and the bigger 1 ton diameter. This style of alignment aid is the best to use in my opinion, solid, and do not have a chance of failure like the ball joint bushings. YMMV...Just an opinion from an OLD alignment tech with 57 years of experience.............OH **** THAT'S TERRIBLE............also this gives you the opportunity to clean, inspect, and repack all of your bearings!

 

[TDoc]

Will the spindle shims work on a Corporate 10 bolt?

 

[Ricko1966]

Will the spindle shims work on a Corporate 10 bolt?

Yes,so will camber bushings,they make some pretty cool ones,so will offset sleeves,so will a movotech camber kit. Look at movotech camber bushings,you replace the factory ball joint sleeve and the movotech bushing is offset and has teeth so you can rotate it the desired amount. Not as good as spindle shims,but easy. Also,just changing the ball joints might fix it. One worn balljoint can throw off camber.

 

[TDoc]

Yes,so will camber bushings,they make some pretty cool ones,so will offset sleeves,so will a movotech camber kit. Look at movotech camber bushings,you replace the factory ball joint sleeve and the movotech bushing is offset and has teeth so you can rotate it the desired amount. Not as good as spindle shims,but easy. Also,just changing the ball joints might fix it. One worn balljoint can throw off camber.

Ball joints are 15 years old but truck is rarely driven and they are still tight as when I put them in. I'll look into the camber kits.

 

[Camar068]

didn't someone put up a post on how to measure camber? Got an issue I'm troubleshooting. Not gonna hijack lol.