Dana 44 front on a 1981?

shiftpro · May 4, 2022

Turbo4whl said:
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GM's low drag brake system for the early 1980's was to adjust the front wheel bearing loose, so the front rotor would wiggle and move the pads back off the rotor. Coupled with that master cylinder for quick take-up needed to start applying the front pads, completed the system.

Of course none of us mechanics back then knew this, so the unit would be in for service and, 'hey loose wheel bearings.' And you would take the 1/4 turn on the bearing nut to make them the way we always adjusted wheel bearings.

That's just... unbelievable.

Bextreme04 · May 4, 2022

bucket said:
Not valuable/desirable 'rare', just the uncommon type of 'rare'. I can't remember the last time I saw a 6-cylinder Suburban at all, nor can I remember the last time I saw an '81-up 3/4 ton 4x4 with the 10.5". Lots of C20's with big blocks, sure, but not a K series.

That's because you could not get a big block in a K series truck from the factory in a lot of years. The base engine was the 292. The only optional upgrade was the 305, 350, or 400 depending on the year. Look at Taylors screenshot in post #25. The heavy duty stuff that would have had the 10.5" rear could only have a 292 or 350 if it was a 4x4. 2wd heavy duty stuff could have 292, 350, or 454. At some point that changed. I can't remember if it was available in early years and stopped being offered later, or vise-versa.

bucket · May 4, 2022

Bextreme04 said:
That's because you could not get a big block in a K series truck from the factory in a lot of years. The base engine was the 292. The only optional upgrade was the 305, 350, or 400 depending on the year. Look at Taylors screenshot in post #25. The heavy duty stuff that would have had the 10.5" rear could only have a 292 or 350 if it was a 4x4. 2wd heavy duty stuff could have 292, 350, or 454. At some point that changed. I can't remember if it was available in early years and stopped being offered later, or vise-versa.

That's what I mean, all the '81-up 3/4 ton trucks that I have seen with the 10.5" were C20's and of them, they all seemed to be big blocks. In those later years, a 10.5" with something other than a big block must be very uncommon. Not including the 1-ton trucks of course.

Edit:
I'm not saying it wasn't available that way, just that the 10.5 was not standard and it seems almost nobody ordered it with their K20 truck or Suburban.

Bextreme04 · May 4, 2022

bucket said:
That's what I mean, all the '81-up 3/4 ton trucks that I have seen with the 10.5" were C20's and of them, they all seemed to be big blocks. In those later years, a 10.5" with something other than a big block must be very uncommon. Not including the 1-ton trucks of course.

Edit:
I'm not saying it wasn't available that way, just that the 10.5 was not standard and it seems almost nobody ordered it with their K20 truck or Suburban.

I think it’s a regional thing too. I hardly ever see a semi-floater on anything around here. Lots of high GVWR K20’s and K30’s here and they all have the 10.5”. It’s much more rare around here to see the pre-81 trucks. Most are 81 and later and lots of them have the heavy duty option and 10.5” rears.

4x4 is also a much bigger deal around here and it’s not very common to see 2wd trucks, so not as many 454’s in general.

AuroraGirl · May 5, 2022

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I believe this was for 1979 but it may be 1978(notice date)
In this case, we are when chevy axles and spicer for sure existed.
It also shows that the 4.09 and 4.10 difference has a different ring gear teeth and pinion teeth. it looks like plain as day to me that more chevy axles were available in this year to K10 than K20, but it looks like there may be a "either or" to the ones not indicated as only one or the other.

Because if you ordered a 4.10 ratio truck and it got 4.09 ratio axles(mine presumably, at least dana 44 is and the difference negligible) but if you ordered a 3.73, like my 1978 k10 frame is , its a dana 44. but its probably the same???? as a gm axle,?.

But thats cool. i am not gonna look at more i just ran across this pic saved on my computer, thought that might help

mcarlo86 · May 9, 2022

Bextreme04 said:
The 292 and the 10.5" 14BFF would have been the standard baseline equipment for a Heavy-duty GVWR truck. The 9.5" was standard on the 8500-lb and lower 3/4 tons after 81.

Its funny that people are considering it "rare", since it is basically the absolute baseline equipage for the Heavy-Duty emissions trucks. I think it is only not seen often because it was a cheap option to get the bigger engine and if you are wanting the extra GVWR, you usually wanted the extra power to go along with it.

This is an interesting thread. My grandpa ordered a C30 cab and chassis with a 292, 4 speed, and 4.56 gears for use as an oilfield roustabout truck back in 1981. The truck came with a 350 because there was a strike at the engine plant that built the 292's at some point in 1981 evidently. Maybe 292's are really rare in '81 for that reason? I remember my dad telling me that it really should have been ordered with a 454...but alas. Haha. A local farmer bought that truck about 20 years ago and still uses it as a service truck for his farm.

AuroraGirl · May 10, 2022

mcarlo86 said:
This is an interesting thread. My grandpa ordered a C30 cab and chassis with a 292, 4 speed, and 4.56 gears for use as an oilfield roustabout truck back in 1981. The truck came with a 350 because there was a strike at the engine plant that built the 292's at some point in 1981 evidently. Maybe 292's are really rare in '81 for that reason? I remember my dad telling me that it really should have been ordered with a 454...but alas. Haha. A local farmer bought that truck about 20 years ago and still uses it as a service truck for his farm.

They were made in mexico to best of my knowledge. im surprised it didnt come with a 250 at that point, but 250s were made in the US(again, if im correct) at that point. but it could have been that because 250s were in short supply, 292 from mexico were needed for more of the medium duty applications

Grit dog · May 10, 2022

Bextreme04 said:
I think it’s a regional thing too. I hardly ever see a semi-floater on anything around here. Lots of high GVWR K20’s and K30’s here and they all have the 10.5”. It’s much more rare around here to see the pre-81 trucks. Most are 81 and later and lots of them have the heavy duty option and 10.5” rears.

4x4 is also a much bigger deal around here and it’s not very common to see 2wd trucks, so not as many 454’s in general.

Since we’re off topic, I have a question.
My ‘86 8600gvw K2500 camper special has a semi floater. Never considered it wasn’t original as everything on the truck appeared orig save for the 454 swap.
But seemed strange that the high gvw 3/4 ton got a SF.

Bextreme04 · May 10, 2022

Grit dog said:
Since we’re off topic, I have a question.
My ‘86 8600gvw K2500 camper special has a semi floater. Never considered it wasn’t original as everything on the truck appeared orig save for the 454 swap.
But seemed strange that the high gvw 3/4 ton got a SF.

I agree, I think we had this conversation before. Is yours a C6P truck? Do you have hydroboost?

Grit dog · May 10, 2022

Bextreme04 said:
I agree, I think we had this conversation before. Is yours a C6P truck? Do you have hydroboost?

We may have...
I went and looked. It does have C6P and Camper Special package. But based on how I got the truck, it would seem odd that the axle had been swapped out, given that it wasn't butchered up at all, anywhere. Hell, even the LPSV for the rear brakes is intact and was hooked up. It is raised up on some tabs for the lift kit, but the lift kit was fairly recent.
It has the G80 in it and that matches the SPID as well as gearing.
No hydroboost on the truck and no obvious evidence it was previously, although the PS pump is the "old" style with a remote reservoir, on a home made bracket, which I'm pretty sure aint original style but chalked it up to the engine swap, which is fairly clean, but was not a high dollar endeavor. It also has the "old" style AC compressor, the big long one like I recall from 70s GMs. Again chalked it up to bargain engine swap as the engine is a stock looking Vortec 454 which would have been a serpentine setup (and that would have been nice to have....).
Idk? Just a bit intriguing.

bucket · May 10, 2022

Grit dog said:
We may have...
I went and looked. It does have C6P and Camper Special package. But based on how I got the truck, it would seem odd that the axle had been swapped out, given that it wasn't butchered up at all, anywhere. Hell, even the LPSV for the rear brakes is intact and was hooked up. It is raised up on some tabs for the lift kit, but the lift kit was fairly recent.
It has the G80 in it and that matches the SPID as well as gearing.
No hydroboost on the truck and no obvious evidence it was previously, although the PS pump is the "old" style with a remote reservoir, on a home made bracket, which I'm pretty sure aint original style but chalked it up to the engine swap, which is fairly clean, but was not a high dollar endeavor. It also has the "old" style AC compressor, the big long one like I recall from 70s GMs. Again chalked it up to bargain engine swap as the engine is a stock looking Vortec 454 which would have been a serpentine setup (and that would have been nice to have....).
Idk? Just a bit intriguing.

Again, if there's a factory mid 80's K20 with a full floater, I'd like to see it because I've yet to see one.

Grit dog · May 10, 2022

bucket said:
Again, if there's a factory mid 80's K20 with a full floater, I'd like to see it because I've yet to see one.

Oh, I had it backwards...I thought from the conversation it "should" have had a FF.
Well, I don't have a mid 80s K20 to show you...lol.
Thanks for clearing that up.

bucket · May 10, 2022

Grit dog said:
Oh, I had it backwards...I thought from the conversation it "should" have had a FF.
Well, I don't have a mid 80s K20 to show you...lol.
Thanks for clearing that up.

Just depends on who you talk to. @Bextreme04 says it's common, but I haven't seen one.

AuroraGirl · May 11, 2022

Grit dog said:
We may have...
I went and looked. It does have C6P and Camper Special package. But based on how I got the truck, it would seem odd that the axle had been swapped out, given that it wasn't butchered up at all, anywhere. Hell, even the LPSV for the rear brakes is intact and was hooked up. It is raised up on some tabs for the lift kit, but the lift kit was fairly recent.
It has the G80 in it and that matches the SPID as well as gearing.
No hydroboost on the truck and no obvious evidence it was previously, although the PS pump is the "old" style with a remote reservoir, on a home made bracket, which I'm pretty sure aint original style but chalked it up to the engine swap, which is fairly clean, but was not a high dollar endeavor. It also has the "old" style AC compressor, the big long one like I recall from 70s GMs. Again chalked it up to bargain engine swap as the engine is a stock looking Vortec 454 which would have been a serpentine setup (and that would have been nice to have....).
Idk? Just a bit intriguing.

Whats your ratio? I think the ratio may explain it.

bucket said:
Just depends on who you talk to. @Bextreme04 says it's common, but I haven't seen one.

IT could be a weight/cost thing. when did the semi float come into being? if it was sufficient for jobs and costs less than full float, it may have been tactical decision to cut costs , but im only assuming it wasnt around in the early 70s

Grit dog · May 12, 2022

AuroraGirl said:
Whats your ratio? I think the ratio may explain it.

IT could be a weight/cost thing. when did the semi float come into being? if it was sufficient for jobs and costs less than full float, it may have been tactical decision to cut costs , but im only assuming it wasnt around in the early 70s

4.10s
On the tag and in the truck.

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Dana 44 front on a 1981?

shiftpro

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