Axle identification

[NedFlanders]

First time poster, long time lurker. Bought an 84 K30 CUCV 5/4 ton that supposedly has a Dana 60 upfront and a GM 14 bolt in the rear. While I believe the rear is a 14 bolt, the front looks more like a Dana 44 to me, what do you think?

 

[marks86]

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[marks86]

rear is 100% a corporate 14bolt, the front is indeed a dana 44 you can tell by the ball joints dana 60s have kingpins

 

[marks86]

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[CSFJ]

Those appear to be the one ton outer hubs on the front. Can those be run on a d44? I agree the front diff cover looks like a 44 instead of the 60.

 

[NedFlanders]

Well that sucks, really wanted the 60 to still be there. I hope the previous owner at least match the axle ratios when he swapped in the 44. I believe its supposed to be 4.56:1. Don't want it to go boom when I put it in 4x4.

 

[CSFJ]

Double check the axle before you make any decisions. It looks like a d44 center to me but I could be wrong. I have a id chart for the axles on my home computer, but not on my phone. I didn't think the outer axle C's and hubs would interchange between a d60 and a d44. And those front hubs you posted are definitely not 1/2 or 3/4 ton outers.

 

[marks86]

Those appear to be the one ton outer hubs on the front. Can those be run on a d44? I agree the front diff cover looks like a 44 instead of the 60.

dana 60 from a passenger side drop chevy does not have ball joints

 

[marks86]

Well that sucks, really wanted the 60 to still be there. I hope the previous owner at least match the axle ratios when he swapped in the 44. I believe its supposed to be 4.56:1. Don't want it to go boom when I put it in 4x4.

id pull both covers make sure the Detroit in the back is still there

 

[BowTieJockey]

Definitely a full float 14 bolt and Dana 44. The original gear ratio should be 4.56 if it's a cucv. No the routers on a Dana 44 and Dana 60 will not swap. That outers you have there are the early 8 lug outers that came on Dana 44s the other style still came on the 44s too.
What I would do is pull the covers on both and check to see if the Detroit locker is still in the rear and see if the front has 4.56s in it. Now you can find out the gear ratio in an axle without popping the cover off, but if not calculated right you won't get accurate readings (there is a thread in here to help you with that route).

 

[BowTieJockey]

Definitely a full float 14 bolt and Dana 44. The original gear ratio should be 4.56 if it's a cucv. No the routers on a Dana 44 and Dana 60 will not swap. That outers you have there are the early 8 lug outers that came on Dana 44s the other style still came on the 44s too.
What I would do is pull the covers on both and check to see if the Detroit locker is still in the rear and see if the front has 4.56s in it. Now you can find out the gear ratio in an axle without popping the cover off, but if not calculated right you won't get accurate readings (there is a thread in here to help you with that route).

Or you could jack up the rear and see if both tires spin together (this most likely means the Detroit is still there). Are you sure the truck is a cucv. I say this because the front springs are de-arched and I've never seen that on a cucv (mostly strait flat because of the load rating) but they could have been swapped in with the 44.

 

[NedFlanders]

Yea truck is a m1028 according to data plate. Pretty sure detroit locker is gone, rear tires spin in opposite directions when jacked up, like a standard open diff. Think the springs prolly just sagged over the last 30 years with that diesel sitting on top of them.

Haven't checked yet but I guess the front isn't limited slip anymore either. Looks like someone basically took the 2 best things about these trucks, and then sold what was left to me. I saw the 1 ton axles and figured it was still stock. Oh well, still a capable candidate for a 4-6" lift and 37" humvee tires.

 

[chengny]

It's not a D60. As marks86 suggests, one giveaway is the ball joint vs. kingpin design:

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If it's there, this is the easiest way to ID:

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To check that the F/R axles have matching gear ratios:

Get the truck up on so that all 4 wheels are clear of the ground. Mark the front and rear tires with chalk at the dead bottom. Lock the hubs, put the T/C in 4H and the transmission in neutral. Climb under and manually spin the rear axle drive shaft. Do it enough so that the wheel make 3-4 full revolutions - the exact number is not important.

Climb out and observe the chalk marks. If the axle ratios are the same, the front and rear chalk marks will be in identical positions.

 

[marks86]

Yea truck is a m1028 according to data plate. Pretty sure detroit locker is gone, rear tires spin in opposite directions when jacked up, like a standard open diff. Think the springs prolly just sagged over the last 30 years with that diesel sitting on top of them.

Haven't checked yet but I guess the front isn't limited slip anymore either. Looks like someone basically took the 2 best things about these trucks, and then sold what was left to me. I saw the 1 ton axles and figured it was still stock. Oh well, still a capable candidate for a 4-6" lift and 37" humvee tires.

another way to tell if you have a Detroit is there will be like two inches either way of slop if you turn the driveshalft

 

[BowTieJockey]

another way to tell if you have a Detroit is there will be like two inches either way of slop if you turn the driveshalft

I've never heard of that method. What's the science behind it?