Dana 44 front on a 1981?

[bucket]

yes
a long while back I think on jays threads we had gone over this for a 87 k10 because someone tried to jack up on the tube and its hollow i think. Then he got the heavy ones whcih he didnt mind anyway

Yeah, I think I remember that one. Yep, the center tube, or adjustment sleeve, is hollow and rather flimsy.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Yeah, I think I remember that one. Yep, the center tube, or adjustment sleeve, is hollow and rather flimsy.

honestly the difference in weight/size id prefer the HD anyday. less parts. less things to fail. like my adjustment sleeves I have now lol.

 

[Grit dog]

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not the best example of both but the heavy one is on top the light one is on bottom(crusty)

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The tie rods look the same to me?

 

[AuroraGirl]

The tie rods look the same to me?

I think its the rust and other build up,if i went a wire wheeled it off and then took a pic at the same angle as the 1980, youd see what I mean, the pics I found were not the best. having full view of the left to right helps a lot too. I think my 78 frame has the heavier one too but I dont have any good front pics of that , mostly blocked by pics as im standing in front of the front crossmemeber lol

 

[Grit dog]

I think its the rust and other build up,if i went a wire wheeled it off and then took a pic at the same angle as the 1980, youd see what I mean, the pics I found were not the best. having full view of the left to right helps a lot too. I think my 78 frame has the heavier one too but I dont have any good front pics of that , mostly blocked by pics as im standing in front of the front crossmemeber lol

No, they’re actually the same style. You posted a parts diagram in the alignment thread just today, proving it.

 

[AuroraGirl]

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No, they’re actually the same style. You posted a parts diagram in the alignment thread just today, proving it.

my eyes may not be that great but one of those is a clear 2 pieces plus sleeve and the other is 2 ends that appear to just jam nut onto a sleeve that either is adjustable or maybe..im not sure why the diagram has it in 2 pieces if its only got one reference

well regardless, its telling my an 87 k30 has a larger diameter more robust and the not k30s have the flimsy kind like @iamtherealJayy had on his. because he had a bent tube, and one couldnt be found easily, he just went ahead and got the "k30" design which at least before 1987 a lot of people reported getting either or on k10-k30, with a trend toward the HD kind were used for HD trucks. trend tho lol. I think bucket said something about his suburbans that are either mostly identical having different ones or maybe it was one youd expect to be heavier duty that didnt have it.

A lot of steering tie rods I would assume follow front end swaps by natural tendency lol

 

[iamtherealJayy]

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This is my new steering with the drivers side being a long continuous piece and the passenger side a short tie rod with I believe like a 6-3/4” long adjustment sleeve(don’t hold me to that measurement.

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And this was the old, a long adjustment sleeve with two shorter tie rod ends. The sleeve was bent from an accident before I got the truck, it had been straightened before but returned to the banana state over time.

 

[AuroraGirl]

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This is my new steering with the drivers side being a long continuous piece and the passenger side a short tie rod with I believe like a 6-3/4” long adjustment sleeve(don’t hold me to that measurement.

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And this was the old, a long adjustment sleeve with two shorter tie rod ends. The sleeve was bent from an accident before I got the truck, it had been straightened before but returned to the banana state over time.

Lmao you made me nearly fall over laughing “banana state”

 

[iamtherealJayy]

Lack of better words to describe a straight object that has been “naturally curved”

 

[ak4life]

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.

can you not go crossover or high steer with a corp. 10 bolt ? only dana 44 ?

 

[AuroraGirl]

can you not go crossover or high steer with a corp. 10 bolt ? only dana 44 ?

i think the 10 bolt knuckles are different or perhaps just the dana 44 the right year meant you already have the flat top thing I think. maybe

 

[Strick]

I wish that I had a "good" answer but I do not. My dad's old 79 C20 is a 350/SM465 with G80/GT4 14FF. He ordered this truck new here in central NC and used it until he retired.
I just recently sold an 81 K20 Suburban that was a 12,000 Trailering Special. The gear ratio was NOT listed on the SPID with the truck and it was equipped with a 10 bolt front and 14 SF rear. I thought it weird to have the heavy GVWR but have the SF rear. It was a Silverado with factory tach and gauges, heavy duty front springs, engine oil cooler and all power creature comforts. It was also a 350/TH400 truck with the smaller radiator. It was definitely different.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I wish that I had a "good" answer but I do not. My dad's old 79 C20 is a 350/SM465 with G80/GT4 14FF. He ordered this truck new here in central NC and used it until he retired.
I just recently sold an 81 K20 Suburban that was a 12,000 Trailering Special. The gear ratio was NOT listed on the SPID with the truck and it was equipped with a 10 bolt front and 14 SF rear. I thought it weird to have the heavy GVWR but have the SF rear. It was a Silverado with factory tach and gauges, heavy duty front springs, engine oil cooler and all power creature comforts. It was also a 350/TH400 truck with the smaller radiator. It was definitely different.

Standard rear

 

[ak4life]

i think the 10 bolt knuckles are different or perhaps just the dana 44 the right year meant you already have the flat top thing I think. maybe

so i maybhave correct axle/hubs/spindle for high crossover steering ? sorry for the bad terminology......

 

[bucket]

so i maybhave correct axle/hubs/spindle for high crossover steering ? sorry for the bad terminology......

The knuckles used for crossover steering were used through '75-'76. They ended before the D44 did.

Edit
I don't know the exact start year. I don't know when they stopped using closed knuckle axles in the K-trucks. Maybe '70?