wil this work?
 

I have a 79 K10 with a 250 straight six th350 trans and I was wondering if I could transport the rear axel out of a 78 1 ton dually into my K10 ditch the stock and run it as a short bed dually. I was wondering if my four wheel drive would still work alright?

I have a thread in the 73-87 Message Board about this and thought this might be a better place to post this topic

thanks alot

you could do it, have to move the spring perches and maybe the shock mounts. but, do the dually and your K10 have the same gear ratio? if they didn't you would not be able to put the truck into 4wd on pavement, unless you want to break something. another thing to consider is you now need 2 spares, one for 6 lug and one for 8. also, you will need to figure something to cover your outermost rear tires, unless you want mud and crap all over the side of your truck. I personally dont think it sounds like a good idea, but they are your trucks.

I really doubt they have the same gear ratio. just curios if I put the dana 60 under the front it would work right(as long as it had the same gears) only need one spare that way

if you swap both front and rear axles under the 1/2 ton then it'll work. The front would bolt in. the rear will need perches and shock mounts moved.
Where are you located at? Is it a cab and chassis or does the dually have a truck bed?

the dually has a twelve foot all steal flat bed on it. The doors and fenders are shot other than that its not too bad. I would have to find a front axel but that may be the route I go.

thank

I assumed it was a 4wd dually.

Does the dually 1 ton rear not have the same spring purchase distance on the rear..thought I read that here somewhere.

not on the 73 and up trucks. The 72 and down trucks the 2wd 1 ton and 4wd chassis have the same spacing.

You have to watch out for length. There is a difference between a "dually pick-up" and a cab & chassis (like those used in utility box trucks)
The dually pick-up has a longer axle so the the inner tire runs approximately where a single tire would on a standard truck. On a typical cab & chassis the outer wheel rides about where the single does, because those boxes are not much wider than a pick-up bed and the tires don't stick out.