1 ton axles- can I make these work

[DnvrJay71]

I'm thinking about getting a set of axles for my 71 blazer. I've never done an axle swap but do you all think I could make these work?
"set of 4:56 geared axles from a 1ton Chevy 4x4. The front is a passenger drop Dana 60 good seals and is fully operational it has the hub extensions as it came from a dually 1ton set up. Great if you want to run stock H1 Military double bead lock rims, but can be swapped to standard depth easily. The rear is a corp 14 bolt that is set up with discs (Hard to find) and only needs the calipers and brackets to make it a brake power house."

[Blazed72]

The front axle will bolt in, but will need to be converted to single wheel and the rear will be too wide(housing is wider than a single wheel).

[Firebirdjones]

I figure if you can make these large by huge military axles work under a blazer, the 1 tons should be a piece of cake

[cleszkie]

I've done it on my Blazer. The D60 will bolt right in, but the hubs will have to be swapped, as mentioned above. The spring perches on the 14 bolt may need to be relocated to match the width of your perches, unless you got lucky with a unit with the correct perch width. If you have a lift, now is also a good time to rotate the perches on the axle tube to help your driveline angle out without having to use shims.

[Blazed72]

The single wheel 14 bolt width is 67.5" and the dual is 72". not sure is changing the hub on the 14 bolt will narrow it.

[cleszkie]

My D60 was single wheel unit, so I didn't have that issue. However, I believe that the aftermarket offers a custom hub that will give a dually D60 the correct single D60 width. I have also seen some talented people fabricate their own custom hubs.

[starvinartis]

If your dually rear came from a cab and chassis 1 ton, it should have 40 1/4" center to center mounting pads, so should bolt right to the existing Blazer leaf springs, which are also 40 1/4". This is the narrower dually rear end. The "cowboy" pickup one tons are a wider unit, usually a D-70, and not sure what the spring perch set-up is, but again they should have 40" leaf centers, as do most 1 tons, 2 or 4 wheel drive. Sigle wheel 14 bolts from 3/4 tons have 42" leaf centers, but the single 1 tons are again 40 1/4", at least on my 4x4. I do have a single wheel 14 from a 4x4 if needed.

[Firebirdjones]

I believe the leaf spring perches on the corporate 14 bolt's are not in the same location as 69-72 blazers. 14 bolts came out in 73, right when GM made a width change for the spring purches.

I have a 79 1 ton pickup (single axle) with a full floater 14 bolt,,,, I can measure from to be sure. The overall width of the axle may be the same,,,but I'm almost certain the perches are going to be wider. I just went through this with a later model 12 bolt from a 78 when I installed it in my 72 blazer. So there is going to be welding to be done.

Unless you can find a Dana 60 from something even older (60's vintage?) because the spring purch width changed in 73. You might get lucky, but the search gets harder. You won't find a corporate 14 bolt with the right spring perch width because that rear didn't debut until 73.
So in other words, finding something that just drops right in is difficult at best. Plan on some welding and relocation of brackets.

71Blazer pointed out alot of issue you run into with the swap, which are reasons I considered. The biggest being wheels for me. Would have added another $800 in my case.
However, my 79 1 ton single axle has drum brakes on the rear (very large drum brakes ) So disc brakes aren't a necessity if you don't want to add that expense. That is if you can find a corporate 14 bolt from that vintage.

[starvinartis]

All 1 TON 2 and 4 wheel drive are 40 1/4" leaf spring perch to perch. Firebirdjones yes you would have to move the perches on a 1978 12 bolt, that is half ton and 73-up 1/2 ton trucks are 42 1/4" centers both 2 and 4 wheel drive. The 72 and older 4x4 3/4 and half tons and Blazers sit on the 40 1/4" centers, same as 1 tons. FYI: 1972 and older half tons and 3/4 ton 2 wheel drives leafs are on 42 1/4", same as 73 up 1/2 and 3/4.

Examples from some of my current owned trucks:
These are all rear only.
The 40 1/4" measurement is approximate, I've had 40 1/4 to 40 1/2 and I assume this is leaf spring side to side "play". I will just use 40" to save typing


1956 Chevy 3600, Eaton,factory 3/4 ton with factory dual rears, 40"
1972 C30 Dually, cab n chassis, Eaton originally, now 74 14 bolt Corp, 40"
1972 C30 "Longhorn" PU, Dana 60, 40"
1979 C30 Dually Crewcab, Dana 70, 40" This is the "Cowboy PU" with fiberglass fenders, they
usually have Dana 70's (wide differential). Some have Dana 60's.
1979 K30 Crewcab, single wheel, 14 bolt, 40"
1981 GMC 1 ton dually cab n chassis, 14 bolt, 40" ( typically cab n chassis have the narrow rear, 1 ton dually pu's and some box trucks, vans etc. have the wider Dana)
1984 C30 Dually Crewcab, Dana 70, 40"
Where you will get differences in the spring perches on 14 bolts is from 3/4 ton trucks, at least on 2 wheel drive units, but the thread was of course on 1 ton axles. I dont have info on 1 ton passenger vans.

[Firebirdjones]

I'll measure mine here shortly, but I'm banking on a difference. I don't see the reasoning for keeping the perches narrow on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks as you would loose stability on a truck that needs it the most since they are destined to carry loads and tow.

[Firebirdjones]

It looks close, I can't get at my pickup truck well enough to measure center to center, but I can measure outside to outside with relative accuracy.

Looks like I'm within 1/2" compared to the original 72 blazer rear I have sitting on the floor. Alot closer than the 78 blazer rearend I have.

Looks like you might be right Starvin. Next time I have the pickup on the lift, I'll get a better measurement.