Need help with front leaf spring plate orientation

[derotoreut]

I'm swapping in a mid 80's Dana-44 front axle in place of my drum brake axle. The newer axle has a 3" tube versus the 2.75" tube on my original axle. Because of this I needed different U-bolt spring plates to accommodate 3" U-bolts. The spring plates I have are OEM versions that have the threaded holes for a sway bar.

I'm trying to determine the orientation of the driver side plate. The passenger side is pretty much self-explanatory due to the larger diameter U-bolt on that side. What I need to know is on the driver side, does the threaded hole for the sway bar face the outside or inside? I would think it would face the outside (picture #2) to match the passenger side. If that's the case, it orients the raised blocks on top of the plates in different positions. Thanks for your help.

Do the leaf spring plates go like this?



Or do they go like this?

[57taskforce]

This is a late 80’s K30. You can see the driver side sway bar bolt faces the engine and the passenger side sway bar bolt faces the passenger tire.

My 57 is on a late 80’s blazer frame and it’s the same orientation.

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

This is a late 80’s K30. You can see the driver side sway bar bolt faces the engine and the passenger side sway bar bolt faces the passenger tire.

My 57 is on a late 80’s blazer frame and it’s the same orientation.

Interesting. Thanks for chiming in. I'll see if anyone else comments. Thanks again.

[57taskforce]

Yep no problem. I went out and snapped one of my 57 too.

[v30crewcab]

same way on my truck.

[mongocanfly]

91 burb is the same also...I assume its on the inside on drivers side to clear the steering/pitman arm

[kwmech]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

91 burb is the same also...i assume its on the inside on drivers side to clear the steering/pitman arm

bingo!

[derotoreut]

Thanks guys. Greatly appreciated.

[derotoreut]

So next question is can I install a sway bar on my 70 K10? Originally I was not planning on it, but the leaf spring plates are set up for one. If so, what else would I need to do so? What year sway bar do I look for?

[57taskforce]

I believe In order to run the GM bar you’ve got to swap to a square body engine crossmember setup for the sway bar.

[derotoreut]

Originally Posted by 57taskforce

I believe In order to run the GM bar you’ve got to swap to a square body engine crossmember setup for the sway bar.

Ah, OK. Well that's not going to happen. I swapped my front cross member to the Tilden Motorsports LS one for my swap.

[kwmech]

I'm sure with a little ingenuity something can be fabricated to work. I'd lay a square body bar in there loosely bolted to the plates and hold it up to the frame with a bungee cord and see what can be done