WTB - ASAP - Good 3/4T 4WD spindles, 71-72

[72-c20]

Need a pair of 4wd 3/4T spindles off a D44. the '71-'72 versions were a bit different that the later ones....

let me know.

thanks,
Mick

[72ironmike]

You might PM Joesjunk

[72-c20]

Joe doesn't have any....

Anybody else...? Truck is down currently...

[special-K]

You should post your axle number off the tube.There were 1st & 2nd design in`72.The 1st design is the`71 part.That`s the tough one.Post the part number if you can read it.But,the axle number will tell which spindles you need.
What exactly is wrong with them?I had a problem with the threads and managed to dress enough with a tiny file.GM used an odd pitch and I coildn`t find a die or any thread file for the pitch.

[BlueJeep]

The problem with the old spindles is that a PO has beat the cr@p out of them with a hammer to get them off, and they're all pitted and beat where the bearings ride on the spindles. The threads are messed up too, but if that was the only problem it'd be back on the road by now.

I don't have the BOM off the axle right off hand, but someone familiar with these should be able to identify what we have. The spindles have a regular seal in the back of them by the torrington bearings, as opposed to the later ones that have the rubber "butterfly" seal between the stub shaft and the spindle. They also have the large inner bearing and small outer bearing, which I believe is unique to the 3/4 tons of this vintage.

[sakohntr]

There are small and large bearing dana 44 spindles. Which do you need. I have some donors here.

[72-c20]

thanks. BlueJeep found a set of 73+ NOS ones for me, and they worked fine.

[BlueJeep]

To share what we learned:

71-72 and 73 up big bearing spindles are different. Nobody makes new 71-72 spindles. The way both styles seal the torrington bearings is different...71-72 uses an oil seal that seals up against the slinger that is on the stub shaft, and 73 up uses a butterfly seal that seals against the back of the spindle.

We ended up switching over to 73 up shafts and 73 up spindles, I'm not sure that you could just do one because of the different ways both seal the torrington bearing area. What we gained from doing this is using commonly available parts and the larger u-joint axles of the 73 up design in Mick's 72. Bearings for the 72 hub worked fine on the 73 up spindle.