Dually question

[B_derK20]

Hi all, I just stumbled onto this place Friday night. Guess who didn't get much done over the weekend? I have an '83 K20 with a couple of heavy duty parts I'd like to add and a couple of questions.

1. I currently have a DRW dana 60 front I'd like to swap in. I have access to a DRW dana 70 from a cab & chassis combination that I can get for next to nothing. Which would be cheaper and or easier, turning my SRW into a dually or buying SRW hubs for my dana 60 and converting it over. It would have to be regeared to match the 14 bolt FF that I was planning on swapping in. The dana 70 and 60 are geared the same.

2. Can you even buy dually fender flares as reproductions or do they have to be sourced from a donor truck?

3. Are the dually dana 70s different widths depending on if the truck was a cab and chassis or a pickup bed?

Thanks in advance. This place is great!

[jitteryguy]

VFN has repro fender's.

http://vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

[1tonchevy]

Originally Posted by jitteryguy

VFN has repro fender's.

http://vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

Anyone know the quality of fit? seems like good price as they are inposiable to find here.

[_SLACKER_]

Yes you can get dually fenders from classic industries there 250-300 each may be easier to find a bed.

The chassis cab rear diff is the same as a regular truck dually diff

[K30_dump]

Originally Posted by _SLACKER_

The chassis cab rear diff is the same as a regular truck dually diff

Not at all. The cab & chassis dually axles measure only 63" between wheel mounting flanges, whereas the dually pickup axles should be over 70" between the flanges. If it is indeed a cab & chassis axle (which I doubt it is, as I've never seen a D70 in a cab & chassis truck), the inside wheels would hit the inner bed structure. To use a dually axle on a regular pickup, it would have to be a dually pickup axle and would require the accompanying fender flares.

Hope this helps,

Joe
Posted via Mobile Device

[DetroitDan]

Originally Posted by K30_dump

Not at all. The cab & chassis dually axles measure only 63" between wheel mounting flanges, whereas the dually pickup axles should be over 70" between the flanges. If it is indeed a cab & chassis axle (which I doubt it is, as I've never seen a D70 in a cab & chassis truck), the inside wheels would hit the inner bed structure. To use a dually axle on a regular pickup, it would have to be a dually pickup axle and would require the accompanying fender flares.

Hope this helps,

Joe
Posted via Mobile Device

Yes and No. The axles are different widths, and you're right if it's 73-91 it shoud be a C14 not a D70. If it's a D70 it may be out of an 88-00, then you'd have to change a lot, the spring perches and everything else are wrong.

As for the C&C C14, it will bolt right in. When I got my truck the bed had been tubbed out to ensure the inner tires couldn't hit the bottom of the bed under full compression. I replaced that bed and opted not to swap the tubs because I planned on lifting it anyway. Before I got the lift done I carried a ton of wood pellets and had about 3/4 inch clearance, and that's with a larger tire than stock. It did rub a couple times while taking curves and it would lean. Had no choice, my other pickup had a sander in it. Now I've got the lift in, the tires aren't going anywhere near the bed.
Using a C&C rear axle keeps the tires tucked underneath a regular fleetside bed, so you don't need the big dually fenders either. But you still get a heavy duty weight carrying and towing rear end. Mostly I just wanted it for the look; I've seen it a handful of times and always wanted to build one. I found this one and it was already done, it started out life as a C&C, bed was added later. It's one of those trucks that I keep catching people doing a double take when they notice the rear wheels.

[B_derK20]

Ok. I had just assumed that the rear out of that cab and chassis was a D70. I know it has never been changed and according to the sticker on the truck it was ordered as a C & C. So will the axle bolt right in, or will the perches need to be cut off and re welded? What about the springs and the related hangers. Are they worth cutting off and re-using?

Thanks

[spencer_41188]

i love that truck speeking of axle swops is it possable to put a d60 under a c/r 30 and what all will need done, i know everything will need taken off and i might as well keep my stearing box for crossover but yea i got a 1980 straight cab 12 foot bed "full width dually" for a parts truck and of cores i got to mention something about the 14 bolt, the cab and chassis axle and the srw axle are the same except the hub and the brake backing plat mount is moved in to alow the dually hub to be used, the dana 70 was only used on full width dually you may have found a truck with a flat bed but it may have had the bed pulled off but it not a cab and chassis, look on the drivers door of the truck you pulled the axle from my truck has bold letters saying cab and chassis

[80SPORT]

The dana 70s are used in the dually pickups and are a wider track than the cab/chassis.

The front axles bolt in the same on k10/k20/k30

The rear axle spring centre to centre is different on k30 than on k10/k20

You would need to move the spring pads or change to k30 hangers

[yellowGT]

edited.

[DetroitDan]

You didnt say what year the donor 1 ton is, but if it's 73-91 I believe it will all bolt right in. You might try putting single rear wheels on the rear dually hub, but I've never tried it so I dont know where the tire would end up. It might not stick out far enough, maybe look funny. Or it might be close, the narrower axle but big wide dually hub..idk. If it worked then you could just take the dually adaptors off the front and have a 4 wheeler with HD axles. Then you have more tire and wheel choices and only have to buy four at a time.
I guess the spring question depends on the condition. If they look lke they've been replaced maybe I'd change them, especially if your 3/4 ton springs are weak. But, it also depends what you want to do with the truck. Do you want it to ride like a dumptruck when it's empty, or can you afford to stick with 3/4 springs and have a slightly better empty ride?
Before you do anything spend five minutes with a tape measure, check all the spring perches and frame widths and compare.