'69 K-10 Dana 44 Help - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

palallin · 07-24-2004, 03:41 PM

Hi, guys.

I've been out of the loop for over six months, now--my mother died; my wife left my son and I, and we divorced, so I've been very busy (and poor).

Anyway, I need some advice on my front end. My truck has the closed-knuckle Dann 44. Lately, it has developed a distinct "clunk" when I turn sharply while at a standstill or moving very slowly. It seems to be on the left-hand side.

There is no obvious looseness in any extenal part of the steering, and, thanks to weather, I haven't had time to jack the thing up and look for play at the wheel hub.

Questions: Does anyone have an idea of what I need to look for when I finally do get under the truck? Is this likely internal to the big ball joint? There's a U-joint in there, right?

Does anyone have a source for parts, should replacement of something major become necessary.

Additional problems: when the ex went in search of greener pastures, she took my other transportation, so I cannot afford a great deal of down time.

(For breadth of coverage, I am posting a similar topic in the 67-72 board.)

**JIMs70GMC** · 07-24-2004, 06:30 PM

Is this with the front locked in and in 4wd? Or just driving in 2wd?

Hope your hanging in there. Have not lost my mother but been there with the wife, which in it's self is bad enough.

palallin · 07-24-2004, 07:24 PM

HI, Jim.

No, just in 2WD, hubs unlocked.

(Hanging, sometimes by a noose, but hanging. There are still pratical matters to settle, but the legal stuff is over, and I'm looking to the future now.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JIMs70GMC

Is this with the front locked in and in 4wd? Or just driving in 2wd?

Hope your hanging in there. Have not lost my mother but been there with the wife, which in it's self is bad enough.

Budweis · 07-24-2004, 10:12 PM

sounds like ball joints to me just pry up under wheel while raised off ground with pipe or something and look at play. you can get parts from board vendors, i bought most of mine in last few weeks here http://www.chevyduty.com/

palallin · 07-24-2004, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budweis

sounds like ball joints to me just pry up under wheel while raised off ground with pipe or something and look at play. you can get parts from board vendors, i bought most of mine in last few weeks here http://www.chevyduty.com/

Ummm, what ball joints?

Budweis · 07-25-2004, 04:08 AM

my bad, my 70 44 has ball joints on the front guess your 69 don't.

1969 GMC · 07-25-2004, 01:42 PM

it should have ball joints...mine does.

palallin · 07-25-2004, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1969 GMC

it should have ball joints...mine does.

No ball joints like 2wd: the whole sterring knuckle-kingpin assembly is a giant ball joint, as it were.

Budweis · 07-25-2004, 07:49 PM

could you post a pic please? heres a pic of what my upper ball joint looked like.

palallin · 07-25-2004, 08:15 PM

No pic and no way to take one right now, but I'll try to explain.

You see the open area between the upper and lower ball joints on your axle? That is ALL enclosed in a big, two-part metal ball knuckle on the closed-knuckle axles (hence the term "closed"). None of that area is open, and the u-joint rides in a bath of grease (85W-140). There ARE upper and lower "spindle/bearing pairs" (the service manual calls the steering knuckle bearings and cups), but they are more of a split kingpin than ball joints as there is no flex that ball joints provide.

I suppose I need to engage the hubs and see if the clunking is worse. If it is, I suspect the u-joint is going. I'd rather tha than there be a break in the knuckle itself. . . .

Budweis · 07-25-2004, 10:04 PM

yeah i understand what your saying seen similar setups on fords i just didnt know they came on our trucks as ive never seen kingpin setup on one of our trucks yet. guess you learn something new everyday. good luck let us know what you figure out

1969 GMC · 07-25-2004, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palallin

No ball joints like 2wd: the whole sterring knuckle-kingpin assembly is a giant ball joint, as it were.

Oops, my bad...my axle is going into the trash as soon as it comes out from under the truck, I saw the castle nut and assumed ball joint. I guess you learn something new every day!

**JIMs70GMC** · 07-26-2004, 07:34 AM

Check your front bearings. Then the king pins.

palallin · 07-26-2004, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JIMs70GMC

Check your front bearings. Then the king pins.

Yeah, the more I look in the manual, the more I wonder about those kingpins. I'm pretty sure I can find bearings, but the pins themselves sceer me.

palallin · 07-29-2004, 11:47 AM

Well, the clunk has gone away, though I will still check into the bearings and so forth. It's just strange that the clunk has not reappeared for almost a week.

palallin · 08-02-2004, 12:42 PM

Does anyone know the torque specs on the caps that hold the pins/bearings in the knuckle? I want to pull them to check the bearins, but I don't want to unbolt anything till I'm sure I know how to get it all back together (no alternate ride).

07-24-2004, 03:41 PM	#1
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,238	'69 K-10 Dana 44 Help Hi, guys. I've been out of the loop for over six months, now--my mother died; my wife left my son and I, and we divorced, so I've been very busy (and poor). Anyway, I need some advice on my front end. My truck has the closed-knuckle Dann 44. Lately, it has developed a distinct "clunk" when I turn sharply while at a standstill or moving very slowly. It seems to be on the left-hand side. There is no obvious looseness in any extenal part of the steering, and, thanks to weather, I haven't had time to jack the thing up and look for play at the wheel hub. Questions: Does anyone have an idea of what I need to look for when I finally do get under the truck? Is this likely internal to the big ball joint? There's a U-joint in there, right? Does anyone have a source for parts, should replacement of something major become necessary. Additional problems: when the ex went in search of greener pastures, she took my other transportation, so I cannot afford a great deal of down time. (For breadth of coverage, I am posting a similar topic in the 67-72 board.) __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

07-24-2004, 06:30 PM	#2
JIMs70GMC user # 2756 Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Chesapeake, Virginia Posts: 4,612	Is this with the front locked in and in 4wd? Or just driving in 2wd? Hope your hanging in there. Have not lost my mother but been there with the wife, which in it's self is bad enough. __________________ 1970 K25, 8' stepside bed 350/465/205 44 up front, 60 in the rear 4.10s rolling on 33" Dunlop MTs 1986 K5, 350/465/208 Dana 60/14 bolt from a cucv 36" Super Swampers TSL/SX 1983 K20 w/ CUCV axles, 350/700R4/208 sitting on 37" Goodyears 1986 M1031 6.2 diesel, TH400/NP205 locker in the rear and a LS in the front, all stock for now..... 1986 K30, 350/400/205 dana 60 and 14 bolt. I kept the drivetrain. Body/bad and chassis are gone. 1981 K30, 350/465/205 dana 60 and dually 14 bolt. Has a G80, and a flat bed. Going to replace the flat bed. 1985 K20, 350/400/208 10 bolt and SF 14 bolt. I wonder where I can find some 1 tons. Hmmmmm

07-24-2004, 10:12 PM	#4
Budweis Geared for Collision Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 683	sounds like ball joints to me just pry up under wheel while raised off ground with pipe or something and look at play. you can get parts from board vendors, i bought most of mine in last few weeks here http://www.chevyduty.com/ __________________ MEMBER OF THE 4 WHEEL DISK BRAKE CLUB 1970 C/K20 3/4 Ton 1996 Collectors Edition Corvette 1977 Corvette Coupe Last edited by Budweis; 07-24-2004 at 10:14 PM.

07-25-2004, 04:08 AM	#6
Budweis Geared for Collision Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 683	my bad, my 70 44 has ball joints on the front guess your 69 don't. __________________ MEMBER OF THE 4 WHEEL DISK BRAKE CLUB 1970 C/K20 3/4 Ton 1996 Collectors Edition Corvette 1977 Corvette Coupe

07-25-2004, 01:42 PM	#7
1969 GMC Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The Rubber City Posts: 5,498	it should have ball joints...mine does. __________________ 1969 GMC K2500 1996 Honda Accord 2007 Kawasaki KLR 650

07-25-2004, 07:49 PM	#9
Budweis Geared for Collision Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 683	could you post a pic please? heres a pic of what my upper ball joint looked like. Attached Images __________________ MEMBER OF THE 4 WHEEL DISK BRAKE CLUB 1970 C/K20 3/4 Ton 1996 Collectors Edition Corvette 1977 Corvette Coupe

07-25-2004, 08:15 PM	#10
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,238	No pic and no way to take one right now, but I'll try to explain. You see the open area between the upper and lower ball joints on your axle? That is ALL enclosed in a big, two-part metal ball knuckle on the closed-knuckle axles (hence the term "closed"). None of that area is open, and the u-joint rides in a bath of grease (85W-140). There ARE upper and lower "spindle/bearing pairs" (the service manual calls the steering knuckle bearings and cups), but they are more of a split kingpin than ball joints as there is no flex that ball joints provide. I suppose I need to engage the hubs and see if the clunking is worse. If it is, I suspect the u-joint is going. I'd rather tha than there be a break in the knuckle itself. . . . __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

07-25-2004, 10:04 PM	#11
Budweis Geared for Collision Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: St. Louis, Mo. Posts: 683	yeah i understand what your saying seen similar setups on fords i just didnt know they came on our trucks as ive never seen kingpin setup on one of our trucks yet. guess you learn something new everyday. good luck let us know what you figure out __________________ MEMBER OF THE 4 WHEEL DISK BRAKE CLUB 1970 C/K20 3/4 Ton 1996 Collectors Edition Corvette 1977 Corvette Coupe

07-26-2004, 07:34 AM	#13
JIMs70GMC user # 2756 Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Chesapeake, Virginia Posts: 4,612	Check your front bearings. Then the king pins. __________________ 1970 K25, 8' stepside bed 350/465/205 44 up front, 60 in the rear 4.10s rolling on 33" Dunlop MTs 1986 K5, 350/465/208 Dana 60/14 bolt from a cucv 36" Super Swampers TSL/SX 1983 K20 w/ CUCV axles, 350/700R4/208 sitting on 37" Goodyears 1986 M1031 6.2 diesel, TH400/NP205 locker in the rear and a LS in the front, all stock for now..... 1986 K30, 350/400/205 dana 60 and 14 bolt. I kept the drivetrain. Body/bad and chassis are gone. 1981 K30, 350/465/205 dana 60 and dually 14 bolt. Has a G80, and a flat bed. Going to replace the flat bed. 1985 K20, 350/400/208 10 bolt and SF 14 bolt. I wonder where I can find some 1 tons. Hmmmmm

07-29-2004, 11:47 AM	#15
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,238	Well, the clunk has gone away, though I will still check into the bearings and so forth. It's just strange that the clunk has not reappeared for almost a week. __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

08-02-2004, 12:42 PM	#16
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,238	Does anyone know the torque specs on the caps that hold the pins/bearings in the knuckle? I want to pull them to check the bearins, but I don't want to unbolt anything till I'm sure I know how to get it all back together (no alternate ride). __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

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