best years for axles?

[shelby987]

I am apparently up the brown creek without a paddle, and will need to swap my front axle out. I need to know from what years I can pull a front axle for my 3/4t front end. I also wanted to know if I was better off with a corp 10 bolt front end or a dana 44hd?
I have a 70 3/4t which I believe means I will end up with different sized studs is that correct? Other than needing new lug nuts for the front, will I need anything else to bolt this axle up (will the drive shaft still work spline/length wise, spring width and location ok??
(I am aware I will need a diff. MC because of the drum brakes, and I already have a prop valve).

[CUSTOM/10]

I'm not sure what yr GM swapped to the corp. 10 bolt, but any of the sold axle front ends should bolt right in. Both are comperable in strenght with a slight edge going to the Dana 44. ( It has thicker axle tubes ). I believe you'll find one of the ubolts on the corp. 10 bolt is longer than the Dana. I thought that the studs were the same ??? The most important thing is to match the gears with the rear.

I do believe the pinion shaft on the 10 bolt is slightly longer but the drive shaft should be able to collapse enough so it will fit.

Gary

[1976K5CHALET]

i'm guessing that sometime around 77-78 was the cut-off for a dana axle in a gm 4x4. But it is a good deal to convert to a later model and do away with the drum brakes. Basically the only difference between a 10B and or dana 3/4 ton is the disc brake backing plates that hold the calipers...and of course the spindles and bearings. The bearings from 79 up are the 2nd design so the 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton use the same spindle bearings...before 79 is called design one and used different bearings...smaller i believe. Also the older axles under the gen1's used smaller inner axle shafts and thus smaller u-joints...plus the older hub seal design doesn't seal very well. Somewhere in 87-88 the 10 bolts changed to a 31-32 spline axle shaft...haven't owned one but i do know they added a couple of splines. Basically find yourself a 79 to 85-6 front 10 bolt in 3/4 flavor and you'll be allright. Also the 3/4 calipers are the same when it comes to size and mounting as the 1/2 ton version save a larger diameter piston...i believe it was a 3 1/16 piston.

Doug Wright

[1969 GMC]

Your options are pretty much unlimited. Chevy D44 and 10b will fit, as well as Chevy D60's. Dodge D44's and D60's will also fit without much trouble, and I believe older Ford axles would fit, but they have the diff on the wrong side for our trucks.

Should make it pretty easy to find a donor.

[4x4Poet]

Here's a site with mucho D44 info:

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html

AFAIK, the easiest candidates would be 3/4 ton D44s in 71-80 GMs. In 73-80 GM D44s, you also get slightly larger 760x wheel joints and axles that don't neck down as much.