68 K20 Front Axle Questions

[GMC_Long]

Back ground: 68 Chevy K20 Dana 44 closed knuckle front axle, drum brakes. It needs new wheel bearings, wheel cylinders, and brake parts, spindle threads are also goobered.

Im thinking about replacing the whole axle with one with disk brakes. What year should i be looking at? Is this a bolt in swap? Any information on this will be appreciated.

[j.kirn]

All parts are available that you need, just have to look or go to your local auto parts store, or you can find a axle from i think 70-78 which will probably need new parts also

[vectorit]

Welcome to the forum!

I too have a 68 K20 with the OE front axle.
I think if you are not into keeping it original, your money would be better spent in setting up a better replacement axle with disc brakes.

I am contemplating doing this to my 68, in the mean time collecting parts for the swap.

I found someone parting out a 1972 K20, and in your case I would look for someone doing the same. That way you can get the axle, steering components, and brake booster & M/C.

Keep in mind to, that the 68 has the smaller diameter lug studs. Going to a newer front axle will be a larger stud, so you will have to think about that as well when it comes to wheels.

As far as the best years to look for, there are aspects of the D44 from certain years that off roaders really like. Hopefully someone will chime in with those preferred years of D44 for you since I do not know my self.

[Yukon Jack]

I put a 3/4 ton front axle from a 78 in my 70 K5 and the biggest area of change had to do with the brake lines for the new disk brake equipped axle. I put in the 78's power master cylinder at the same time in place of my manual booster. I ended up making new hard brake lines so I wouldn't have adapter fittings at the rubber hose connection and at the proportioning valve. Was easy to make new lines and that was about the only thing I had to do to get the front axle swapped.

[special-K]

You can put any 10-bolt in all the way up to '91 s easily as a newer Dana 44 and they are plentiful and cheap

[GMC_Long]

Thanks for the information.

[msgross]

It's a good time to go for power steering as well... as stated, a donor truck is cheaper. Then you can pull everything (engine brackets, steering box, drag links, and on and on..)