Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Old_iron · 06-25-2018, 09:53 PM

The donor axle I am rebuilding has the nice blue locking knobs. Sadly, there were some issues with the hubs and the PO apparantly used pliers to lock and unlock the hubs, until they cracked inside where the pin goes through.

This seems to be a common issue, after searching around, I found a post on another forum that led me to doing this repair. I have a wood lathe, but you could probably use a disc or belt sander, or even some files and a hack saw to do this.

I took one of the knobs to the hardware store and searched through all the plumbing fittings until I found a piece that I could 'turn' on my wood lathe down the right ID size and that was thick enough to have plenty of sidewall to not break in the same spot as the knob.

I took a picture of the part number, but many parts will probably work.

At home I took some measurements, then turned down the piece until it fit snugly inside the knob. Then it parted it off, or cut it to length. Note that in the pictures the piece is a little too long - it ended up hitting the stub axle and I had to grind it down later. This part does not have to be extremely precise, it just needs to give you 2 new anchor points for the pin that are in the same place as the original, and stay put.

Next i took my dremel and cut random crosshatch grooves in both parts, so that he epoxy will have lots of space to lock onto so that the new plastic piece cannot move.

I used some standard 2 part epoxy and let it dry 24 hours. After dry, just drill new holes through, reassemble and there you have it.

Old_iron · 06-25-2018, 09:54 PM

More photos:

Killer Bee · 06-25-2018, 10:27 PM

clever, thank you for posting

**special-K** · 06-26-2018, 06:45 AM

Yes, very clever. All I ever did was re-drill new holes where there was meat and stick a drill bit through

. Didn't line up with "free" and "lock" but did the trick. This was not a restoration procedure. It was a keep it going on many years ago. I learned how to maintain hubs so this problem would never occur again

**Ol Blue K20** · 06-26-2018, 08:56 AM

Very clever, thanks for sharing it

**leddzepp** · 06-26-2018, 11:47 PM

Great tip! My K2500 has oem blue dials with perfect faces, and broken pins.

**special-K** · 06-27-2018, 06:47 AM

Someone should machine steel inserts to eliminate this problem from ever occurring... for those who don't maintain or lube hubs properly

(which is usually the previous owner/s)

**71blksuper4x4** · 06-27-2018, 03:31 PM

Someone is making reproductions now.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVY-GMC-4...oAAOSwlJlaoBFW

06-25-2018, 09:53 PM	#1
Old_iron Registered User Join Date: May 2016 Location: Idaho Posts: 87	Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair The donor axle I am rebuilding has the nice blue locking knobs. Sadly, there were some issues with the hubs and the PO apparantly used pliers to lock and unlock the hubs, until they cracked inside where the pin goes through. This seems to be a common issue, after searching around, I found a post on another forum that led me to doing this repair. I have a wood lathe, but you could probably use a disc or belt sander, or even some files and a hack saw to do this. I took one of the knobs to the hardware store and searched through all the plumbing fittings until I found a piece that I could 'turn' on my wood lathe down the right ID size and that was thick enough to have plenty of sidewall to not break in the same spot as the knob. I took a picture of the part number, but many parts will probably work. At home I took some measurements, then turned down the piece until it fit snugly inside the knob. Then it parted it off, or cut it to length. Note that in the pictures the piece is a little too long - it ended up hitting the stub axle and I had to grind it down later. This part does not have to be extremely precise, it just needs to give you 2 new anchor points for the pin that are in the same place as the original, and stay put. Next i took my dremel and cut random crosshatch grooves in both parts, so that he epoxy will have lots of space to lock onto so that the new plastic piece cannot move. I used some standard 2 part epoxy and let it dry 24 hours. After dry, just drill new holes through, reassemble and there you have it. Attached Images __________________ 1968 GMC 3/4 Ton 4x4 K20 / 2500 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Last edited by Old_iron; 06-25-2018 at 10:00 PM. Reason: Fix photos

06-25-2018, 09:54 PM	#2
Old_iron Registered User Join Date: May 2016 Location: Idaho Posts: 87	Re: Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair More photos: Attached Images __________________ 1968 GMC 3/4 Ton 4x4 K20 / 2500 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu Last edited by Old_iron; 06-25-2018 at 10:01 PM. Reason: Fix photos

06-25-2018, 10:27 PM	#3
Killer Bee Registered User Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Barber City, CA Posts: 4,795	Re: Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair clever, thank you for posting __________________ *I started out with nothing - and I still have most of it*

06-26-2018, 06:45 AM	#4
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,852	Re: Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair Yes, very clever. All I ever did was re-drill new holes where there was meat and stick a drill bit through . Didn't line up with "free" and "lock" but did the trick. This was not a restoration procedure. It was a keep it going on many years ago. I learned how to maintain hubs so this problem would never occur again __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

06-26-2018, 08:56 AM	#5
Ol Blue K20 Proprietor of Dale's Corner Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Vacaville , CA Posts: 16,242	Re: Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair Very clever, thanks for sharing it __________________ "Some Days Chickens And Some Days Feathers" Dale XNGH ECV Sam Brannan 1004 R.I.P. 67ChevyRedneck R.I.P. Grumpy Old Man R.I.P. FleetsidePaul

06-26-2018, 11:47 PM	#6
leddzepp Moderator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Southern Cal Posts: 20,020	Re: Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair Great tip! My K2500 has oem blue dials with perfect faces, and broken pins. __________________ 1972 C/10 Cheyenne Super SWB. Restored, loaded, slammed. 1968 C/10 50th Anniversary LWB. Unrestored, stock, daily driver/work truck. RIP ElJay RIP 67ChevyRedneck RIP Grumpy Old Man RIP FleetsidePaul

06-27-2018, 06:47 AM	#7
special-K Special Order Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mt Airy, MD Posts: 85,852	Re: Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair Someone should machine steel inserts to eliminate this problem from ever occurring... for those who don't maintain or lube hubs properly (which is usually the previous owner/s) __________________ "BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~

06-27-2018, 03:31 PM	#8
71blksuper4x4 SWB 4x4 Collector Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Osage City, KS Posts: 5,155	Re: Big hub Dana 44 blue locking knob repair Someone is making reproductions now. https://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVY-GMC-4...oAAOSwlJlaoBFW __________________ TREVOR 1970 CST swb 4x4 (speedwarning,cruise,tilt,tach,8track, original red shoulder belts,tow hooks) 1972 Jimmy (soon to be Hickey cloned) 1971 Cheyenne Super 4x4 swb (tilt,tach,buckets, original blue shoulder belts,am/fm,cruise,tow hooks, dealer 8 track) 1972 Cheyenne Super K20 4x4 Custom Camper (tilt, tach, am/fm, tow hooks, bed toolbox, aux gas tank 1972 Cheyenne Super Crew Cab K30 4x4 Duramax, Allison, np205, buckets, tow hooks (CURRENT PROJECT) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=624819 1989 V3500 Crew Cab (454tbi, NV4500, np205) 1970 Chevelle SS (LS5 454,th400,8track,buckets,tach) :2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (daily driver) WTB: 1968-70 Cruise Control Lever



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