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

palallin · 07-24-2004, 03:38 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 int he 4x4 board.)

teeitup · 07-24-2004, 09:13 PM

Sorry to hear about the things happening in your life. No idea on the front end, I have a couple closed knuckled 3/4 front axles here, $50 each, I have alot of dana 44 disc brake 1/2 axles. Good luck, Thanks Randy

palallin · 07-24-2004, 09:26 PM

Any idea, if it comes to this, how much different the later disc brake, open-knuckle front ends are from the earlier ones? IOW, any chance that one of those would just bolt in?

palallin · 07-25-2004, 08:44 AM

Ttt

teeitup · 07-25-2004, 09:07 AM

I don't know for sure if they will bolt right in, sorry.

BLAZERMAN · 07-25-2004, 11:26 AM

Nothing wrong with the original closed knuckle front, but the 73 up dana 44 will bolt right in place. You will get disc brakes, a better turning radius, and there easier to find parts for and work on.

palallin · 07-25-2004, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLAZERMAN

Nothing wrong with the original closed knuckle front, but the 73 up dana 44 will bolt right in place. You will get disc brakes, a better turning radius, and there easier to find parts for and work on.

That's useful, but, until this front end is declared DOA, I'd rather not have to. That said, I'm guessing parts for this one will be hard to find. I wonder about the internal u-joint . . . .

Anybody have a problem like this before? The weather is still crap, so I wasn't able to jack it up today (grumble).

palallin · 07-26-2004, 11:12 AM

Ttt

palallin · 07-26-2004, 06:22 PM

Interesting: no clunks for two days now. I think I scared the truck talking about disassembling it again . . .

palallin · 07-27-2004, 10:24 PM

Another day without clunks. I wish I could get under it. Well, the weekend is only three more days off. . . .

charlieo · 07-27-2004, 10:41 PM

I've got the D-44 closed on my 69 GMC. When I was sand blasting it I noticed one of the knuckles was not turning very well. It turned out to be one or both of the tapered roller bearings was almost gone in the housing where it pivots for the turning ( I hope that makes since !) There is a cap that is bolted down & up on the housing that holds a pin in place and on that there is the bearings . They are small , I guess 1.5 diameter anyway mine were wasted . I think they were about $10.00 each and the Timken part # was still on them ! Hope this helps !

palallin · 07-29-2004, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlieo

I've got the D-44 closed on my 69 GMC. When I was sand blasting it I noticed one of the knuckles was not turning very well. It turned out to be one or both of the tapered roller bearings was almost gone in the housing where it pivots for the turning ( I hope that makes since !) There is a cap that is bolted down & up on the housing that holds a pin in place and on that there is the bearings . They are small , I guess 1.5 diameter anyway mine were wasted . I think they were about $10.00 each and the Timken part # was still on them ! Hope this helps !

It makes perfect sense, and I need to look into them. Were your pins OK?

Where did you get the bearings?

What did you have to do to get at them? Do the knuckles have to come all the way apart, or can you just pull the caps. The Service Manual is vague on the subject. . . .

charlieo · 07-29-2004, 04:27 PM

pins were good & got the brgs @ my local brg house but checker/autozone would have um too ! I would get Timken though . Caps just un-bolt then pins come out then the brgs , don't need to take knuckles completly apart.

palallin · 07-30-2004, 09:38 AM

Outstanding! Thanks for the info: you've made my day (O, Lord! Please let it be something so simple!).

palallin · 08-02-2004, 12:41 PM

Does anyone have the torque specs on the pin/bearing caps?

charlieo · 08-02-2004, 01:49 PM

Probably 15- 20 lbsft or call your nut & bolt supply house & give them the size & grade bolt it is & they will know !

07-24-2004, 03:38 PM	#1
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	'69 K-10 Dana 44 problems 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 int he 4x4 board.) __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

07-24-2004, 09:13 PM	#2
teeitup Just like to part out trucks!! Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Meriden, Ks-North of Topeka 10 miles Posts: 27,396	Sorry to hear about the things happening in your life. No idea on the front end, I have a couple closed knuckled 3/4 front axles here, $50 each, I have alot of dana 44 disc brake 1/2 axles. Good luck, Thanks Randy __________________ 67 Chev swb stepside 4x4 283 4 speed SOLD 72 blazer 4x4 4 speed Cheyenne 72 GMC swb 4x4 fleet 4 speed, original paint 1958 Cameo (one of 1405 built, it was my dads) 2020 chevy Apex 4x4 crew cab 1969 Z28 with the 302 1980 chevy swb 4x4 1964 chevell Malibu SS 1976 K20, sold new originally out of my dads chevy dealership Members that I've met, over 200 probably closer to 300 in the 12 years I've been on this site, everyone I met "It was a pleasure"

07-24-2004, 09:26 PM	#3
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	Any idea, if it comes to this, how much different the later disc brake, open-knuckle front ends are from the earlier ones? IOW, any chance that one of those would just bolt in? __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

07-25-2004, 08:44 AM	#4
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	Ttt __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

07-25-2004, 09:07 AM	#5
teeitup Just like to part out trucks!! Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Meriden, Ks-North of Topeka 10 miles Posts: 27,396	I don't know for sure if they will bolt right in, sorry. __________________ 67 Chev swb stepside 4x4 283 4 speed SOLD 72 blazer 4x4 4 speed Cheyenne 72 GMC swb 4x4 fleet 4 speed, original paint 1958 Cameo (one of 1405 built, it was my dads) 2020 chevy Apex 4x4 crew cab 1969 Z28 with the 302 1980 chevy swb 4x4 1964 chevell Malibu SS 1976 K20, sold new originally out of my dads chevy dealership Members that I've met, over 200 probably closer to 300 in the 12 years I've been on this site, everyone I met "It was a pleasure"

07-25-2004, 11:26 AM	#6
BLAZERMAN Currently Blazerless Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: St. Joseph Mo. Posts: 4,827	Nothing wrong with the original closed knuckle front, but the 73 up dana 44 will bolt right in place. You will get disc brakes, a better turning radius, and there easier to find parts for and work on.

07-26-2004, 11:12 AM	#8
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	Ttt __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

07-26-2004, 06:22 PM	#9
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	Interesting: no clunks for two days now. I think I scared the truck talking about disassembling it again . . . __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

07-27-2004, 10:24 PM	#10
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	Another day without clunks. I wish I could get under it. Well, the weekend is only three more days off. . . . __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

07-27-2004, 10:41 PM	#11
charlieo Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: sw Posts: 341	I've got the D-44 closed on my 69 GMC. When I was sand blasting it I noticed one of the knuckles was not turning very well. It turned out to be one or both of the tapered roller bearings was almost gone in the housing where it pivots for the turning ( I hope that makes since !) There is a cap that is bolted down & up on the housing that holds a pin in place and on that there is the bearings . They are small , I guess 1.5 diameter anyway mine were wasted . I think they were about $10.00 each and the Timken part # was still on them ! Hope this helps !

07-29-2004, 04:27 PM	#13
charlieo Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: sw Posts: 341	pins were good & got the brgs @ my local brg house but checker/autozone would have um too ! I would get Timken though . Caps just un-bolt then pins come out then the brgs , don't need to take knuckles completly apart. Last edited by charlieo; 07-29-2004 at 04:29 PM.

07-30-2004, 09:38 AM	#14
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	Outstanding! Thanks for the info: you've made my day (O, Lord! Please let it be something so simple!). __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

08-02-2004, 12:41 PM	#15
palallin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: St. James, MO Posts: 1,239	Does anyone have the torque specs on the pin/bearing caps? __________________ '69 Longstep K-10: 327/SM465/T-221/Closed Knuckle Dana44/12-bolt.

08-02-2004, 01:49 PM	#16
charlieo Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: sw Posts: 341	torq specs Probably 15- 20 lbsft or call your nut & bolt supply house & give them the size & grade bolt it is & they will know !



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