nice NOS find

[MJN]

Thought I'd share this since I haven't seen many of these around. Scored this NOS Spicer hub knob- correct box but the dial/seal/retainer assembly number is hand written.
The 1971 parts catalog shows 3958037 is for '70 only and another GM parts catalog shows 3995867 is 69-72 knob w/ retainer and seal. The reds were 1970 only and the parts book says 1st design, surprised it doesn't say Spicer like the Blue and Yellows do.

[WHYBYNU]

Good find!

[70cst]

Originally Posted by MJN

Thought I'd share this since I haven't seen many of these around. Scored this NOS Spicer hub knob- wrong box but the correct number is hand written.
the 1971 parts catalog shows 3958037 is for '70 only and another GM parts catalog shows 3995867 is 69-72 knob w/ retainer and seal. The reds were 1970 only and the parts book says 1st design, surprised it doesn't say Spicer like the Blue and Yellows do.

Its always nice when one makes a score like that

[too much stuff]

Great find. I am picking up a 71 soon which has disc brakes and red knobs. I questioned if they are correct on that one.

[special-K]

Nice find!! Expect to receive at least one PM offer from the NW

'70 is listed as a one year part only because they were red that year. They certainly interchange. As part supply is depleted, GM will supersede it with the part# that can take it's place.

I've had a member claim I make random posts recently, but I see it more as "on a side note" with info that can contribute to the core of the thread. If people don't want to read a thread they don't have to.

Ok, that said, here I go with my random example from my armchair. Back when I was scarfing up N.O.S. parts to support my various 67-72 trucks I would regularly drop in to have the parts guy flip through the books to see if a certain part was still available. I checked on 69-72 steering wheels because they started cracking even way back then. My parts buddy says, "Yep, still available, but only black. How many do you want?". I said to play it safe (see above) let's try with one. All excited to see my shiny new wheel slide out of the box, the first arch of the rim I saw fizzled out my excitement. It was a later truck wheel... but they do fit if your truck needs a steering wheel!

I think Eric's truck had them swapped on. I will run red knobs with the N.O.S. retainers and knobs I have on my GMC because that's how GM should have done it in the first place.

[MJN]

I never paid much attention to the red dials since they're typically associated to Ford. I've had a few broken ones in the past with just the arrow on them and just thought they looked odd and out of place without Spicer on them. Anyway- heres that parts catalog page showing the red and blue dial part numbers. No doubt parts guys had used them on any years as one part number became obsoleted.
Not entirely sure what the difference between 1st and 2nd design is, even the seals are different part numbers.

[Joesjunk]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

Great find. I am picking up a 71 soon which has disc brakes and red knobs. I questioned if they are correct on that one.

My green 71 K/20 has a very early production date and it had red knobs on it.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by special-K

Nice find!! Expect to receive at least one PM offer from the NW

'70 is listed as a one year part only because they were red that year. They certainly interchange. As part supply is depleted, GM will supersede it with the part# that can take it's place.

I've had a member claim I make random posts recently, but I see it more as "on a side note" with info that can contribute to the core of the thread. If people don't want to read a thread they don't have to.

Ok, that said, here I go with my random example from my armchair. Back when I was scarfing up N.O.S. parts to support my various 67-72 trucks I would regularly drop in to have the parts guy flip through the books to see if a certain part was still available. I checked on 69-72 steering wheels because they started cracking even way back then. My parts buddy says, "Yep, still available, but only black. How many do you want?". I said to play it safe (see above) let's try with one. All excited to see my shiny new wheel slide out of the box, the first arch of the rim I saw fizzled out my excitement. It was a later truck wheel... but they do fit if your truck needs a steering wheel!

I think Eric's truck had them swapped on. I will run red knobs with the N.O.S. retainers and knobs I have on my GMC because that's how GM should have done it in the first place.

WARNING! Thread hijack: Personal reasons.

Special-K you are always welcome to "randomly post" on any thread of mine.

Hijack completed. Now back to your regularly scheduled thread.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by HO455

WARNING! Thread hijack: Personal reasons.

Special-K you are always welcome to "randomly post" on any thread of mine.

Hijack completed. Now back to your regularly scheduled thread.

I found out on a radio station that has a today in music segment at 3pm that I have the same birthday as Bugs Bunny. Now back to red knobs. I thought you guys should know right here and now!

Originally Posted by Joesjunk

My green 71 K/20 has a very early production date and it had red knobs on it.

That's interesting to know. That makes two here. I guess they were using up left overs. Should have put them on GMCs

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by special-K

Nice find!! Expect to receive at least one PM offer from the NW

'70 is listed as a one year part only because they were red that year. They certainly interchange. As part supply is depleted, GM will supersede it with the part# that can take it's place.

I've had a member claim I make random posts recently, but I see it more as "on a side note" with info that can contribute to the core of the thread. If people don't want to read a thread they don't have to.

Ok, that said, here I go with my random example from my armchair. Back when I was scarfing up N.O.S. parts to support my various 67-72 trucks I would regularly drop in to have the parts guy flip through the books to see if a certain part was still available. I checked on 69-72 steering wheels because they started cracking even way back then. My parts buddy says, "Yep, still available, but only black. How many do you want?". I said to play it safe (see above) let's try with one. All excited to see my shiny new wheel slide out of the box, the first arch of the rim I saw fizzled out my excitement. It was a later truck wheel... but they do fit if your truck needs a steering wheel!

I think Eric's truck had them swapped on. I will run red knobs with the N.O.S. retainers and knobs I have on my GMC because that's how GM should have done it in the first place.

Haha one PM offer that was a good one!

Nice score op. That’s a pretty rare bird.

[palallin]

My '69 has red knobs. I have no way of knowing whether they are replacements, but they are so faded that they have to be old. They were faded almost to white as long ago as '93 (when I bought the truck).

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

I had to look this up because I knew nothing about them. Someone did an interesting write up on these: http://wegotmud.com/forum/index.php?topic=36205.0

[special-K]

Originally Posted by palallin

My '69 has red knobs. I have no way of knowing whether they are replacements, but they are so faded that they have to be old. They were faded almost to white as long ago as '93 (when I bought the truck).

Does your '69 still have the original closed knuckle drum brake Dana44? '69 was the last year for that design front axle. Those came with the all metal/small dial Spicer hubs that go back to the option first being offered. The first ones shown in the link above.

[MJN]

Originally Posted by palallin

My '69 has red knobs. I have no way of knowing whether they are replacements, but they are so faded that they have to be old. They were faded almost to white as long ago as '93 (when I bought the truck).

Heres the parts catalog page for '60 to '69 hub. This is the first version of the Hub Lok.

[palallin]

Originally Posted by special-K

Does your '69 still have the original closed knuckle drum brake Dana44? '69 was the last year for that design front axle. Those came with the all metal/small dial Spicer hubs that go back to the option first being offered. The first ones shown in the link above.

Yes, the axel is the closed-knuckle D44. According to the link, however:
"1969: GM began using the small internal Spicer locking hub on its 1/2 tons & K5 blazers. The locking knob was red plastic and was used 1 year only. "

[MJN]

Originally Posted by palallin

Yes, the axel is the closed-knuckle D44. According to the link, however:
"1969: GM began using the small internal Spicer locking hub on its 1/2 tons & K5 blazers. The locking knob was red plastic and was used 1 year only. "

The parts catalog shows #3979551 for 68-70 K10. 6259019 is the knob for 73 and up yellow K10/internal style lockout hub. The red actuating knob in my OP is for K20 (3/4 ton) hubs not 1/2 ton hubs. Based on the parts catalogs they used the all metal external type hub lok on '69 and older K20's and '70 was the first year for the red plastic dials for K20 external type Hub lok's.

Some additional digging I found the Dana part # 34916-3 (GM#3979551) was preceded by Dana 34916-1 (GM #3937068). GM 3937068 shows for '68-69 K10 & '69 Blazer with 350 only. No color is listed however. The only notes in the parts catalog related to the color of the actuator knob are for K20 series hubs. The later yellow K10 knob (6259019) was Dana # 34916-4.

[special-K]

My '70 Blazer had red knobs. I have a '70 K/20 front end with red knobs. And I have a set of lockouts from a '69 K/20 that are the early all metal/small dial style. That site is wrong. The early design, as MJN posted, was used '60-'69. The '69 blazer may have been an exception, just as they are when it comes to the TH350/NP205 combination. The first year '69 Blazer got that while the existing K-models stayed with the Rockwell 221 transfer case and no available TH350 until '70

[72chevynut]

I recently purchased a set of the k20 spicer red dial hubs off the parts board for my parts collection. I took them all apart and cleaned everything. I found a couple of differences between the GM red dial hubs and the next gen blue dial hubs. The red dials don’t have a groove notched in dial for the C-channel style seal and use a thin o-ring instead. I also compared the red dial chrome outer rings to a set of blue dial chrome rings I have and found them different to. The blue dial chrome rings have a deeper notch cut into them than the red dial ones due to the larger c-channel seal used. I believe this would be the design upgrade done between the GM 1970 Red dials and 71 Blue dials. All the other dials I have for the later Model year GM’s and some Ford ones I have, all have the notch for the larger c-channel seal. Hope this helps clear some thoughts up.

[MJN]

Originally Posted by 72chevynut

I recently purchased a set of the k20 spicer red dial hubs off the parts board for my parts collection. I took them all apart and cleaned everything. I found a couple of differences between the GM red dial hubs and the next gen blue dial hubs. The red dials don’t have a groove notched in dial for the C-channel style seal and use a thin o-ring instead. I also compared the red dial chrome outer rings to a set of blue dial chrome rings I have and found them different to. The blue dial chrome rings have a deeper notch cut into them than the red dial ones due to the larger c-channel seal used. I believe this would be the design upgrade done between the GM 1970 Red dials and 71 Blue dials. All the other dials I have for the later Model year GM’s and some Ford ones I have, all have the notch for the larger c-channel seal. Hope this helps clear some thoughts up.

Good info- this helps explain the 1st Design and 2nd Design noted in the parts diagram posted above.

[72chevynut]

Originally Posted by MJN

Good info- this helps explain the 1st Design and 2nd Design noted in the parts diagram posted above.

Here are a few pics I took while disassembled, pointing out the differences. Note the deeper cut inside the chrome outer ring were the dial seal seats for the blue dial. Then on the dial itself, it has a grove cut for the larger seal, red one doesn't. Does your parts book have a different part number for the 1970 chrome outer ring? If so, I believe that would confirm your NOS red dial to be first design and one year only, not a replacement dial for all years as stated in the earlier attached article.

[MJN]

Thanks for the pictures- yes part numbers are listed for first and second design of the dial, seal and retainer (chrome ring) in post #6 above.

[72chevynut]

Originally Posted by MJN

Thanks for the pictures- yes part numbers are listed for first and second design of the dial, seal and retainer (chrome ring) in post #6 above.

No problem on the pictures - my bad, I didn't catch the earlier posted info on the retainers, skipped right over it. I find all these little details very interesting and educational on our 4x4's. Awesome score on your NOS red dial!

[pickupman]

I have a pair of NOS red ones if anyone is interested. PM for details