1970 c20 front drums for dana 44

[Budweis]

hi everybody
hopefully you guys can help me with this problem.
i have a 1970 c20 3/4 ton 4x4 pickup with dana 44 differential and am having problems locating front drums. i know i could upgrade to a differential with disc but for right now really just wanting a new set of drums. the inside surface diameter appears to be about 12 inches and pads are 2 inch wide with 8 lug pattern. any help on locating this drums would surely save my life as the stress this is causing me is sure to kill me. thanks in advance
bud

[sakohntr]

Jerry moss had some a while back. Send him a pm

[Scrub]

Can't you drill out a certain new drum and make it work? I thought I heard about that once. I need to do the same thing.

[JIMs70GMC]

I bought a pair from Jerry last year. 70 is a off year, the wheel studs are different size. There was a strike that year. The 69s are different and 71s had disc.

[Budweis]

ok sent jerry a message. i would be interested if anyone know what the drums to modify are off of and any info you got on it, the holes your talking about, are you meaning they 5 lug and drill to 8? yeah i found out about strike and oddity of from gm they thought part #3982204 were the ones i needed which were discontinued in 1985 but when i finally located them they were totally wrong , looked like 4 lug off chevette or something lol real small diameter on that part number, they think part number got re issued and re used is what mix up is about. i heard late in the year some 1970 models came with disk also, anyway hopefully someone will have solution.

[Erl]

I bought some front drums for my 68 3/4 4x4 at NAPA last year. Bought rear drums at Napa this week.

[Budweis]

well i ordered at least 20 sets so far and none would work , ive spent 5 years and close to 1000.00 on ones that didnt fit so far, ive tried every auto part store in 500 mile radius of where i live to no avail, even had buddy that works at auto parts store order all the drums he could for 67-72 trucks and went through and sent back each one but still didnt find one that fits. keep replying surely someone has fix, i really would like to drive my truck again some day. put new engine in it and cant even drive it as my old drums wore so thin the got heat crack in one of them

[JIMs70GMC]

As you know the problems is a one year run only. I actually tried crossing other vehicles w/ drums up front like a kaiser jeep or when AMC bought the jeep name, it seems they went from drums closed knuckle to disc open knuckle. The ones I got from Jerry were used but in excellent shape. Hopefully he has some for you. Damn things were heavy to ship from California to Virginia.

Where are you at and welcome to the board!

[Budweis]

yeah i definitely know its a pain in the ass lol , im from st louis Mo.
yeah hopefully jerry will get back to me and has an extra set, i tried getting some made but they want you to buy like a thousand or wont do lol. even looked into getting relined like they do bearing races but they said no deal on drums. i guess if i cant find by end of this year just gonna part it out , sucks i really like my truck. its hard to belive cant get parts for a chevy truck. thanks for welcome to boards hopefully getting in touch with other chevy truck owners will help me solve my problem. i was gonna totally restore it but got everything on hold till solve this problem, kinda funny can buy every part on the thing cept this.

[JIMs70GMC]

In my area a 70 3/4 ton 4by just sold. I was going to look at it, but it sold earlier that day. I'll try and find the guys number and give him a call and find out what the buyer is doing with the truck maybe he's going to swap out the front and would let it go. A long shot but will only take a couple minutes. There was another guy on here that was going to upgrade and I inquired about buying his drums, I'll try and remember who it was. I believe he was in MN. I'd hate for you to get rid of the truck because of the drums.

[racedvl]

Originally posted by Budweis
i guess if i cant find by end of this year just gonna part it out , sucks i really like my truck.

I would be willing to bet that someone in MO. has a 71/72 front K20 axle that could prob. be had for less $$$ that your gonna spend on the front drums. This way you will be able to get your parts again, you'll have disk brakes, and for goodness sakes don't part your truck!

[JIMs70GMC]

try www.aimcobrakes.com . They are the a subsidary of dana.

[is2blu]

there is a salvage yard in Salsbury, Mo called Rascal Flats and they are exclusively 4x4. Big yard and lots of stuff. Good Luck

[griesel72]

Try Teeitup, he had piles of front axles on here not too long ago, only problem is they are off the trucks, so it would take a while to identify which ones are 70's

[Joesjunk]

A friend of mine is going to have a complete 3/4t disc brake dana 44 from a 72 4x4 for sale soon if interested. Let me know. Its 1 hour east of Kansas City.

[Bram]

I have a Dana 44 front end out of a 72 with disk brakes I'll sell you for a $150.00.

[racedvl]

See! I knew the good stuff would pop up!!!

[Bram]

Also I could deliver as far as Springfield MO. for an extra $25.00.

[Budweis]

ok wow lot of replys, ill have to check out dana and the junkyards mentioned, it seems i tried rascal flats but the ones they had measured a 1/4 inch different in height when laid flat on ground but ill try them again. bram that sounds like a fair deal only thing would be worried about is that a direct bolt in swap or does it have to be modified to work? i realize the basic stuff would need like new brake hoses and master cylinder and proportioning valve.
my differentials have 4:56 gears in them. you know what gear ratio the one you have has? and were 72 trucks still leaf spring? i got laid off my job here so trying to keep budget down to dull roar and have never changed gears out before. also is that 8 lug or would i have to buy new wheels, lol only thing afraid of are these things which could rack up another grand easy. just figured drums would be cheaper route. since my differentials have new gears and already gone through. and the lockouts still be on hubs?

[Bram]

The dana 44 is an 8 lug leaf spring, and I do believe it is 4:56's.
I'll try to check the gears as soon as I can.

[Budweis]

thanks for the quick reply, yeah ill prob want then , just let me know what you find out on gears and we can start making arrangements, im going to be in lake of the ozarks camdenton not far from springfield next week for prob month or so and would prob just give you 25 to meet in springfield as that not too far.

[JIMs70GMC]

All you need to do is swap from the ball joints out and get brake lines for a 72 the frame connection is the same. That way you can keep your 4.56 gears where they are. The only thing is 15" wheels will not fit with out grinding the calipers. If you have 16 or 16.5 you'll be fine with the disc up front. As far as the proportioning valve and MC couple other members swapped out axle and had no problems with the 4 wheel drum master cyclinder and valve (it is really just a switch w/ 4 drums).

[Budweis]

lol aint that a bite i just put new ball joints on it 3 weeks ago, so ill need ball joints for a 72 your saying? i got 16.5 inch wheels so hopefully no prob there. hopefully it has 4:56 gears so dont have to mess with that

[JIMs70GMC]

ball joints are the same. Just need the steering knuckle to hub on each side. If it does have 4.56 then all you have to do is unbolt the ubolts(2 on each side) the driveshaft, brakelines and drag link. Roll it out and the new one in.

Is your truck a factory 4.56 geared truck or were they swapped in?

[Budweis]

glad you mentioned bout the gears, are 4:56 unusual to have or something? i better get under it this weekend once this snow clears and check it out , im just going by a spec sheet that guy i bought truck off of gave me but he also said had new brakes lol. chalk the drive shaft and tire and turn the drive shaft once around and count wheel revolutions right? i do know it must have pretty steep gears as it screams at 50 miles an hour in 4th gear and i take off in 2nd. so i presumed this info to be right but i better double check it