Full size direction

jburton50

Active Member
Joined
May 11, 2015
Location
Catawba
Guys in need of some realistic opinions.
Ive got a 1980 k10 with 3/4 ton axles swapped under it. Not sure what all is factory and what all is from the 3/4. But to give a back story I got it a couple months ago and its got what the guy claimed to be an 8" lift. Might be 6" im not sure haven't measured. The driveshafts are setup with the lift, its got extended front brake lines. All the stuff most people skimp out on is there. Heres the deal.
I don't know for sure what size lift is on it yet, I want 6". I plan to run 35s. its on 36s now. It rides like a boulder, and I want it to have the capability to "rock crawl" not hard core so theres no need for 3 or 4 link. But I want to figure out the best way to do this. The leaf packs have I believe 5 or 6 leafs and they are thick leafs. I don't know the length yet I plan on checking it soon. The lift is all leaf. No shackle flip or body all leaf spring. So to get me between 4 and 6" of lift what combos am I looking at and do you think the driveshafts will work with it. When I say combos I mean shackle flip with stock springs. 3" springs with longer shackle. What combo will give me the articulation I want and still be a sturdy setup?
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Since nobody has replied, I'll give you my two cents.

Front:
- Buy a set of whatever 6" lift leaf springs are popular and cheap (Use the ones you have IF they are 6" lift springs). Remove the third leaf from the pack to soften it up. A buddy of mine did this on a Blazer, and was satisfied with the improvement in the ride. He was running cheap Pro-Comp 6" lift springs.
or
- Run a set of stock rear springs in the front http://diy4x.com/cart/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=120

Rear:
- Ditch those super arched lift springs. Buy a set of stock rear springs and run a shackle flip. Remove the third leaf if the ride is too stiff for trail riding because you aren't carrying much in the bed. Run a small lift block (1", 2", or 3") if necessary to match the height of the front and build a traction bar to prevent axle wrap.
 
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Thatnks for the input. I was looking into 52 and 56 inch spring swaps. But im down with trying to remove a couple leaves. And as far as ditching rears ive just got to locate the parts. Im still uncertain about the sjaft length. I meed to get under and measure it just havent had time. Trying to ball on a budget. I didnt think about a traction bar ill do some research on that :fuck-you:
 
Have you checked out CK5.com? There are a few different options you can take and you could learn alot from checking out that page. Definitely use a shackle flip in the rear. As posted above DIY4X.com makes some good stuff. I would use a set of 56in. springs in the rear with a zero rate/ez inch. The fronts as stated above get take a spring out to soften it up. I can go on and on about different ways on what you can do. You have a nice looking stepside.
 
Thanks, I got it on trade a couple months ago and have been working bugs out since then. Im trying to do what I can with what I got right now, there will likely be several junkyard trips for factory springs before I can start buying flip kits and what not. I have little bigger issue tho. The 4x4 doesn't currently work. Heres whats goin on....

- Its got an NP203, the guy I got it from said he had manual hubs on it but "they broke" so he put on some factory locked plates. I ordered a set of warn hubs to put on for 1/2 and 3/4 ton axles, and when I put them on, there was a 1/4' gap all the way around that I could see the grease and bearing race. Its got holes for an external hub on it, but Im afraid the axle shaft is too short for the external hub to bite and get the snap ring retainer around it. The axles are G2 chromoly axles. I put them in a week after I got it :shaking: didn't have much option. But that's a different story. They are the same lengths as the ones removed. Anyone help me out with that? The hub itself is not the same size as my buddies 1/2 ton. Its considerably bigger and as previously stated has the 6 holes for the fasteners.

To clarify a little bit, the first set of hubs I bought sat down inside of the hub housing. :confused:
 
External hubs were pre-1977 on GM Dana 44s, so whoever swapped in that front axle used an older model. You can swap parts around and use internal hubs, but you're limited to only using external lockout hubs as it sits. My buddy's Dodge uses external hubs as well. They're just harder to find.

There may be a difference in stub shafts on the older Dana 44s, I'll have to look. What is the Warn part number on the new hubs you bought? If it isn't 9790 or 9072, you bought the wrong ones.

The good news is that axle has flat top knuckles already. That's a good thing if you ever go to crossover steering....which you should if you plan to wheel it much.

Btw: the 80 square headlight trucks are awesome, not to mention it being a stepside. So...you suck twice as much and I'm jealous! :flipoff2:
 
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The part number was 20990 for the ones I ordered. They were an internal but I wasn't fully aware of what I was getting into when I ordered them. I just knew the website said they would fit, and they were incorrect :rolleyes:. It seems to have some aftermarket tie rod on it or something. Unless its just a stock 3/4 ton tie rod but it seems pretty heavy duty. (Someone just mounted it backwards :shaking:) But I have given thought to doing High steer. Ive seen where that's a concern though as far as breaking knuckles and what not, I just like the idea of clearance so that's another decision to make.

But I suppose I have some searching to do for some external hubs because im not trying to go through the swapping of the spindles and hubs and all the other stuff I don't wanna swap if I don't have to :handed:.
 
If it was actually an 80 model axle, those would have fit. If you do hi steer, you pretty much have to do crossover at the same time. Personally, I'm not a fan of it...hi steer, that is.

You have zero searching to do for hubs. I gave you the part number for the standard Warn hubs or the Warn Premiums in my last post :D They're readily available from places like Summit Racing.
 
ahha, I gotchu :rockon:I misread that the other day. Thank ya very much. I will look into those and see what I feel like doing. Ive got a few ppl wanting to trade me some offroad ready rigs right now.
 
Sounds like your axles are from a 73-77 model 3/4 ton Chevy. Stub shafts are the same as the 77+ D44's and 10 bolts, but will not interchange with pre-73 stubs. These other guys are correct, you'll need the external style locking hubs, or swap from the knuckles out to the later 10 bolt style 8 lug setup.

You can run 35's with a 4" lift is you don't mind trimming the front fenders. I ran 37" Military Goodyear MT's on my old truck with only a 4" kit. Check out Offroad Design for most anything you could want dealing with these trucks.

52" springs up front are not hard to do, but it's a lot of work for the gain, and they wear out pretty quick if flexed hard. Personally, for the kind of wheeling you want to do, I'd stick with the factory length springs up front. I did a lot of crawling on mine and never had a minute's trouble.

The biggest improvement I can tell you to do is to ditch that sway bar, or get disconnects.
 
If you do crossover steering, you'll ditch the sway bar anyway.
 
Alright gents. Im back. I need some help figuring out this steering system. Is the geometry of the drag link to the tie rod correct? Im looking at it thinking it has the possibility to be Y link tie rod? Idk. That's why I need your help. Images aren't in order but theyre all there. Help me out guys. What system is this. I mean its setup like crossover correct?


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Mind you guys I didn't build this truck. And ive owned jeeps/Toyotas before but im just going by what im seeing and reading on google. Im unsure of what the factory parts looked like. If it had factory push/pull steering or side/side steering like now.
 
That's cross over which is so much better than the factory style setup
 
Flatter the better, less bumpsteer. Does it clear the engine crossmember pretty good?
 
Yeah you can get an idea from the picture with the pitman arm. How canbi flattenbit out? I saw that ORD has a larger spacer or something. But it seems there would be a better way?
 
Honestly you should be good to go as it is. But a slight dropped pitman arm would help you out. Have you made sure the frame isn't cracked behind the steering box?
 
With your current setup, I don't feel you can get it any flatter, otherwise it'd be close to hitting the passenger side leaf spring. If you did want it flatter, you'd have to source a further dropped pitman arm (on the steering box) and a raised steering arm (on the steering knuckle). By the way, keep an eye on that fab job steering box brace. It appears the previous owner found the big weakness of these trucks and did some rigging and repair.
 
yeah ive noticed the brace. Its welded all the way around the plate there. So far no concerns but I have been keeping an eye on it. Thanks much guys. Ill try to measure the pitman arm and see what I can find as far as improvements. If its cost effective I may do it. If I ditch the sway bar how much difference would there be. Primarily with braking. I know it may have a tendency to pull but im wondering how dramatic it would be. I drove my jeep and my Toyota and the Toyota pulled horribly with factory push/pull. The jeep was ok, it just swayed more then I liked so I put it back on. This monster I haven't looked up more then ORD disconnects, but I feel I could make my own if need be.
 
Another company to check out, diy4x.com. Guy mainly does full size Chevy stuff and get on coloradok5.com. A lot of good info and not too much that hasn't been done over there.
 
With those leaf springs, I don't think you'd have any ill effects of ditching the sway bar. If you're curious, just disconnect it and drive around some. Every 73-87 GM that I've owned, that was the first thing to go.
 
Ok ill def. try ditching for a test drive. I was planning on doing that to begin with I was just curious of any obvious issues that people have had before doing so. And Jimmy I have looked at his stuff before. All very nice. Im just stubborn and enjoy fabricating myself so ill probably do some more lerking and check out the things he has. I have access to a mill and lathe at work so im ready to get down with this thing. I just want to make it as sound as possible before going fab happy on it.o_O It was on the border of being a basket case when I got home. 1st test drive after bringing it home was around the block with my fiancé and the first turn I took was ever so slightly up hill and just crushed the U joint/axle shaft. So right off the bat I put chromo's upfront only to find out that the PO had lied about it having a front locker ( wasn't that surprised but cmon)
 
What is yalls opinion on frame boxing. Any experience? Ive read a little about cages helping tremendously and what not, and that X members can help, but that they don't last. So im looking at possibly boxing the frame up a little bit. Probably under the cab to around half way under the bed. ill probably to a 2x4 crossmember in the rear of the frame for some support and another up front and solid box the front frame stubs for support when pulling. Ive seen that this body truck elegidly have the worst reputation for frame flex. I have also witnessed it pretty bad when testing just to see if it would give me any flex. Needless to say. It was a little embarrassing.
 
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