Who else has this front axle? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**MJN** · 03-08-2002, 06:10 PM

My '74 is a 3/4 ton with full time four wheel. The front axle is a Dana 44 but has no lockouts. The stub axle ends in a splined plate with a little dust cover over the end. I have only seen two or three of these outfits around. It could easily be converted to accept the big Spicer lockouts. How many are still out there?

trukman1 · 03-10-2002, 02:52 AM

MJN, Most have, by now, been converted to part-time with lock-outs. Full-time wears front end components and causes decreased fuel economy.. Haven't seen but a few here in Ohio in the last several years. I hear mudrunners like'em because they supposedly keep out more mud from entering the hubs. Most came with NP203 transfer cases that have also been converted to part-time. With a Brute Force timing chain those are tough cases that aren't as appreciated as they should be, IMHO.

powermad · 03-11-2002, 09:27 PM

I have an external hub D44 in my 78 K5.
I have Warn Premium lock outs on it.
But my t-case is a 205 which is a part time case.
I believe to run the lock outs you will also have to convert the t-case to part time.
To change to lock outs just remove the plate and the slug and install the hubs. I believe that the external hubs are about $120.

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78 K5 on 3/4 ton axles.

**MJN** · 03-11-2002, 11:04 PM

I don't want to change to part time four wheel and if I did I have all the stuff to change it. I never had any trouble with a 203 except for the one that I replaced in the truck. It was slipping from who knows what abuse it went through. Thanks

conoverbandit · 03-12-2002, 08:19 PM

I got 2 vehicles with the full time dana 44 front in it .true you use more fuel and thus wear is an issue, but i like mine and would'nt change it IMO, I got a 75 cheyenne set up on a 77 bonanza chassis,203 t-case and full time, and I just got a k-5 set up the same way. just my $.02
conoverbandit

chevy68388 · 03-14-2002, 08:06 PM

i got a dana 44 full time with a np 203 i my blazer its like a 74 or a78 somthing old like that but now its got a 68 chevy truck cab on it

monypit · 03-26-2002, 11:46 PM

the only trouble with the 203 in ft mode is that is really one wheel drive. the tcase has a set of diff gears that act like a limited slip and will send all the power to one axle in slippery stuff and unless you have posi or a locker that means one wheel drive. other than that it is a very solid tcase hopefully you got the 2.5"chain but if not no worries.

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1973 blazer undergoing frame off and Vortec upgrade

**MJN** · 03-27-2002, 07:29 PM

WEll, the t-case I got in it came from a '75-'76 or so blazer and that was used to skid logs out of the woods. It has a Hurst shifter and I don't know about the chain inside though. I found that the front wheels will spin if the rears spin without me shifting it in to Hloc. Kinda handy but annoying when doing donuts in the school parking lot.

ShafferNY · 04-03-2002, 09:31 PM

I have a 78 full-time k-10,yes it has the NP203, and Dana 44 front axle. Mile Marker does sell a conversion kit to convert it to part-time four wheel drive. The big drawback is that every 100 mile they recommend you locking it in 4wd to keep the t-case properly lubed. I thought this was to much trouble so I decided to keep mine as is. I believe you will also have to buy a set of lock-out hubs for the front axle.

03-08-2002, 06:10 PM	#1
MJN Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn Posts: 3,051	Who else has this front axle? My '74 is a 3/4 ton with full time four wheel. The front axle is a Dana 44 but has no lockouts. The stub axle ends in a splined plate with a little dust cover over the end. I have only seen two or three of these outfits around. It could easily be converted to accept the big Spicer lockouts. How many are still out there? __________________ '51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com

03-10-2002, 02:52 AM	#2
trukman1 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Beavercreek, Ohio 45431 Posts: 737	MJN, Most have, by now, been converted to part-time with lock-outs. Full-time wears front end components and causes decreased fuel economy.. Haven't seen but a few here in Ohio in the last several years. I hear mudrunners like'em because they supposedly keep out more mud from entering the hubs. Most came with NP203 transfer cases that have also been converted to part-time. With a Brute Force timing chain those are tough cases that aren't as appreciated as they should be, IMHO. __________________ 1967 K30 461/TH400/Np205/D60/14FF/BDS MTZ 375/75/16 on 16x10 Pro Comps

03-11-2002, 09:27 PM	#3
powermad Hillbilly Hotrod Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Oregon Posts: 69	I have an external hub D44 in my 78 K5. I have Warn Premium lock outs on it. But my t-case is a 205 which is a part time case. I believe to run the lock outs you will also have to convert the t-case to part time. To change to lock outs just remove the plate and the slug and install the hubs. I believe that the external hubs are about $120. ------------------ 78 K5 on 3/4 ton axles. __________________ 69 K5, .060 over 350/465/205.

03-11-2002, 11:04 PM	#4
MJN Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn Posts: 3,051	I don't want to change to part time four wheel and if I did I have all the stuff to change it. I never had any trouble with a 203 except for the one that I replaced in the truck. It was slipping from who knows what abuse it went through. Thanks __________________ '51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com

03-12-2002, 08:19 PM	#5
conoverbandit Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Conover,N.C.USA Posts: 217	I got 2 vehicles with the full time dana 44 front in it .true you use more fuel and thus wear is an issue, but i like mine and would'nt change it IMO, I got a 75 cheyenne set up on a 77 bonanza chassis,203 t-case and full time, and I just got a k-5 set up the same way. just my $.02 conoverbandit __________________ 71 GMC 3/4 ton converted to dually 75 chevy swb 4x4 78 pontiac trans-am----sold, so long old friend..... 87 Crew Cab 2x 454 93 chevy hi top conversion

03-14-2002, 08:06 PM	#6
chevy68388 king $h!t Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: spring valley/ohio/usa Posts: 416	i got a dana 44 full time with a np 203 i my blazer its like a 74 or a78 somthing old like that but now its got a 68 chevy truck cab on it __________________ j dawg the 86 allmost done 357/700r4/lifted 9/dana44 front ten bolt rear/3.73 gears/35s

03-26-2002, 11:46 PM	#7
monypit Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 115	the only trouble with the 203 in ft mode is that is really one wheel drive. the tcase has a set of diff gears that act like a limited slip and will send all the power to one axle in slippery stuff and unless you have posi or a locker that means one wheel drive. other than that it is a very solid tcase hopefully you got the 2.5"chain but if not no worries. ------------------ 1973 blazer undergoing frame off and Vortec upgrade __________________ 1973/1997 Blazer/Tahoe (it just doesn't know that it is a '73)

03-27-2002, 07:29 PM	#8
MJN Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn Posts: 3,051	WEll, the t-case I got in it came from a '75-'76 or so blazer and that was used to skid logs out of the woods. It has a Hurst shifter and I don't know about the chain inside though. I found that the front wheels will spin if the rears spin without me shifting it in to Hloc. Kinda handy but annoying when doing donuts in the school parking lot. __________________ '51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com

04-03-2002, 09:31 PM	#9
ShafferNY Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Ticonderoga, NY USA Posts: 2	I have a 78 full-time k-10,yes it has the NP203, and Dana 44 front axle. Mile Marker does sell a conversion kit to convert it to part-time four wheel drive. The big drawback is that every 100 mile they recommend you locking it in 4wd to keep the t-case properly lubed. I thought this was to much trouble so I decided to keep mine as is. I believe you will also have to buy a set of lock-out hubs for the front axle. __________________ The only good Fo*d is one that is under warranty!!!



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