'82 D44 Front in '71 Jimmy?

['68OrangeSunshine]

I saw a pretty clean D44 front axle on an '82 GMC Sierra Grande K/1500 Jimmy at a local pull-yer-part. Engine was pulled but truck once had an automatic.
1] What is the likelihood of a 3.73:1 gear ratio?
2] Will it match the D44 front axle on my '71 Custom Jimmy K/1500?
I was only after a spare Pittman arm for the Jimmy at a local junkyard, but after I got my part, I looked at the whole axle as a possibility. Since I'm a total '67-'72 guy, I didn't find a SPID in the glove box to list the options, including rear [and front]-end ratios.
Junker made me a fair price, since this unit is complete, with disc brakes, hub locks and axle shafts.

[Blazer1970]

The '82 came with a 10 bolt, so if it has a 44 now, all bets are off on what it might be. If it is the original 10 bolt, 3.73s are very unlikely in an '82 Jimmy. No matter which axle it is, it will bolt into your '71.

['68OrangeSunshine]

It looked a lot like the Dana 44 front axle in my '71 Jimmy. I have a core D44 with a 3.73 in my junk pile. It's missing one axle shaft, disc brake calipers, and the hublocks are busted. I was quoted $1000 to restore it and set it up for my project, a '67 K/10 Suburban with a closed-knuckle drum brake front axle. As I recall, with a 454 upfront and a full load that Sub was hell on wheels to stop. I want to go to power disc brakes. And power steering -- '67 K/10 was never intended for full P/S -- old system option had power-assisted steering [slave cylinders] as on Corvettes. Since Corvette parts houses deal in that gear it has become very spendy. I tried a '69-on P/S gear box, it was incompatible, and I had to convert Sub back to manual steering.
Might it be possible to swap the ring and pinion from my 3.73 core to the newer axle?
Logistics compatability is the intent. I have a '71 Jimmy. I want the same type front end on my '67 K/10. I also have a '72 Blazer [292 L6, T221/SM465] project in the wings. The '72 K/5 has the D44 just like my Jimmy.

[68K20 x Drill]

THe 82 should have a 10 bolt...to covert you need wider Ubolts and top plates that come with a 10bolt because the 10bolt has thicker axle tubes. Banjo bolt on the calipers may be different. 3.73 is not uncommon, I'd say you have a 40%chance. The axle shaft spline counts are different, so you can't use 44 shafts in a 10 bolt.

To get PS on my 68, I too found the PS box didn't bolt up. I cut the PS box mount of a 76 3/4 ton, and cut away material until I could slip it over my frame with the bolt holes lined up. I made some spacer sleeves for the bolts, then bolted the newer PS box in place. After it was all bolted up, I welded the new part to my frame. So, now my frame is probably more than twice as strong at the PS box, a common failure point. YOu can buy frame reinforcement kits for the newer trucks, and maybe accomplish the same thing, but I spent less, and got more material doing it this way. No problems in 7+ years.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I shot some digital pix of the diffs on a] my '71 Jimmy, b]my '67 Sub, c]my scrap D44, and d] the junkyard differential. They look pretty much the same, [except for the '67.]. Guy said he would also sell me the bucket seats from the '82 Jimmy for $100. Seats in my GMC -- out of a late 70s/early '80s F car -- are shot. Will the '82 seats fit, or does the First Gen split-level floor create problems?
Anyway, my new Samsung digital camera is shorting out on me. New batteries start getting low after only minutes. So no pix tonight.
If I do get the '82 Corp 10-bolt diff, will the ring and pinion gears from my core [~'77 Blazer] Dana 44 fit, or are they different? The dana 44 front diffs have 10 bolts, too.

[Blazer1970]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

IIf I do get the '82 Corp 10-bolt diff, will the ring and pinion gears from my core [~'77 Blazer] Dana 44 fit, or are they different? The dana 44 front diffs have 10 bolts, too.

No. 10 bolt and Dana 44 differential parts are not interchangeable.

['68OrangeSunshine]

OK. I guess I'll just get the front seats and console then.

[earl87gta]

I would rebuild the one you have your self as long as you dont have to take it apart to replace ring and pinion barings it wont cost you that much to rebuild. but if you have to pay some one to but the new barings in and reset the gears its going to add $250 to the cost. every thing else you can do by your self easly.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Thanks Earl. BTW Semper Fi and Happy 232nd Birthday.

[earl87gta]

youre welcome. Semper Fi !