3/4 Spicer knob color

[vectorit]

I was just wondering if someone can educate me a little.

I have a D44 8 lug axle out of a '72, and it has the yellow Spicer knobs.

Just wondering what the significance is to the yellow and blue knob?
Is one for a particular model, such as GMC or Chevrolet?

I know the red one is from a Ford application.

It seems through my research that the blue ones are more scarce, and tend to bring more of a premium over the yellow ones. Is that because they are just more uncommon, or is there another reason?

[too much stuff]

I will try to help a little. I think the blue was 71-72 chev, and yellow was 73 and newer.
I believe gmc used red in the 69-72 vintage with no lettering on them.

[special-K]

Red could be Ford or '70 Chevy,blue was 71/72,then yellow in '73 just like all Chevy emblems. I've seen blue on '70 also,though. Chevy and GMC were the same.

[vectorit]

Thanks guys.

[too much stuff]

Originally Posted by special-K

Red could be Ford or '70 Chevy,blue was 71/72,then yellow in '73 just like all Chevy emblems. I've seen blue on '70 also,though. Chevy and GMC were the same.

So 1970 was red on chev or gmc? 1/2 or 3/4 ton?

[71blksuper4x4]

Eric, from my understanding, I think red was on 1/2 ton GMC's and blue on 1/2 ton Chevy's. My 70 has blue, but Gary with the blue Jimmy has red. I haven't seen Red 3/4 ton lockouts without Ford in the insert. Not saying that it wasn't available, just never ran across a set. I know the ochre hubs didn't start until 73' though. Trevor

[special-K]

I'm not sure if the red'70s were a Chevy/GMC thing or not,but I have seen red large hubs on '70s. Could have been GMCs,I guess,but thought I had seen Chevys. I have also seen blue on '70 Chevys. Can't say what was original and what was changed these days.

[olblue60@aol.com]

My 68 1/2 ton has red. Is this original?

[special-K]

Originally Posted by olblue60@aol.com

My 68 1/2 ton has red. Is this original?

No,and neither is your axle

[BLAZERMAN]

If i remember correctly one of my Spicer manuals lists the red GM knob for 1970 Suburban, dont know why it would have a different color than others.

[b454rat]

I've sold alot of these, always thought the blue was 67-72 style, yellow/mustard was 73-77 and red was Ford. I've never heard of red on the early ones....

[olblue60@aol.com]

So Tim.
Whats it from?

[special-K]

Originally Posted by olblue60@aol.com

So Tim.
Whats it from?

I don't know quite what's going on with your '68. It is certainly an assembly of various year trucks. You are talking about the green pickup? If you're talking about the Suburban,is it a pastic knob as shown? That type wasn't used in '68 on anything.

[GMC674x4]

Originally Posted by BLAZERMAN

If i remember correctly one of my Spicer manuals lists the red GM knob for 1970 Suburban, dont know why it would have a different color than others.

Hi Guys, havent been on here in years, but noticed this post while googling for 4x4 goodies.

Because I collect these massive 3/4 ton Spicer Hubs, I will clarify a few things I've learned over the past 16 years.

Pre 1970 GM 3/4 ton 4x4's.....( 1969, 68, 67) didnt use the large spicer hubs.........even though they came with the HD Dana 44 front axle. Before 1970 GM was using an all METAL external locking hub, as well as optional drive flanges for those who didnt want lockouts. Pick up a period 68-69-70 chevy 4x4 truck brochure, and you'll see. Also a period GM repair manual from this time will also clarify this.

Pre 1970 1/2 tons did use a RED knob marked SPICER, and I have seen these on 1968 and 1969 model year GM 4x4's, but they were used only for a short time, until 1970. I've seen an all metal factory hub used on 67-68 1/2 tons as well, that are similar to external 3/4 ton I mention above, but this version is internal.

Remember that in 1968 the chevy emblem was red, and as metioned, I have seen these on 1969 model year GM 4x4's.....by which time they switched to using the BLUE emblem. I think the red 1/2 ton knobs were a carry over till it was finalized with all blue knobs in 1970.

1970 model year to 1972 is when GM used the BLUE Spicer knobs on both half tons and 3/4 tons...........IT WAS COLOR COORDINATED to match the BOWTIE emblem.......ever notice that???? This included GMC as well.

1973 model year to early 1977 model year 3/4 ton. GM switched to YELLOW to match their bowtie emblem.

1973-80 1/2 ton used the yellow spicer knobs as well, on trucks that came with conventional 4x4 systems ( NP205) With the 76 model year to 1979 model year only manual trans trucks came with NP205.....and those came with spicer hubs.

1977-1982 K30, K3500, the dana 60 spicer lockout was used until 82 model year after which GM switched to using WARN lockouts instead, or optional Automatic locking hubs for all 1/2 3/4 or 1 ton 4x4s.

GM never offered red external Spicer knobs on its trucks during the 1970's, that was a FORD thing. BUT SPICER was making these knobs for both auto manufacturers.

NOTE: Your RED knob you show with plain black center is a GM REPLACEMENT KNOB.......that is very rare. I have an NOS set both in GM boxes, with GM parts numbers on the inside of the knobs. I never understood why GM did this, assuming these were made in the 1980's because GM was still producing both BLUE and YELLOW knobs at that time. Its possible the GM red knob was a factory mix up and thus a low production run of these were made. I was buying NOS Yellow 3/4 ton knobs for 12.50 each in 2000, and with in 2 years from that time they were discontinued. In 2000 I was told that everything had been discontinued since 1986, except for the plastic knobs.

Either way these red GM ones are super rare compared to the blue and yellow ones.

I belong to an off road group here in Michigan called WEGOTMUD www.wegotmud.com you can browse the site as a guest, go to the ( garage section ) and pasted near the the top you'll see chevynuts drivetrain guide, click on the SPICER HUB one and you'll see pics of the NOS red ones I have.

[CUSTOM/10]

I have a stock 70 1/2 ton with red knobs !

[GMC674x4]

Originally Posted by CUSTOM/10

I have a stock 70 1/2 ton with red knobs !

And have you owned it since it was brand new in 1970??

Keep in mind parts can be replaced.

I've seen alot of these older 67-72 73-87 chevy trucks/blazers, burbans that people claimed were all original..........only to notice somebody swapped out axles, T-cases, trannys, over the past 30/40 years with newer or older parts that were not even offered in that model year.

[special-K]

I have had many all original 67-72 K/20s over the last 30-40 years and have owned '70s that had the red knob. I figure GM was matching the color to Chevy emblems,too,but that doesn't jive for '69s. And,'68s had the metal knobs that were used for years prior,not plastic. So,the red knobs were never used when they coincided with emblem color...unless you have a GMC

[RANDY COX]

yeppers my 70 Burb 4x4 had red ones...

[Vintage Windmills]

I need to look at the 71 truck I just dragged home and see if the one red one is an older GM swap in or a f*** one

[jeffahart]

My 70 K20 had red as original, now warren(bummer).

j

[duallyjams]

Interesting, I never knew chevy also used red. The question came up in a for sale thread. https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=832231

[Dieselwrencher]

I parted out a 71 K10 last year that had 69 K5 axles and it had red lock out knobs on it.

[special-K]

The '70 CST Blazer I had had red knobs. I have a '70 K/20 front axle now that has red knob Spicer hubs.