Parts upgrade questions (newbie)

[tfdrooke24]

I have located a 1981 chevy one ton 4x4 with dana 60 front and a corp. 14 rear and a np205 tcase.  First of all, would these be good upgrades to my '79 half ton that im in the early process of rebuilding? and two how hard is it to convert my truck to accommodate these upgrades?  This sale may not last long so any input would greatly appreciated!!  Thanks guys!!

[joesgarage71]

yea good up grades! Should build the one ton frame with the good stuff from both trucks.

[Irish_Alley]

yea good up grades! Should build the one ton frame with the good stuff from both trucks.

if you all ready started on the frame just swap out the axles and the t case might not bolt right up to your old Tranny, might need an adapter plate or use the other tranny. the springs should be diffrent sizes so they usually cant be swapped that easy but it can be done.

[Mr Diesel]

How about just restore the 1981 one ton 4x4?

[tfdrooke24]

well the ol' '79 was a family truck years ago that was sold and i had the opp to buy it back 9 years later so i am going to keep the '79.  But i have no plans on keeping it like it was back in 2000 neither.  I plan on doing a little body work it needs and beefing up the drive train and suspension.  A few interior plans are in the making, but functionality is what I'm looking for.  I have decided i will prolly keep the current axles that are in the truck, but since i have had a little trouble shifting the current 203, i think I'm just gonna go ahead with the 205.  My question is will the 205 bolt directly to to the t350 thats in the truck? If not, does someone make the required adapter that I will need?  When i go looking for used 205s, whats some things I should do when "field testing" to make sure I'm getting a decent tcase?

[tfdrooke24]

also.....should have put this in the first post.....I think the tranny that the 205 is coming out of is a granny 4 or 4 speed manual tranny.  I have a automatic t350.  The posts that i have pondered through mentions different spline numbers, are there mods to make this switch or should i just look for a 205 from a auto t350?

[Blazin]

Why not set your cab on the 1 ton frame?
The later ( 78 or so if I remember correctly ) SM456, and TH 400 have the same output spline. The TH 350 and 700R4s share the same splines. You will need to swap the input shaft in the 205 if you want it to work with the TH 350.

[Engineer]

Here is my $.02......

I would keep the 1982 all original, restore the '79 K-10 (as a family heirloom), and use the '82 as your work truck.

Here are my reasons for NOT parting out the K-30.

1) The K-30s frame will be WAY stouter than the K-10s. The frame on the K-30 has about a 1 5/8" taller rail overall between the rear mount on the front spring, and the front mount of the rear spring. This gives it a much higher ability to resist overloading.

2) the K-30's rear axle will not bolt onto your K-10s springs. The spring mountings on the 1/2, and 3/4 tons are wider than the C/K-30s. You would need to cut the spring perches off, and reweld them. Either that, or find a 14-bolt housing from an older 3/4 ton that has the same spring seat width. One other proble with this is the fact that the brake drums on the K-30 axle may not allow you to reweld the perches wide enough to allow you to put the u-bolts back on.

3) I like the front end of the 81+ trucks more so than the 80, and older trucks. This however, is a personal preference for me. So I would concentrate on keeping the '79 a '79, and the '82 an '82.

[Mr Diesel]

I would concentrate on keeping the '79 a '79, and the '82 an '82

Good advice.

[Whitfield]

Most of the 203's that I've had needed shifter lube.  I pulled the boot back and dumped a 1/2 quart or atf on the shaft / linkage and then wortk the shifter like a mad man.  Dump more work it again / then come back and dump oil on them and work them again.  That should keep it going for another 30 years.

No one ever services the 203 shift linkage which if you look at it is a complex desing of leavers and pivots usually rusty dried out and covered in mud.     

[beastie_3]

Most of the 203's that I've had needed shifter lube.  I pulled the boot back and dumped a 1/2 quart or atf on the shaft / linkage and then wortk the shifter like a mad man.  Dump more work it again / then come back and dump oil on them and work them again.  That should keep it going for another 30 years.

No one ever services the 203 shift linkage which if you look at it is a complex desing of leavers and pivots usually rusty dried out and covered in mud.     

I dont know about 1/2 a qt, but yes, the linkage does need to be lubed from time to time. I wet mine with WD40.

[Chevalade]

Actually WD-40 is a cleaner, not a lube.

[beastie_3]

Actually WD-40 is a cleaner, not a lube.

Actually, this is from their website........


What does WD-40 do?

WD-40 fulfills five basic functions:
1. CLEANS: WD-40 gets under dirt, grime and grease to clean. It also dissolves adhesives, allowing easy removal of labels, tape and excess bonding material.
2. DISPLACES MOISTURE: Because WD-40 displaces moisture, it quickly dries out electrical systems to eliminate moisture-induced short circuits.
3. PENETRATES: WD-40 loosens rust-to-metal bonds and frees stuck, frozen or rusted metal parts.
4. LUBRICATES: WD-40's lubricating ingredients are widely dispersed and tenaciously held to all moving parts.
5. PROTECTS: WD-40 protects metal surfaces with corrosion-resistant ingredients to shield against moisture and other corrosive elements.

[NevadaNeal]

Pb blaster..i love that stuff....ok back on topic....im wandering what kind of shape the 81 is in. In my resto of my 73 i swapped in a dana 60 in the rear.I should have used a 14 bolt,but i got a dana 44 hd and a 60 rear for free.Im not a fan of 10 bolts so i understand why you wanna beef up your 79.

[joesgarage71]

X2 on the blaster