Restorations

The luck continues! Today I picked up a GM Corp 10-bolt front axle with 8-lug outers from an NP203 equipped 3/4 ton truck for $50! Everything spins over very well and it looks very good inside. Since this was originally on a full-time 4wd truck, there are no lock out hubs installed, rather a dust cap and a solid plug for connecting the hub to the axle. These will be nice to have once I do start wheeling this truck harder than I am now.

Here are some pictures:

The only thing I was really hoping for out of this was that it would already have 4.10 gears. But as can be seen in the photos below, the ring gear states 41 11 so they are 3.73 gears…

So this axle has the same gear ratio as my truck currently.  Now I have the 8-lug outers to go with the 14-bolt full floating rear axle!

For another $20, I picked up a set of 15×10 8-lug rims.  They need some good cleaning, but they are not too shabby for $20:

And the 14FF is in the shop! Dad had his new backhoe home today. I shot up to the shale pit with it and snagged the axle out of the weeds.

Everything looks good inside. I was able to get one drum freed up with some tender tapping with a 5lb hammer. The one that was down in the dirt for ~13 years did not budge. I will have to get in there and flush out the brake area with some water to get the mud out, then see about adjusting the shoes in to get the drum off.

There was some rust on the ring gear though. Not too sure what I am going to attempt with that…

Here are the pictures…

Yeah, its in there… Under a few telephone poles which it slipped off of over the years:

Back at the shop where I could open it up and take a look at things:

10 41 as it reads on the ring gear:

Rusty ring gear… I am inclined to see how it wears in after I clean it up and then use it a bit..

Oh yeah, here’s the best part (besides being free), 42.5" center to center on the spring perches. Exactly what is needed for my K5!! If I had 4.10’s in the front axle, I would be bolting this thing up!

I parted out a 1996 Chevy Astro van on August 30th which had a hydroboost brake booster.  The unit appears to be in good working condition, but I am still planning on putting in new seals to ensure that there is no leaks when I get everything installed and working.  Check out the Brakes page for further information.