Axle swap question, how to?

[greentruck]

I am currently not with my truck, I had to relocate temporarily for work and the truck is at my friends place in AZ. That is why I have not updated the thread in months. Reading your post made me really miss my baby, I hope to get back to it in May. I can try to answer you questions to the best of my ability without actively working on my project.

The driveshaft on mine swapped in just fine. I am running 3 inches of lift and the driveshaft is stretched but I don't wheel it hard enough to bottom it out or anything. The u-joints bolted in just fine.

I don't think the knuckle to knuckle lengths on the two are different. I measured the length for steering purposes and i dont recall the numbers, but i do remember that they were the same. I used the steering linkage off the 76 and it worked fine. The later models y-steering is not ideal. So like you, I plan on using DOM with rod ends to build a straight linkage when I get back to the truck.

I never got the brakes plummed, so when you get that far I may have questions for you. The master cylinder was a bolt on swamp, and an ideal time to upgrade to power brakes if you havent already. I did not swap the proportioning valve yet, or run new lines.

Hope this helps, post your questions here or email me and I will try my best to answer your questions.

[Cortizzle88]

that's good to know. so you didn't notice any difference in the length of the driveshaft? it was still stretched the same distance?

and last of all it'd be really nice if the tie rods were the same length, that's my only concern. i just need a way to check the length of those later model tie rods... i need to find one of those trucks.