Flipping axle tubes?

[95XL]

Ahh, so many options now?!? Although they are all pretty decent ideas, I still like the idea of a soild axle tube for some reason. I may (depending on the condition of the axle/price of materials), replace both tubes with new DOM tubing for both lengths, or just flip the originals still. I was talking with a guy at work (we work at a machine shop), and he said it really isn't that hard to press them out once you get the weld completely out. I dunno, I guess I wont decide on a definite answer until the time actually comes, I'll keep all my options open. Thanks for the suggestions though.

 

[95XL]

Well, I went to the junkyard this weekend and pulled my axle. Only problem is, I don't know what it is. I pulled it from, I think, it was a '86 or '87 3/4 ton suburban. I'm pretty sure it isn't a Dana 60, the tubes are way smaller than the ones on the D60 rear that I have. I tried surching around the net to see if I could find what came in them, and I couldn't pin point anything. I'm thinking it's either a D44, or a 10 bolt. How can I tell the difference? (besides counting the bolts, cause I'm pretty sure my D60 rear has 10 bolts as well, but correct me if I'm wrong). So uhh, yeah, any of you guys know your chevy axles? Thanks...

 

[Sunk]

Could it be a HD 44? I know they came in the fronts of some 3/4 ton Fords, so Chevies would make sense too.

If it's a Dana, the diff cover should look like a D.

 

[AKBroncoII]

It's a 10 bolt.

 

[95XL]

Sunk, the cover looks like a Dana, but then again I haven't really paid attention to many diff. covers in my day, so I can't tell apples from oranges if I was gunna try and figure out what it is from that.

AK, how can I be sure it's a 10 bolt? What is a good way to tell?

 

[Sunk]

I did a quick search online and found:

A 10-bolt
and

A D44

Hope this helps.

 

[Mutant Pony]

I was gonna say, the 10 bolt cover is almost round and the Dana covers are all the typical dana shape. But, sunk did one better. It is very rare to find a 60 in a 3/4 ton. Taking a 44 from a 3/4 ton chevy and doing all that work to put it in a Ranger is a HUGE waste of time.

 

[95XL]

Well, AKBronco had it right on the first guess. After taking a good look at it, the cover definitely looks like a 10 bolt.

Here, Decide for yourself:

 

[Sunk]

Yep, looks like a 10 bolt to me too.

 

[95XL]

Well, I finally got it in my barn tonight, and tore the diff. cover off to see what it had in it for gears, and it has GM stamped in it all over the place, so uhh, yeah that pretty much ends my confusion. I thought I might have gotten lucky and found one with 4.10's in it (thats what I need), but after counting the teeth on the ring and pinion it turns out to be 3.73's (41 on the ring, 11 on the pinion). Looks like the guy who re-geared my D60 for me will have another job this spring.

<edit> Oh yeah, as for gears, would anyone happen to know if I'm going to need reverse cut gears? It's a front axle (obviously), low pinion. I have 4.10's in the rear, is there a major difference between 4.10's and 4.11's?

 

[Sunk]

You can run 4.10s in one axle and 4.11s in another. Some trucks came stock with 3.50/3.55. I think anything within 5% is fine... but that number may be off.