87 Chevy kingpin D60?

[Madgyver]

Has anyone switched axle tube sides to correct for driver side diff?
Success?
Issues?

 

[Yeller]

Yep done it

It’s not too difficult. with careful measuring, cutting and welding the axles can be reused. You can even add castor to raise the pinion up to line up with the driveshaft. No one will want to admit it but cutting, beveling and butt welding the tube back together works perfectly. That also saves removing the knuckles and keeping them straight, most of the time just clamping the tube in a piece of angle and welding it back is as straight as the factory made them. If it’s not straight enough there are techniques to get there with heat. You can do it, and if I didn’t have to cross the pond I’d come and help ya;D

I’ve done several D60’s, D44’s and GM 10 bolts for the GM SAS crowd. Broncno’s front has had this treatment to rotate the pinion up and add castor.

 

[Broncobowsher]

The long side can be shortened instead of replaced. Cut the end off.
But the short side should be replaced to make it longer. Or spliced.
In the end you are still running a low pinion.

 

[Yeller]

PS: as long as the inner axles are not the early necked down units they are quite robust, I ran the stock ones in Broncno for many many years before replacing them with chromo units due to the ujoint journals being stretched enough to see daylight around the cups. The stock outers are no stronger than a D44, if you can muster replacing them do so at the beginning, when they break they split length wise and kill the spindle.

 

[Madgyver]

Yep done it

It’s not too difficult. with careful measuring, cutting and welding the axles can be reused. You can even add castor to raise the pinion up to line up with the driveshaft. No one will want to admit it but cutting, beveling and butt welding the tube back together works perfectly. That also saves removing the knuckles and keeping them straight, most of the time just clamping the tube in a piece of angle and welding it back is as straight as the factory made them. If it’s not straight enough there are techniques to get there with heat. You can do it, and if I didn’t have to cross the pond I’d come and help ya;D

I’ve done several D60’s, D44’s and GM 10 bolts for the GM SAS crowd. Broncno’s front has had this treatment to rotate the pinion up and add castor.

Thanks Steve,
There seem to be a bidding war going on for this axle, to a point that I'll probably just let it go to the other builders since more work is involve to make it work for me.. it started at $250. it's going up now according to seller..