[BarryGMC]

Being a Jeep nut and old truck crazy has given me some unique perspectives on how to improve/modify our old stuff without going broke in the process. Dont get me wrong on preserving nice original rigs. I will search the world over for the proper parts for my 58 impalla or the cad. I even will on some of the trucks. However Most of the trucks do get used for work year-round. Its to much fun to get 2 units of ply in a 37 chevy 1-1/2 ton or 40 sheets of firerock in a 65 gmc. People say I am crazy but its no fun to just look at them. So here are a few things that I have found that work in our old GMC trucks that wont break the bank, and make our driver trucks more roadworthy. First 90's Ford and Dodge one ton vans with the D60 are a great place to find 3.54 third members. Carrier and all are 45.00 here in the pick and pull yards. So for about a Ben Franklin you can get on the road with some highway friendly gears in your 1500 truck. If you have 4.56 gears look under a 70's GM 1/2 ton for a stewart warner ratio adjuster with the 1.22-1 # on it, 4.09 need the 1.1 or 1.3 both work well. those are 2 bucks here. Second is easier with a K1000 than a 2 wheel drive but if you do a disk brake conversion on the front this would work also. So you have a K truck with axle troubles and bad brakes we all know about the 70's front axle conversion. Disk brakes open knuckle....For the rear use an Izusu rodeo/Honda passport D44. It has disk brakes. Usually a trac lock 3 series carrier with a thick 4.09 ring gear and six bolt axles. These are 95.00 in the pick and pull yards. These are 1/2 inch narrower than the stock D44 in our GMC's . I have never spent more than 500.00 on this swap on a k1000. And 100.00 was on an adjustable brake proportioning valve. Keep on thinkin.... Barry Charon