gm 10 bolt?

how do i find out what axle is in my 1985 chevrolet K/V? this truck has a lift kit installed by someoone else years ago that is y i am having trouble.  

Look at the differential cover. Then do a google search for differential ID and compare yours to the many many pictures you will find.  

mouth21:
how do i find out what axle is in my 1985 chevrolet K/V? this truck has a lift kit installed by someoone else years ago that is y i am having trouble.

Try link below for a axle ID guide

Click Here  

Count the bolts on the cover... lol  
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FourWheeler Web Editor:
Count the bolts on the cover... lol

The problem with that is that a D44 and a GM 8.5 both have 10 bolts in cover (so does D60 and 70) and on 14 bolt side there is two 14 bolts and so on, so sometimes a picture is worth a lot to someone that does not know their way around 4x4's  

if its all stock then axles have to be 10 bolts for a 1/2 ton and chevy only used d60 up front on 1 tons with a 14 bolt in the rear and its easy to tell wheater it is a full or semi floater by just looking at the back rim.    
solid axle chevys cant be beat
78 K5: 350 V8,700r4,np208, 8 lug D44 4:88, 14 bolt 10.5 4:88 with detroit locker and 35 inc parenelli jones dirt grip tires

That is not quite correct. The 1/2 ton Chevy I donored when building my Wrangler had a 12 bolt in the rear. They used the 3/4 ton axles in some 1/2 ton trucks, either as a special order or as part of atow package.  

thanks for your help guys  

Dirty_Dog:
That is not quite correct. The 1/2 ton Chevy I donored when building my Wrangler had a 12 bolt in the rear. They used the 3/4 ton axles in some 1/2 ton trucks, either as a special order or as part of atow package.

GM had a few 12 bolts floating around in some truck until very early 80's but most were gone by late 70's.  Some 1/2 ton P/U with Z71 package came with a 9.5 14 bolt semi floater which by many is not consider a true 3/4 ton rear axle though it is a lot stouter than 10 bolt. (I think one of the main reasons that is was in some Z71's is because the 9.5 had a lot stronger posi unit/carrier than the 10 bolt ever did) The 14 bolt semi floater can be found in both 6 lug and 8 lug patterns with the 8 lug being used in LD 3/4 ton trucks and 1 ton vans. Funny thing about the truck twelve bolt is that is actually weaker than the car 12 bolt because it has a much smaller pinion head shaft diameter than car version. Also if I had to choose between a old truck 12 bolt and a new 10 bolt (91 and later with bigger axle shafts) I would choose the 10 bolt. While it is true that 12 bolt has a slightly larger ring gear and 12 bolts holding it on, they are only 3/8 inch bolts while the 10 bolt has ten 7/16th inch bolts securing it.  

i say 10 bolt because the truck is a 85 and chevy didn't equip their trucks with 12 bolts by that time and i know chevy used some 8 lug d44 frt axles on 3/4 ton trks  
solid axle chevys cant be beat
78 K5: 350 V8,700r4,np208, 8 lug D44 4:88, 14 bolt 10.5 4:88 with detroit locker and 35 inc parenelli jones dirt grip tires

Hello SNOMAN, I am from Uruguay South america, i was reading your forum, I need to know if my differential is an Z71 9.5 14 bolt, because i need to bay ring & pinion from Yukon with 5:38 ratio. Sorry my english

please send me your e mail to ftinez@hotmail.com

and i will send you my pictures


Thank you very much for your answer !  

It is pretty easy to tell. 9.5 has 14 bolts on rear diff cover and 10 bolt has 10.  

Do you know any other the numbers that were imprinted on the 10 bolts?  I have a front axle that has 10 bolts, tube is 3".  So what is it,  there is GM11 stamped on the under side.  

FourWheeler Web Editor:
Count the bolts on the cover... lol

SnoMan:
The problem with that is that a D44 and a GM 8.5 both have 10 bolts in cover (so does D60 and 70) and on 14 bolt side there is two 14 bolts and so on, so sometimes a picture is worth a lot to someone that does not know their way around 4x4's

ddddddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmmm lololololol  
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