# 1984 silverado 4x4 questions



## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

Hello,
I have always liked chevys and I just got a new toy to play with.
The paperwork I got says it is a C/K 1500 (K/R10).
I have been told by some people that it is a 3/4 ton and by others that it is a 1 ton because it has 8 lug wheels and 3/4 trucks have 6. I did not even know there were 1 ton pickups. How can I be sure what I have? It is an automatic. How do you tell a 350 trans from a 400? One more question, it has 4 square headlights. The top lights work as both hight and low beams. The bottom lights don't come on at all. When should they be on? Thank you.
Rob


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## 1977/85scottspecial (Jul 19, 2003)

A 3/4 ton truck will have an 8 lug pattern too. I have an 85 3/4 that is 8 lug. You will have to give some more info to determine whether its a 1 ton or 3/4 ton? Either the axles or the body have been switched if it says its a 1500. Hope this helps a little


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

There is a good chance someone swaped axels on you and put 1 ton or 3/4 ton stuff under your 1/2 ton. A turbo 350 has a square pan with a corner chopped at a 45* angle on the rear driver side and a 400 pan is kinda jagged and looks like the state of illinois. 

On the rear end do big hub looking things poke out of the middle of the rim about 2" diameter and 6" long? Does the front have ball joints or king pins? 

If paperwork says 1/2 ton than thats what you have and you can only legaly carry what a 1/2 ton will


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## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

Ok, how did you get a 1/2 ton, isn't 1500 a 3/4 or am I all confused? I didn't think that was even a possibility.
Pardon my ignorance but I don't know the difference between ball joints and king pins.
This one really confused me.
"On the rear end do big hub looking things poke out of the middle of the rim about 2" diameter and 6" long?"
I did not see anything like that on rear end. That almost sounds like you could be talking about where the lock-outs would be?

The trans is the odd shaped 400. Is it much better than the 350?

Maybe some pics will help.


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## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

Photos coming right up.


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## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

Here are some shots. BTW, I payed $2500 for it. Body is good, runs great, but likes to drink gas.


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## JMR (Feb 24, 2003)

8 lug wheels would lead me to believe at least the differentials are out of a 3/4 ton truck. The 3/4 tons had 3 leaf front springs and in the picture you have only 2 leafs. 1/2 ton had 2 leaf spring set-up. For the rear differential if it uses 8 lug wheels it is a 3/4 ton. The question is whether it is semi floating or full floating. A picture of the rear wheel with hub cap off will help identify. Semi floating was used on light duty 3/4 tons, full floating was used on HD 3/4 tons. Hope that helps.


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## 03GMC (Dec 23, 2003)

..... k-10(1/2 ton) k-20 (3/4 ton) k30 (1- ton)

Some one has put 3/4 axles in the truck thats why you only have 2 leaf springs.


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## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

Here is a picture of the rear wheel.


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## JMR (Feb 24, 2003)

Light Duty 3/4 ton rear axle.


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## Robhollar (Dec 27, 2003)

What were the heavy 1/2 ton trucks??? An extra leaf or were the the diff's off of a 3/4 ton???


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## JMR (Feb 24, 2003)

A heavy 1/2 ton still only had 6 lug wheels. I think it had the same GVW as the regular 1/2 ton. I THINK they had different gear ratio's and 400 turbo or the bigger manual trans. I know on the older 1/2 ton trucks that certain steering components were different if the truck was equipped with 4.11 gears as opposed to other gear ratio's. The 4.11 ratio steering components were beefer, but still not the same as 3/4 ton stuff. I suppose if someones really interested I could go through some of my older service manuals and find out.


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

The pics aint showing up for me. So you guys say he has a semifloating 14bolt? 

The whole comment about the kingpins were I was just curious if you had a dana 60 up front or a dana 44. A 60 is a stronger axel. if you have a semi floating 14 bolt then I bet you have a 44(3/4 ton stuff) Still good stuff but I was mostly curious. You could take a pic of the cover of the front diff and we could tell ya but I bet its a 44.

Congrats though......3/4 ton stuff swaped in there is a good thing. Beef rules. 1500 and 10 designation has always been a 1/2 ton with chevy. They are starting to get wierd with their designations lately and the numbers dont mean quite what they used to.

You figure out what trans you have?


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## SCSIndust (Mar 4, 2003)

3/4 ton trucks also came with 2 leafs in the front. I bought a set from a guy that had a 3/4 ton 1990 suburban. just fyi


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## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

Yes, it is a 400 trans. Thanks for all the info, guys.
Rob


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## porkhead1 (Jan 28, 2003)

Usually, inside on the glove box door is the SDID sticker which will list all the options on the truck when it was built at the factory. If it is gone, may guess would be someone removed it. The VIN will tell what it was when it was built also 1/2 or 3/4. Normally, 1/2 tons had 350 trannies, 6-lug wheels, Corporate axles up front & Corporate 12-bolts out back. What is the length of the box.....1/2 tons came 6' or 8'.....3/4 & 1-ton were only 8'. 
3/4 & 1-tons were normally 400 trannies, 8-lug wheels, axles varied from Dana 44s up front & Dana 60s out back to GM Corporate "look-like-Danas" front/back. If you've got 3/4-ton stuff on a 1/2-ton....great. Although the 3/4 & 1-tons may have a thicker frame than a 1/2-ton. 
As for the HD springs...std. springs were only 2 leafs no matter what size truck you bought. The additional 3rd leaf was the "HD Front Spring" option. The additional leaf added only 50# capacity to the front end. In 1984 there was no "Plow Prep"-type pkgs., so when it came time to put a plow on, smart owners took their trucks to a spring shop & had additional leafs added....

Just my $.02


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## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

http://www.akfabshop.com/alaskaoffroad/axle_tech.htm

I came across the interesting web site with info on "How to Identify Chevy Axles". Of course, I'm still not sure what I have.

"Rear axle:
The best way to tell if you have a 10.5" 1 Ton 14 Bolt, is to look at the front of the pumpkin where the pinion bolts to the drive shaft. If it has a bolt on cover like the ford 9" then it is a 10.5" 14 bolt or an Eaton. If the pumpkin is round like a ford 9" then it is the Eaton. If its not, then it is definitely the 14 bolt. 10.5" 14 bolts also have hubs sticking out of the wheel (because the 10.5" is a full floating axle and the 9.5" is a semi-floating axle) and the 9.5" 14's don't."
My rear axel cover has 14 bolts but looks different, and the front of the axel has no bolts.

































cont.


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## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

"Front Axle:
The front axle can be identified by whether or not it has kingpins or ball joints. It would have kingpins if it was a Dana 60 (1ton axle) or ball joints if it was a Dana 44 (3/4 ton axle). The newer Dana 60's have ball joints but it is very unlikely that you have one. The other way to tell is to look at the diff housing from the front. On the right hand side there is a web that goes from the side of the cover down to where the tube is welded in. On that web there should be a 60 or a 44 cast into it. Again, the 60 would mean that it's a 1 ton, and a 44 means that it is a 3/4 ton or half ton. The Dana 44 came in both 1/2 and 3/4 the differences being the thickness of the tube and the 8 lug outers. The diff covers on the Dana 60 and 44 look almost identical so its easy to get them confused. "

I still don't know which I have.

Mine looks loke a 5 is stamped on it. 


















That glove box label has some interesting info, but I could not find a 3/4 or 1 ton on it.









It has a 8' bed and a 400 trans.
Rob


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## Bolts Indus. (Dec 22, 2003)

It's a ck20 which is a 3/4 ton. ck10 is 1/2 ton.


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

were you get that its a k20?

if title says its a 1500 or a k10 then its a 1/2 ton, unless someone goofed. You can also decipher the VIN. Does it still have the little sticker on the door with the gvrw and all that jive?


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## Bolts Indus. (Dec 22, 2003)

Look at the glove box label. The only reference is to a ck20 not a ck10. As far as tittle being mixed up, that happens all the time.


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

I was just wondering were you figured that it was a 3/4 ton. I cant see the pics for some reason, I didnt know they were posted of his sticker. Didnt know if you knew something I didnt or if you were going by the fact he had a 3/4 ton axel(cant see his front axel so I dont know about it) Titels do get jacked up all the time. Or people swap frames or parts or all kinds a goofy stuff. I was just going by what he said the title said.


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## tuna (Nov 2, 2002)

This is simple ,its a light 3/4 K20 thats had a cab swap like many old Chevys


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## porkhead1 (Jan 28, 2003)

check the VIN on the SPID sticker with the VIN plate on the dash (drivers side front corner)....if they match, you've got a 3/4-ton (CK20903 = 3/4 ton) 

3/4-ton, posi rear end, 4:10s, dual 20-gallon tanks, tranfer skid plate = nice truck  Take good care of it & it'll last forever. 

IMO, if you're going to put a plow on it, have a couple of leafs added to the front. The std. alternator is 61amp. you may want to consider up-grading it to something with more output....

http://motorcityreman.com/

http://verizonsupersite.com/4alterstartcom/door/

Add a LARGE tranny cooler

new battery w/ plenty of "reserve power"

http://www.thefosterfamily.org/snowplow/index.html

Good luck........


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## BRIAN11 (Jan 17, 2004)

You can tell by the VIN number on the SPID label that it is a 3/4 ton K20.


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## acornish (Dec 21, 2003)

Ok but not to bust any bubbles --- I used to work for GM and there is such a thing 1/2 ton HD which is a half ton truck with a 3/4 ton drive train-- the only thing is they still use the 1/2 ton suspension--IE the only 2 leafs up front . That truck by the way if that support sheet is right -- is a 1/2 ton- My brother has an 85 GMC the same way--- during the years of 82-88 GM mixed mathed parts all the time just to satisfy their customers.


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## crashz (Jan 12, 2004)

Corporate 10bolt for the front.
Corporate 14 bolt (9.5 inch ring gear - semi floating) rear axle.

Both are standard 3/4 issue axles during the 80's. The corporate 14 bolt that you referenced was on the 74 - 81 3/4 tons and 1 tons and from 82 - 2000 it was on 1 tons only. The new HDs have a very similar axle but the pinion carrier is cast into the housing now.

From the tag - I would say its a K20 3/4 ton pick up. The title is probably incorrect. Best way for sure is to run the VIN either on a GM website or contact GM customer service. But I'm 99% sure that this truck is a 3/4 ton.


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## maximus (Feb 10, 2004)

According to your vin on the sheet you have it is a 1985 3/4ton 4 wheel drive v8 250 hd made in st louis mo sequence 152671


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## maximus (Feb 10, 2004)

sorry v8 350 hd


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## pumkindrvr (Feb 23, 2004)

Thanks guys. Any idea about the bottom headlights?


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## PlowRider (Jan 3, 2004)

*Vin*

Here is a link to help you decode your vinChevy vin decode Hope that helps you out


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## FSUPERDUTY (Jan 1, 2003)

Another thing I noticed is the bed is from an older truck because those years would have had gas tank doors not just gas caps


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