8-lug conversion help

[BigRedFord04]

aight....months ago i got the stuff from kopecki to convert the front of my truck to 8 lugs. since i had to take it apart to put adam's truck together i figured i might as well finally do that, but i'm running into trouble.

kopecki said the outers (knuckles out) were off a mid 70s chevy 3/4 ton w/ a dana 44. the 1st set of inner bearings i got were too big and i couldnt drive the races in, so i got them exchanged for ones that fit, which in the BCA book @ o'reilly's lists them fitting 77-79 chevy 3/4 ton. had to get different seals from the 1st set i got, which also list under 77-79. now that i've got all the parts, when i go to put it together i can tighten the inner spindle nut as tight as i want but it wont stop the bearings from moving like the 5-lugs stuff did when i got it too tight. when i tighten it approx. to specs it spins just fine forward, but when i spin it backwards i can hear something rubbing and cant figure out where. could i possibly have the wrong inner bearing? does the inner seal drive all the way into the hub, or just stay flush w/ the back? i'm thinking that the hub is rubbing on the nuts that hold the spindle on but cant find any evidence. if anyone can stop by and scratch their head at this problem w/ me it'd be appreciated.

[BigRedFord04]

i've gotten no further hunting this problem. i tried both hub/rotor assemblies on both spindles, move the backing plates around, used a hammer....nothing helps. i cant imagine chevy stuff would be any different than ford in the assembly process. it just seems like no matter how tight i tighten the inner spindle nut its not setting any preload on the bearings. i've got one spare spindle i can try, but i'm pretty sure its exactly the same.

i've got the spindle w/ the backing plate on top of it bolted to the knuckle. inner bearing race seated all the way. bearing lubed up. seal driven in flush w/ the back of the hub. outer races driven all the way in w/ lubed bearings, then the spindle nuts. am i forgetting anything? have i done anything wrong? i know b.c. its new rotors and new pads it should be tight, but i basically have to drive the inner pad in between the rotor and the backing plate.

[bburris]

Is the backing plate rubbing something? Is there a reason you need them either way?

[stx4wheeler]

when i put new bearings, hubs, and rotors on mine it was extremely hard to get the the inner pads in to, as for the eight lug swap i dunno if you have looked at the one or two good threads on fullsizebronco.com. i know there is quite a bit of chevy eight lug swap info on there.

[eight]

They're off a 77 chevy K20 10 bolt. Are you having the same problem with both sides?

[Doug Krebs]

I just remembered there are 2 different series of spindles for chevys but I think the change was earlier then 77

[BigRedFord04]

kopecki stopped by just a little while ago right after i rolled outta bed. we figured out that buttkiss gave me spindles off of a `69-73 D44 and the lip the inner bearing rides on is like 1/4" too far inset. i have one that works, but need another, SOON. if anyone has a spare they'd be willing to part with, please let me know ASAP. 6 lug or 8 lug will work b.c. evidently they're the same, but it has to be off a 10-bolt.

[BigRedFord04]

is anyone not doing anything right now that wouldnt mind giving me a ride to the junkyard? call me 512.468.1604

[bburris]

If you want to show me the differences between the two I can most likely swap those spindles with the correct ones.

[BigRedFord04]

well dan came over and gave me a ride to gordon's. they have two complete...well had two complete 10-bolts out there. if anyone needs a spare longside shaft its very easy access now. i got the correct spindle and should have everything put back together tonite.

i'd be more than happy to swap w/ you burris so i'd have spares b.c. the two i have now are useless to me. basically the difference is that on the ones i need the shoulder that the inner bearing rides on is ~1/8" further out.

[BigRedFord04]

got the tires bolted on, just waiting for the battery to "warm up" so i can start it and take it for a test drive. other mishaps included having to go back to the store to check into getting new brake lines, b.c. evidently Ford and GM use different size banjo bolts on the calipers. after looking at what it would take to convert all of my brake lines to GM stuff, and the $50+ it would've cost, i decided to drill out the Ford lines to fit the bigger GM banjo bolts. no leaks yet (knock on wood). i think i might've finished. a trip around the block will tell.

[eight]

That's what Bryan Hose did when they made my hoses, they didn't have the gm ones in stock and said they do it often, no problems.

[Shaggy]

it is all going now... he just drove it and it works fine

[bburris]

I'll probably get those spindles from you and bring them back to exchange them. I'll call you when I'm heading to CS.

[eight]

So, you gonna go Oliver style on it and put on some F-250 emblems? :D

[Shaggy]

his license plate is xlf150 so i am guessing no

[usmcagg02]

did you put all the 4x4 back together or just get it driveable in 2wd like you were talkin about?

[eight]

No shafts, remember to put something to plug the holes for the outers. Those outers have a history of running without shafts, the second owner's son broke a shaft and he decided the truck wasn't worth replacing the shaft. You may like to know that the first owner was a uranium mining operation, so if they grow a 9th lug, don't worry. :D

[Graystroke]

You may like to know that the first owner was a uranium mining operation, so if they grow a 9th lug, don't worry. :D
***! and you don't need a flashlight at night to change a tire...the lugs will glow a brightish green-yellow!

[BigRedFord04]

right before it was all assembled i got out the engraver and put ford logos on everything :flipoff2: what am i supposed to plug up kopecki?? everything has held together thus far...being ~300miles in a trip to dallas and drunken galavanting around town w/ nix last nite. 1st nite after it was together i thought it was leaking brake fluid from the canadian brake lines, but they've held up, it was just coming out of the axle tubes from lack of shafts. i'll get there eventually. when i do i'm going to need to replace all the studs and lugs b.c. they were a PITA to get on. someone must've hit 'em w/ a hammer a couple times.

[eight]

Where the stub shaft is supposed to go through the spindle, plug that with a rag or somethin.

You do know you can't use those stub shafts? They have baby u-joints.

[BigRedFord04]

yeah...i kinda figured that out when we figured out that the spindles were wrong. i need some eventually, but its not a huge concern right now.

[usmcagg02]

someone must've hit 'em w/ a hammer a couple times.

that wouldnt have been you would it? :flipoff2: