The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline The great punkin

Hell has frozen over! I have found and purchased a third member for my 3/4 ton truck. 4.10 gears.

It is possible and there are units out there. But don’t try searching for the 3rd member. Look for guys parting out trucks. Look for rolling chassis because they aren’t selling and you may be able to get them to drop the member and send it to you. Look on ownster.com. It will get you all the Craig’s list ads and many other ads. Some guys don’t know what they have and you just have to ask for it. Their not advertising the #@$””% third member but maybe the truck that has it underneath. I actually found three but two guys just didn’t want to drop it out and ship. They had no idea how much I was ready to pay and cut their own throat. $$$$$

If your in the north. Good for you as most I found were in fact above the Mason Dixie line. Go figure, none in Florida. Shipping was $140 but I saw several pics of it and it looks like a good one with little wear. Seller is really great and sent pics and pics of the crate and shipping label with the tracking number.

I’m pumped,
Don

Good job. Honestly they are not to hard to find. I drag in a half dozen per year. Just remember nothing chevrolet built is really rare.

Well I was told it would be difficult to find them.

Don

Well for me. It's not hard to find . I bet I could find 15 in a few weeks. I recently rebuilt a 1927 white truck engine. They only made 70,000 of that series. Last made in 1930. They made that many ho52 4.10 per month from 69-72. It took me a month to find the roller lifters nos. Yes. Roller lifters on a 27 engine. Last made as replacement parts in 1941. So it's all relative. For me nothing post war gm is rare.

Just shows, rare and difficult to find is a relative thing. I'm with Truckfarm72, I believe I could have one located and in the bed of a pickup in a couple days if necessary. But then I'm retired, have tools and know where a lot of old junk/salvage yards are. The thing to remember is there are old weed covered salvage yards with old trucks hiding is said weeds in every state and most counties. That's where you can find HO72 and HO52 4.10 gears. You can use either, matters not as far as I know.

RonR

Come to Florida guys. No one has much older than an 85. Sure you can in the northern states.

When I came here looking for a solution I was told it would be very difficult by more than a few. Also this is for a 3/4 ton. 1/2 ton parts are a dime a dozen.

Also I’ve never had or worked on a car or truck of this age. If I was back in Indiana I wouldn’t have near the trouble.

Don

Don, didn't intend to send a negative message. A sincere "Glad you found one" and you'll be glad it's behind you (pun intended) when all's said and done.

Good Luck,

RonR

Good find Don! It always feels great to make a parts score.

In preparation for my exchange. I’m getting my supplies in order.

Tech tips say the rear housing takes 6 pints. Would that be the same as filling to the bottom of the filling plug hole? 3 quarts seems a little short of the mark.

Anyone have an answer?

Don

Sounds right to me.

Thx Grigg.
Can’t wait to tear into it.

Don

Well I made the swap. Went in just like the tech tip said it would. Did it by myself with the aid of a fixture I made out of plywood scraps screwed together to hold it upright. Balanced it on my floor jack and lifted it right into position. Bolts went right in.

Looking forward to adding the gear oil and taking a slow test drive.

Thanks to everyone for their advise and support.

Don

You're gonna like it! Hope it's a quite one, mine had some gear noise due to ring gear pitting. Lucas additive helped quite things a bit.

Didn’t I read a post about using sawdust for that?😉

I have read Truckfarm72 posts would love to obtain a 4:11 rear end for my 1953 Chevy 3600. I am a new member and cannot yet contact him directly. Is there some way we can get in touch? I am also a woodcarver. I live near Bozeman, MT in the summer and travel to Ellensburg every July to teach woodcarving. So, we pass through Spokane going to and returning from Ellensburg.

53RLT56,

You will be able to contact members after making 5 posts (you have already made 2). This is a protection for our members - protection from "hit and run/disappear" artists.

Post an introduction the Welcome Centre

Post a few questions about your truck.

Post a few photos of your truck.

When converting the rear end to the 69-72 4:11 is it enough to exchange the ring and pinion, or can you just bolt in the entire housing, I have a 1953 Chevy 3600 pickup.
Thanks,
Bob

Bob it’s a far easier process to just exchange the pumpkin. If you found a ring and pinion you would also have to find quite a few other seals shims gaskets and possibly new bearings. I’m replacing the two bearings on the pinion shaft and if I have to buy the larger pinion gear it’s $610. Then there’s all the special tools required to rebuild the pumpkin. Bearings have to be pressed on and off.

Just find a pumpkin. Some here in this post claim it’s easy but it took me about 6 months to find one. Also, these actually are 4.10 gears.

Don

That's what were doing Bob. Following this which is found in the Tech Tips.

https://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/axles/1%20Ton%20Upgrade/

Thank you Don and Julian. And Don, I know it is a 4.10, don't know why I said 4.11 other than I'm new to this as I purchased the truck last summer. It was bought new by the original owner and used on a farm in Montana for 11 years. Then stored in a barn until 2000. Purchased by a Montana collector in 2000 for restoration, but he never got around to it. He stored it most of the year, then drove it around Bozeman during July and August each summer. It runs good, up to 45 mph, but leaks oil from most places that can leak. It shimmied when I bought it, but a new steering system cured that issue. The brakes we REALLY gone. Rear brake shoes were bare metal and drums were scored 1/8" deep. Front shoes also bare metal with traces of lining and drums shot. Stopping required planning ahead. My brother was a brake mechanic for 10 years so that issue is also cured. I'll probably replace the old 216 with a rebuilt 235 next summer. The body has only minimal rust. I was going to have the body work done (my brother also does that) and then repainted. However, all who see it love the "Patina"....about 2/3 original but, faded blue and 1/3 very light rust (looks like brown paint). It's beginning to grow on me.

One final thought. I got my first drivers license in 1956. My grandfather taught me to drive with his truck. I don't recall the year of the truck, but it was an advanced design very much like mine.
Thanks guys,
Bob

Hi Don,
I too am looking for the third member for my 1953 3/4 ton Chevy truck. I understand that I can use the pumpkin from a 69-72 C10 pickup. Question...Does it have to be a 3/4 ton C10, or will a 1/2 ton work? As you can probably tell I'm new at this and would really appreciate your help.
Bob

Not Don but I was on the path you're venturing down recently. You're looking for C20 trucks/vans, also some C30's had 4.10s.

Good Luck, RonR

No half tons, look for 8 lug wheels.

Ed

Thanks Ron and Ed. I was afraid that would be the answer.

This is where I found my pumpkin. ownster.com

Don

Hi Guys,
This is Bob again. I need help. I want to convert the rear end of my 1953 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup to 4:10. I found the rear end from a 3/4 ton Chevy pickup that the owner THINKS came from a 1970. He sent a photo of the numbers on the side/edge of the ring gear. I know I'm looking for a 10-41, stamped on the inside surface, but that view is not available. On the side/edge the number is: 1 GM 3992484 11 41 4 76. What do you think? And, does the 76 at the end indicate it is from a 1976 pickup? It's been out in the weather for some time and the ring is somewhat pitted, but the cogs look good.

11-41 would be a 3.73:1 ratio. That's not one that would have been available in the HO-72 rear axle. Chances are what he's got is a Dana/Spicer style rear end from a GMC truck that does not have a removable carrier. Unless you're willing to swap the whole housing, that one's not going to do you much good. I've got a Dana Type 60 3/4 ton limited slip rear axle under a 59 Suburban, and I believe I installed 3.73 gears when I built it up around 40 years ago. I do recall using a GMC housing, Ford gears, and a Dodge pinion flange on that buildup!
Jerry

A search of that part number turns up results about 14 bolt axles.
Are those gears in an Eaton that the whole pumpkin that removes, or a 14 bolt with only removable pinion?

Unbelievable. I sent an e-mail to a salvage yard in Great Falls, MT in June asking about a third member from a 69-72 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup. No response. Then two weeks ago they called on Sunday and said they had a 1971 C 20 Chevy pickup with a complete rear end. They quoted $300 if I pull it and $450 if they pull it. I decided to let them pull it. Great Falls in a 3 hr drive so we headed up on Tuesday. When I arrived there they had the C 20 up on a fork lift and had pulled the axles. At that point I told them I only needed the pumpkin. I helped and we had it out in 20 minutes. And, they dropped the price to $300 since I helped in the dismantle and I only took the pumpkin. At the last minute I decided to take the axles so they tossed them in at no charge.

It would have been very easy to install if it didn't weigh in the neighborhood of 100 lbs, just a guess...I can't pick it up. And, I would have had the truck on jack stands. So, I decided to let a custom shop install it. It was in great shape and works great. They decided to use the C 20 axles. On the way to the shop my speedometer cable failed. I didn't know how fast I was driving home, but my wife, following in our Silverado said I was cruising at 70 mph. That was a shock as my previous best comfortable speed was 45-50 mph.

So,next comes the engine. I am having a 1954 235 rebuilt. The 216 in there now gets 65 miles per quart of oil. It leaks oil at just about every possible location, but doesn't smoke so I really don't know how much oil it burns. So far I have all new breaks and steering, new starter, new wheels and tires, and a swapped third member. It should be a solid driver soon.

Thanks to all of you who answered the many questions, and explained how I should go about increasing my cruising speed. I'm still a rookie so I'm sure I'll be hounding you guys again soon.
Thanks,
Bob