What differences are there between the 79 Trucks and the 80 Trucks?

[nils1227]

What differences are there between the 79 Trucks and the 80 Trucks?

 

[bear]

The grill is painted black for the 1980 and the axle's changed from 5 on 4 1/2" bolt pattern and full time 4 , to 5 on 5 1/2" bolt pattern and part time 4 wheel with locking hub's .

 

[RCAddict]

Bear, you covered that I've seen two different colors of wood grain dash bezel for them too

 

[bear]

Good point "RCAddict" , I have seen to different shade's of wood grain . But I'm not shure if that's a 79 / 80 thing or a 77 thru 80 thing . It's tough getting old , they say the memory is the first thing to go . LOL

 

[RCAddict]

As I have found the wood changing back & forth every two years or so with a pickled wood in 2 shades for 79 & 80 1 with outline one without. I've parted a bunch of trucks but not that many 79-80 SE trucks 72-78 I knocked them out of the park.

I can tell you though that a 79-80 model steering column is 79-80 only the mounting bracket is different under the dash.

 

[79dodge4ever]

1979 has a one piece steering shaft, the 1980 has a 2 piece steering shaft, as well some of the wiring is different, the 1979 had a dual ballast resistor and the 1980 had the single ballast

 

[RCAddict]

1979 has a one piece steering shaft, the 1980 has a 2 piece steering shaft, as well some of the wiring is different, the 1979 had a dual ballast resistor and the 1980 had the single ballast

The 2 piece shaft is standard for tilt columns. 79-80 Cabs are more like the 81-93 than they are 72-78 as the steering column mounting is the same 79-93 the A/c box changed as well