12 bolt 36" swampers how soon will it break?

highlow · Feb 7, 2005

I am looking to buy some lockright lockers for the blazer possibly from Tim. He brought up a point that I am aware of but now I am curios to here some of your guys stories on breaking your 12 bolt axle shafts with big tires. The reason I am wondering is because I don't wheel that hard so I just want to hear what you guys were doing when your axles broke?

EAT BEEF

Beast388 · Feb 7, 2005

With my 12 bolt, I did not break the shafts. I fragged the ring and pinion and shot chunks through the cover. I only had 32's at the time and was driving down a city road at 35mph. :eek1:

Kinda makes you loose faith in those 1/2 ton axles. :deal:

pauly383 · Feb 7, 2005

Depends on what you you do with the gas pedal . I have seen a 12 bolt on 37's not break shafts , yet on the same day the same truck broke d44 fronts and twisted a thin wall stock driveshaft . I have also seen 12 bolts with Superior shafts do some crazy chiat , with 35 Mtr's . I wouldn't hesiitate to run my 12 bolt on 36's ( my next upgarde goes from 33 to 35 on same axles ) , but I am packing MANY SPARES in case , a locker , and a light right foot :k5:

84_Chevy_K10 · Feb 7, 2005

Mine broke with 35s on the road with zero offroading. Fragged the pinion bearings and sent the pinion through the housing.

therobzilla · Feb 7, 2005

Richie,

I still run a 12 bolt, but I have upgraded to the Superior cromo shaft for the 12 bolt.

I run 35" MTR's and I run them hard, really hard! I have broken at least on 12 stock shaft. I have seen the 12 bolt break in other truck also.

It all depends on how you wheel, if you don't wheel often and hard, don't worry about it, if you wheel hard and often, a set of Superior Cromo shaft are in your future if you are going to wheel on a 12 bolt.

I flog the everliving $hit out of my 12 bolt, and I don't worry about it anymore with the superiors.

I do plan on going bigger tires soon, but not anytime soon.

I know a guy that wheels on 38" swampers with 12 bolt suff, it's not a full size blazer but it's a fullsize truck.

Good luck in your decision.

Rob

joez · Feb 7, 2005

Not a 12b, but i run a rear 10bolt with Q78-15 TSL's and a lockright, and havent broken anything, yet. Im sure i will, which is why i carry spare parts. Dont drive stupid and it will survive for a while.

pvfjr · Feb 7, 2005

I'm going on 3 years with 36" swampers and 12 bolt, never had a problem.

xtrmjoe · Feb 7, 2005

10 bolt with 4.56 and auburn limited slip with 35" mtrs with no problems, ran dusy ersham and rubicon multiple times. I have a auto trans and a light foot which helps not to mention I heve reduced the weight to less thatn 4,000 for wheeling, no top, doors, or tailgate. Ran the tires bald and upgrated to the 37" mtr's recently with superior shafts and the auburn ected as well as a truss from missouri offroad outfitters. Have not had a chance to get out on the trail yet with this set up.

dirtwarrior17 · Feb 7, 2005

I hear limited slips will let you get away with gears in a 10b if your foot is so damn heavy you have a limp.

highlow · Feb 7, 2005

Well you guys are all over the place

but I kinda figured that, and Rob ya think ya wheel hard :haha:

those are some outrageous pics. Anyways Rob where and how much were your superior cromo shafts? Also I do have another out I had forgot about and that is for cheap I can get a 14b sf out of a suburban supposedly with 3:73 gears just like I am running what do you guys think????
I almost forgot though that damn 14 b is 8 lug is there anyway around that so I can keep my 6 lugs for now also they are 15" wheels I am running.

EAT BEEF

Quaddawg · Feb 7, 2005

calfboy said:
Well you guys are all over the place but I kinda figured that, and Rob ya think ya wheel hard those are some outrageous pics. Anyways Rob where and how much were your superior cromo shafts? Also I do have another out I had forgot about and that is for cheap I can get a 14b sf out of a suburban supposedly with 3:73 gears just like I am running what do you guys think????
I almost forgot though that damn 14 b is 8 lug is there anyway around that so I can keep my 6 lugs for now also they are 15" wheels I am running.

EAT BEEF

You can get 15 inch 8 lug wheels, for that 14b...

I had 12 bolt and 36 tsls... broke slip yoke, broke u joints, no problems from the axles or ring and pinion. I too have a light foot though.... I think wheeling style has more to do with it than most think... Spin a 36 up in the air, and drop it down on a rock, and something is going to break.... in a 1/2 ton, anyway....

therobzilla · Feb 7, 2005

Here is my opinion, wheeling with a 14bolt in AZ is like wheeling with a boat anchor. Harley does it, and so does FWP. But I don't and will NEVER upgrade to a 14bolt, maybe a Dana 60 rear down the road, but never a 14Bolt. Remember, it's just my opinion

.

I wheel with a 12 bolt and will for quite some time. If you are going to wheel in AZ and are going to watch the skinny pedal, then stick with the 12 bolt stuff for now. My standard answer before you upgrade is this:

"Go on a few trips with us before you go spending a bunch of money on your rig, that way you can see what we wheel on and what we wheel with."

Don't fall into the whole Dana 60/14Bolt stuff from this site, it's wayyyyy overated for AZ. I have been wheeling here for now over 4 years, with 12 bolt suff and have a great time doing it, with minimal breakage.

Come out, go on a few trips with us, there are plenty of seat, and then see what you want to do first, then upgrade.

Rob

Quaddawg · Feb 7, 2005

therobzilla said:
Here is my opinion, wheeling with a 14bolt in AZ is like wheeling with a boat anchor. Harley does it, and so does FWP. But I don't and will NEVER upgrade to a 14bolt, maybe a Dana 60 rear down the road, but never a 14Bolt. Remember, it's just my opinion .

I wheel with a 12 bolt and will for quite some time. If you are going to wheel in AZ and are going to watch the skinny pedal, then stick with the 12 bolt stuff for now. My standard answer before you upgrade is this:

"Go on a few trips with us before you go spending a bunch of money on your rig, that way you can see what we wheel on and what we wheel with."

Don't fall into the whole Dana 60/14Bolt stuff from this site, it's wayyyyy overated for AZ. I have been wheeling here for now over 4 years, with 12 bolt suff and have a great time doing it, with minimal breakage.

Come out, go on a few trips with us, there are plenty of seat, and then see what you want to do first, then upgrade.

Rob

Well said!! Voice of reason!!! I agree whole heartedly!!!

therobzilla · Feb 7, 2005

I paid around $100.00 per side for the cromo shafts. I got mine from Desert Rat here in Mesa, may get them some cheaper somewhere else, but my contact is Eric Vos @ the Desert Rat in Mesa, AZ.

I don't really remember the exact amount I spent for them, but it was worth it.

While doing Anaconda about a month ago, I spun the 12 axle housing from the pumpkin, and twisted the cromo Superior 12 bolt shaft and twisted the splines in the locker. I had to trash the housing and get a new one, but since the shaft was also trashed, I called Superior and it has a 3 year warrantee on them, they sent the replacement the next day, and no money out of pocket. The axles actually were stonger than the tube and the pumpkin.

Anaconda is a really tight and very hard trail in Table Mesa, this was not the normal for the axle, but it did fail. You can't fit on Anaconda with a full size rig, so it's not the normal, unless you want to do some insane body damage and then it's still a question if you will fit thru it.

Rob

Z3PR · Feb 7, 2005

therobzilla said:
Here is my opinion, wheeling with a 14bolt in AZ is like wheeling with a boat anchor. Harley does it, and so does FWP. But I don't and will NEVER upgrade to a 14bolt, maybe a Dana 60 rear down the road, but never a 14Bolt. Remember, it's just my opinion .

I wheel with a 12 bolt and will for quite some time. If you are going to wheel in AZ and are going to watch the skinny pedal, then stick with the 12 bolt stuff for now. My standard answer before you upgrade is this:

"Go on a few trips with us before you go spending a bunch of money on your rig, that way you can see what we wheel on and what we wheel with."

Don't fall into the whole Dana 60/14Bolt stuff from this site, it's wayyyyy overated for AZ. I have been wheeling here for now over 4 years, with 12 bolt suff and have a great time doing it, with minimal breakage.

Come out, go on a few trips with us, there are plenty of seat, and then see what you want to do first, then upgrade.

Rob

Good point, but I'll say dollor for dollor, it's hard too beat a 14 bolt FF.

pauly383 · Feb 7, 2005

Another point : You don't neccessarily need Swampers to run trails in AZ . The Mtr's are much lighter and grip better from what I see . Hell my At's grip well . You won't see any super fast wheelspeed like on the crawlin videos , since most of central AZ is high traction surface , and you won't see much mud except for some seasonal rain either

Hossbaby50 · Feb 7, 2005

Strength to dollar ratio it is hard to beat a 14bff, but if you wheel like we wheel here in AZ ground clearence is king. I run a 14bff with 35" MTR and Rob runs a 12 bolt with 35" MTR's. I am on my diff a hell of alot more then he is. The money you save on not buying 8 lug rims and converting the front to 8 lug will more then pay for your Superior axles.

For 37" tires and under in AZ I would run a 12 bolt with Superiors over a 14bff. I got my 14bff before I was educated to this fact though so it stays where it is since it is already paid for.

Harley

highlow · Feb 7, 2005

I do agree with you guys on the AZ terrain stuff that is one thing my brother has kept telling me. As far as swampers go I know they are heavier but I just have allways liked them since day one. Hey Rob I definitely want to take you up on that offer of going with you guys to see what you guys do. My biggest problem is time I don't have alot of extra

, I work for my parents on our feedlot and it is a 24/7 job literrally, these animals don't take a day off. But if it's no big thing to you if you could pm me when you guys are heading out maybe one of these times I can make it work out. An I guess as far as the blazer is concerned I will keep working on it minus the drivetrain till I get a little more first hand info. Thanks guys you have been great help.

EAT BEEF