12 bolt 36" swampers how soon will it break?

[Cricket]

Oh merciful & wise therobzilla

Thanks, I have been debating this since I joined here. I sure as hell didn't want to switch to 1 ton axles if I could avoid it. I see they also make ring & pinion sets. Have you any experience with those?

Sounds like they are going to be much stronger than stock R&P. I would tend to think you could just run their R&P with the chromo axles and do fine on regular to moderate trails.

 

[Hossbaby50]

Take a look at Rob's webshot photo's. Most of that stuff was run pre Superior axles. "regular and moderate" trails are something that Rob stepped past years ago. Extreme is more the choice of Rob. Taking his truck to its limits and beyond is what he does best.

Harley

 

[Cricket]

Take a look at Rob's webshot photo's. Most of that stuff was run pre Superior axles. "regular and moderate" trails are something that Rob stepped past years ago. Extreme is more the choice of Rob. Taking his truck to its limits and beyond is what he does best.

Harley

Whoohoo - thanks Harley & Rob. Oh Lords of the Chromo.

That is exactly what I am installing. The best days on this site are when you hear something new that works for your truck. GRACIAS!

No heavy ass 14 B for me. Phbbbbbbtttttttttttt.

 

[mrk5]

FWIW, I'm going to run 37" MTRs on my 12bolt. I already have Superior shafts and a detroit locker.

 

[therobzilla]

Oh merciful & wise therobzilla

Thanks, I have been debating this since I joined here. I sure as hell didn't want to switch to 1 ton axles if I could avoid it. I see they also make ring & pinion sets. Have you any experience with those?

Sounds like they are going to be much stronger than stock R&P. I would tend to think you could just run their R&P with the chromo axles and do fine on regular to moderate trails.

Jim,

When I destroyed my D44 in Parker, AZ, another whole story, no hardcore trails, just luck of the draw and lots of years of use on my R&P, I opted to have it repalced with a Superior R&P set. I am very please with the R&P set from Superior. They are make some very quality suff, I have actually been to there factory in CA, on a business trip when I picked up my front shafts.

So far I have had no problems with my Superior stuff. I would feel very safe wheeling with Superior shafts and Superior R&P's. No questions asked.

If I was to give my opinion on wheeling with 12 bolt stuff, I would say it all depends on how you wheel and what you wheel. If you have lots of wheel spin, and use lot's of skinny pedal, you will have problems with big tires and 12 bolts. But we don't here and I have lately been known to use some additional skinny pedal, and so far no problems. But I run 35" and I'm very aware of the situiation.

Just don't fall into the hole 1 ton thing that this board so quickly advocates regarding 1 ton running gear. Wheel it first and then make your mind up. I personally am the 1/2 ton rebel and will continue to be for a while, now if I was to move to Colorado where lot's of wheel speed is required due to the snow and wheeling conditions, I'm sure 1 ton stuff is something I would be looking at.

Here you can have a great time on 1/2 ton gear if you understand your limits and have some good seat time.

Keep wheeling.

Rob

 

[therobzilla]

Take a look at Rob's webshot photo's. Most of that stuff was run pre Superior axles. "regular and moderate" trails are something that Rob stepped past years ago. Extreme is more the choice of Rob. Taking his truck to its limits and beyond is what he does best.

Harley

Harley is waaayyyy to gracious in his comments about me. My wheeling adventures have grown to more of the extreme, but I very much enjoy runing the "Regular & Moderate" stuff. I have just as much fun wheeling the other stuff as the hardcore stuff. I will be the frist one to say "enough is enough" fine example was a trail we "TRIED" to run a few weeks ago. China Wash in Florence Junction, was wayyyy tooooo BIG DAWG for my taste. I knew when I was wooped. I said, "I think I will watch".

I'm not all that I'm cracked up to be, Harley is way more worthy than I am on the last trail run we did, he has mastered the "Finelli Flop" and gets a major , "IM NOT WORTHY" from me. And Andrew, get's the same gracious applause from me.

I just love to wheel, and don't care what it on or where it's at.

Harely, YOUR ARE THE MAN!!! Hell even Matt has a hard time being as worthy are you are on the last trail run.

Rob

 

[az-k5]

I am one of the 1 ton men of AZ. It is a nice piece of mind, but a nicer chunk of change. I only wanted to stop killing balljoints. That said there is a huge snowball effect of the 1 ton. It takes a lot more abuse/use to justify. This means now you want lockers cause you can, and then you want a doubler cause you can, and then you want gun it cause you can, and then you are looking for 40's (or 42's in freds case) all to actually use the gear to its full potential. You can do a whole lot on half ton gear. Me and Fred are the minority of the regular K5 wheelers down here (sorry Juan get down here to wheel soon) since most have at least 1/2 ton fronts (8 or 6 lug) and that says something right there. It is all give and take. I would try the 1/2 ton stuff for a while and see how it goes. I got my 14B 4 years ago before I knew of the cursed "code 14" I only dumped my D44 after too many balljoints (mostly due to our long wheeling season and my goofey BS wheels).

 

[Cricket]

Well Rob/Harley/Matt to start with the Scottsdale I have is basically stock. 350/350/203, D44 front/ 12 bolt rear, 31" tires and 2.5" lift. I do have mods in the drivetrain with 355cu, CSI flywheel, heavily modified Th350 internals /cooling / Hughes TC, rebuilt solid output shaft part time 203 with new drive gears, chain and balanced drive shafts.

My truck is a part time off-road but majority on pavement. My current goal is to swap in a 4 speed and slightly larger 33" tires. I went ahead and got myself the 1 ton 465/205 running gear for the most part because I prefer stick and am tired of automatics. I've also got to pull the motor to address a rod knock so I may as well convert now. As far as the axles I would never do any wheeling in this truck that required a HD 1 ton axle. The biggest tire I'm going to run on the truck is a 33. Having the Superior R&P and axles though will give me a little insurance without adding a 14B. They also give me an option I have never seen discussed before.

If I get serious about the more advanced wheeling/crawling I will get a dedicated trail rig instead of dropping a crapload of money trying to convert my pick-up. Better to start off with an old beat up 1 ton than make a 1/2 ton into a 1 ton. I've been down that road with other vehicles and it's just a drain on resources.

In my case I don't need the one ton gear but it isn't hard to get convinced when you see it on here every day. As long as I can get to remote locales for camping, and the majority of CK5 wheeling trips I'm happy. There are always going to be places I can't go. If I'm around long enough I will probably get hooked on the hardcore end of this sport but right now I'll settle for moderation and having fun. I don't mind riding shotgun for experience when I'm in over my head. Better to be realistic then dead.

 

[stallion85]

I'm diggin the discussion here, I totally agree with the satement of wheel it first then make up your mind. Heck that's what this is all about anyways. If you keep breaking a certain part upgrade it. If it works with no major problems leave it


I need to get to AZ and do some wheelin'!

 

[az-k5]

I need to get to AZ and do some wheelin'!

Screw moab, AZ is an untapped resource for wheeling. We have it all there are even very scenic 2wd trails to run around on.

Yes, try it and see how it does before you shove it into the garage for a major and expensive build.g

 

[CyberSniper]

OK, I'm an oddball.

I broke my 10 bolt front with 33" TSLs. My truck weighs 5400lbs full gear with me in it. At least 60% of the weight on the front axle.

I'm planning on running a Lockrighted 10 bolt front and a welded 12 bolt rear with 40" TSLs. Hopefully with full gear it won't weigh more than 3800lbs with me in it. I'm aiming for 3500lbs with full gear with me in it. I'm aiming for 50/50 weight distribution. I'm going at great lengths to do this (I've made a great many post on the subject). All in the name of trying to get the 1/2 ton stuff to survive.

I think it can be done. Will it break? Yeap. Will it break often? I hope not. The Jeep people seem to get away with half ton axles and 4,000-4,200lbs of girth with 35-40" rubber. Some are as light as 3500lbs and never break with 38s.

My biggest concern is front axleshafts/joints and the rear pinion bearings. I'm not worried about the rear axleshafts or either of the rings and pinions (running 3.73 gears).

 

[captaininsano]

I am gonna be running large tires on my 1/2 ton drivetrain also. Just gonna beef it up a lot, superior axles, CTMs, etc. I don't want the added weight and less clearance of the 1 ton stuff.

http://coloradok5.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/2076/sort/1/cat/500/page/1

It can be made to work. Also you just don't need to drive like a moron with your foot down on the skinny pedal like a lot of people think you should wheel. (not saying that is anyone here) I watch Superlift on tv and those guys just hammer down on everything. Not sure about that strategy, beating the crap out of myself, my passenger, and rig does not seem fun to me. No wonder they all run rockwells. We usually crawl at low rpms finesse style.

I just talked to a guy yesterday about Yukons and CTMS, said they should hold up fine with the 39.5 iroks, however he said the LockRite will grenade in no time and that I should get detroits. I think I agree. Lockrite is ok for light duty but the added leverage is going to kill it. Sucks cause I just bought it.

On another note, I wish I lived in AZ too, I love it there, you guys are so lucky, Cali sucks for wheelin when you live in the bay area. We have to drive forever to go wheelin. I know people in AZ that wheel in their backyard.

 

[az-k5]

On another note, I wish I lived in AZ too, I love it there, you guys are so lucky, Cali sucks for wheelin when you live in the bay area. We have to drive forever to go wheelin. I know people in AZ that wheel in their backyard.

Actually, the most humbling trial I have found so far is on somebody private land. We have permission to wheel it but I will need a truggy for sure. Come out to AZ for a weekend and you will be hooked

 

[gzzgfw]

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

I run 38.5 Gumbo mudders on Alum rim. 12/10b.
My 4.88 and Lockrights are 10 years old.
Have broke a 12 bolt axle and a couple of stubs and inners.

Its all about the skinny pedal, I've got 1 ton stuff in the barn but I cant imagine wheelin' a heavier rig.

Put it together and wheel it and have fun!

 

[84_Chevy_K10]

I've rode with big bird. He definitely babies his truck, but he's not afraid to tackle the big stuff (he just attacks it with less feriousity than I do). I was impressed for a 1/2 ton rig.

 

[Hossbaby50]

I just talked to a guy yesterday about Yukons and CTMS, said they should hold up fine with the 39.5 iroks, however he said the LockRite will grenade in no time and that I should get detroits. I think I agree. Lockrite is ok for light duty but the added leverage is going to kill it. Sucks cause I just bought it.

I honestly doubt that a 1/2 ton axle even beefed up with chromo's, CTM's, and detroits are going to hold up to to 39.5" IROK's on a fullsize truck. I have seen a guy in a tube buggy with chromo 1/2 tons with 39.5" IROK's and we are pretty sure he broke a Warn inner shaft and stretched an OX ujonit body. This buggy is substantially lighter then most K5's even if they have been chopped up alot. I agree that if you want to step to chromo and big tires on 1/2 ton junk that a detroit locker is the best choice for longevity. I don't think a lockright is going to take the abuse for a long time. It may last awhile but I would be leary of it.

TheRobZilla has twisted splines on a 12 bolt Superior rear axleshaft with 35" tires in under 1 year of wheeling on them. He also blew up a Detroit EZ Locker and D44 R&P with chromo's and 35's. Those parts had alot of hard miles on them though.

1/2 ton's can be made to work but they do have there limit even with chromo stuff. I honestly think that the limit for 1/2 ton chromo axles under a fullsize rig is probably in the area of 37-38.5" depending on terrain, tire choice, and driving style. Lighter tires will help with the survival of the chromo parts. By limit I mean a tire size that you could reasonable expect the parts to survive in moderate to heavy wheeling without having to fear brakeage all the time.

Harley

 

[captaininsano]

Guess I am screwed, wheel pretty insano most of the time. I will definitely have to take it easy on the rig. I guess time will tell, I can't afford 1-ton stuff right now. I don't run a locker in the front right now which will definitely help me up there on the 10-bolt. I will beef the rear and see how it holds up and decide from there. Dunno what my rig weighs, it is getting pretty chopped up though...

Cutting off pieces is fun

 

[gzzgfw]

I've rode with big bird. He definitely babies his truck, but he's not afraid to tackle the big stuff (he just attacks it with less feriousity than I do). I was impressed for a 1/2 ton rig.

Yeah!, I take er' easy cause I don't like to work on em' all the time. Sooo I just keep my purse under the skinny pedal

 

[gone huntin]

Not tryin' to hijack the thread, but what are your opinions on running stock 10 bolts with 3:73s on 33's for towing only. I don't off road at all, but I do tow a 16' trailer with 4 atvs all over the place, most trips are 200-300 miles one way.

 

[Hossbaby50]

With a 700R4 tranny don't ever use OD, you will burn up your tranny in short order most likely. Also add on a good tranny cooler. A temp gauge and an external filter is a good idea too.


3.73's and 33's won't be terrible as long as you don't encounter alot of mountains. My dad used to tow a 16ft travel trailer with my K5 when it was 3.73's and 32's. It did ok, but in the mountains it sucked a big one.

4.10's would be a little nicer but 3.73's aren't terrible if you already have them.

Harley