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14 bolt in the front???

Roxie78

Roxie78

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I heard today that on TV over the weekend that extreme 4x4 was converting a 14 bolt to the front, so i went and looked at spiketv.com and didnt see anything........ Could a person do this?? and what steering knuckles would you use, dana 60's? and axles? I have a machine shop that can do all the machine work just wondering how pricey and ridiculous this idea is??? All the info on this would be great, the only reason I think this would be neat is it would people would look twice at this setup before figuring it out!!

Thanks,
Ryan
 
I don't think it's really worthwhile over a 60 unless your breaking r&p's
 
It's been done before. I don't know if anyone from this site has ever done it. But I know I've seen it on Pirate.
 
I think it was K5monsterchevy or something like that had a 14bolt front, not sure if he ever finished but he had it installed for sure.
 
If you can wade through the BS
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=748561&highlight=14bolt+front+axle

attachment.php


Basicly the concensus is that it'd be cheaper to build a D60, or a D70. Post #23 has some pics of a D70 front axle.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=522333

A better thread on a 14B front.
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=582739&page=1

Another one.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=731596&highlight=14+bolt+front+axle


Personaly, I think a 14B in the front would get hung up on allot of stuff...and I'm a mud runner. If you're breaking D60 parts....step up to a D70 or go Rockwell.
 
Is it centered so they dont have to get custom shafts? How would you get the driveshaft to it?
 
Cool. I do agree that it looks like it would get hung up on alot of things tho.
 
toomany said:
Basicly the concensus is that it'd be cheaper to build a D60, or a D70.
Click to expand...

What all is required? I read a few of those threads and didn't get much out of it.

I could see it being more expensive if you pay someone to do it but if your doing the work yourself it shouldn't be too bad. At least cheaper then a 60.
 
Fabrimacator21 said:
What all is required? I read a few of those threads and didn't get much out of it.

I could see it being more expensive if you pay someone to do it but if your doing the work yourself it shouldn't be too bad. At least cheaper then a 60.
Click to expand...

I haven't the slightest idea as to what is all required. I was just passing along the info from Pirates site. My guess would be the C's on the ends of the tubes, knuckels, spindles, hubs/brakes, and the shafts. IMO, it'd be way easier to build a D60. Since most of the threads talk about using D60 outers....you'd need one to start with.
 
I saw the extreme 4x4 episode, don't remember all the details or I might have missed that part.. I think he pretty much just used the 14ff center section, added seals to keep the fluid in just the dif and then had different shafts/axles ect. which exactly I don't know
 
They used the 14 bolt center section, custom tubes, spindles, etc. I don't remember them saying, but it seemed it would be real expensive. My impresson was that it would be less hassle & $ to go with 60s, even Dynatracs or Currie. The custom parts were from Crane -- I once priced their diff covers and they were $200.00 or so,so I guessed the other stuff would be super pricey too
 
Damn... I had access to 20 lathes at my old job. Sounds like all you have to do is hog out the tube to get the d60 seals to work. What did they do to the spindles? turn em down?
 
my interest is sparked now, I am going to get to the bottom of this and what you have to buy and make.
 
Roxie78 said:
my interest is sparked now, I am going to get to the bottom of this and what you have to buy and make.
Click to expand...
Its pretty pointless if you ask me......Its a big plow that would require more work than its worth, unless you wont be offroading it, and then whats the point really?

Why not just get a HP60 housing and build it up? It would cost the same and be better in the end.....The bigger ring gear isnt worth it to me. How often are you breaking R&P's?
 
BlazerBoyK5 said:
Is it centered so they dont have to get custom shafts? How would you get the driveshaft to it?
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly from previous threads talking about the axle in question, it was built to go into the rear of a truck to make it rear steer.

Regardless of what the axle shaft lengths are you still need to have custom inners made that have a yoke for the u-joint.

Back on the topic in general, I don't really understand why you would do this either. A bigger ring and pinion is all it gives you over a D60 which doesn't seem to be a common weak spot anyway.

Can't imagine it would be any cheaper than building a front D60. So a front D60 is going for $750-$1,000 while you can get a 14FF for $100-$200.

If you pay $1,000 for a D60 it should be complete and in good shape so bolt it in and go. Yeah, yeah, it's not a bling built axle but just saying you can have a functioning axle under the truck that is significantly stronger than stock with no additional cost for parts required.

Now take that $100 14FF and convert it to a front axle where you need to buy custom inner shafts, u-joints, outer shafts, inner C's, outer knuckles, spindles, wheel hub assemblies, bearings, locking hubs, brakes, spring mounts. Then perform custom machining and welding on the axle to put everything together.....all just to have a functioning axle. Add just the parts together and I'm sure you would easily exceed the extra $900 that just buying a complete D60 would have cost.
 
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