14 boltff need some opinions

[k5freak44]

im thinking about putting some money toward a new rear axle and had a few questions.

im looking at a 14bff 3.73 that is welded. he says he wants 175 for it but i think i can get him a little lower because he said he also has one in a truck right now that is open for 150 but he is unsure of the gears this one is in a 2wd vehicle.

my first question is... what gear ratio do i have? I am 99.999999% sure they are the oroginal gears.

2# - what is a good going price for a welded 14 bolt.

3# should i go with the one that is welded and get a locker for it, or will it be ok running a full time locked axle in the rear as a daily driver.

4# should i go with the one out of the 2wd truck that is open? will a 2wd rear axle swap the same way a 4wd axle will?

thanks again guyss..

JOhn

 

[85mudblazin]

Like I was saying last night the welded one is going to eat up your tires pretty fast on the street and it will be a little jerky going around corners. The 2wd and 4wd 14b's are the same except for the shock mounts, you will still have to move the spring perches so keep that in mind, I would get the 2wd one that is open.

 

[502]

There are two reasons that come to mind why I would not recommend a welded up differential for a daily driver. The first, and of lesser importance, is tire wear. Increased wear is caused by what is commonly called "chuffing" or skidding that occurs as you preceed through a corner. This is caused by the difference in turn radius that the inside and outside rear wheels take through a corner. For example, if the inside wheel needs to make three complete revolutions to complete a turn, the outside wheel may require five revolutions to make the same turn. When a differential is welded up, the wheels are unable to rotate a different speeds and they fight against one another, each trying to turn at different speeds through the corner. Increased wear.

More importantly, a daily driver is frequently driven at fast speeds and on wet or slippery pavement during winter months. Although chuffing may not be of great concern during dry conditions, the chuffing (binding) through a turn while on slippery pavement can get real exciting, real fast. When the ass-end of your truck breaks loose there is little you can do to control it in a turn. Major "pucker-factor". This is when you can really appreciate the handling characteristics of a limited-slip or part-time locker over a welded diff.

 

[sweetk30]

any time i want to go in the winter with more than 1-2" snow on ground its lock the hubs in and put tcase in 4 . the rear is always wanting to come to the front.

dd=open if mostly dd
trail or mud or crawling= locked

 

[k5freak44]

thanks i think im guina go for the one thats 150 and ill try to get him down on the price a little too.

 

[sweetk30]

dont forget open is needed for locker install for later use. good call for dd use.

 

[kennyw]

It should not be too hard to find something in the $100 range for a 14FF either.

 

[k5freak44]

in plano texas it is. ill try to get it for like 100

ive got some haggleing skills. i got a deal on some hydrokodine that i never bought but i hagled the price down from 20 for 2 pills ro 20 for 1 pill .

playing around with people is fun.

and no i dont do drugs

 

[86chevybanshee]

if its a 2wd you dont have to move the spring perches unless it from a 1 ton