AAM 9.5" Front and Rear Axle Swap?

[Cee-Jay]

I'm trying to map out my potential build on an 88-91 Blazer/Jimmy and one of the many options I'd like to explore is swapping the stock GM 10-Bolts for the 9.5" 14 Bolt SF axles. I don't really want to explore the pros and cons of this strategy vs. a D60 front and 14 Bolt FF rear in the post. Rather, I'd like to learn about the technical implications of this strategy.

I checked out the CK5 tech thread(s)...very helpful for learning about the GM 9.5" 14 Bolt SF rear. I'm having a heck of time finding much on the 9.5" front, though.

Has anybody put an AAM 9.5" front axle from a GM vehicle on an 88-91 K5 Blazer/Jimmy? How'd it go for you? How close to bolt on is this and, if not, what needs to be done? Does the 9.5" front come in both 6 bolt and 8 bolt designs like the 9.5" rear? What about axle width?

Based on the 9.5" rear threads, I'm assuming the front 9.5" ain't no bolt on. Still, I'm curious.

Thanks,
Cee-Jay

1985 K5 Blazer Silverado - 1992 to 1995
1996 S10 Jimmy SLS 2 Door - 1995-2008
198? K5 Blazer/Jimmy - Coming soon and staying a while

 

[swettysblazer]

First off, welcome and good for you for upping for the membership!cFrom my knowledge, which is admittedly limited, a 14 bolt front is a completely custom axle that uses the 14 bolt housing and has custom axle tubes, shafts, and other things to make it a steering front axle.

What are your plans for the truck? Hardcore wheeler, hunting/occasional wheeler or a street queen?

 

[Cee-Jay]

Thanks for the welcome, Swettysblazer.

I think I butchered my inquiry pretty badly. First, I probably should not have called it a 14-bolt. Second, I think it's 9.25", not 9.5".

So actually I'm asking about the AAM 9.25" front axle that appears on some GM trucks. I beleive there is a Dodge version too, but it is not the same.

I was flipping through "The Four Wheeler's Bible" and found a chart suggesting maximum reasonable tire size for various axles. One of those listed under the GM family included an AAM front axle that I didn't know anything about. Maybe this is an IFS unit or something?

 

[63chevyll]

dodge offers the axle as a solid front axle. AAM
In factory position its 8 lug and coil springs. So you should match the rear to a lug also The GM 9.5 Semi float also come as 8 lug

you would need to fab some brackets for you to use leaf springs, and switch drive shaft to a drivers side t case.


The biggest probemt with the newer Dodge axle is the fact it always spins the front axle shafts when the wheels are turning, which puts un-needed wear and use on the spiders/ carrier of the front diff

 

[Cee-Jay]

Directly from the book...

Okay, I'm at home now and, according to The Four-Wheeler's Bible, GM uses a 9.5" solid AAM front axle on certain vehicles, though I don't know which ones. This addition of the book came out in 2009, so it's pretty new but not brand new. The book rates this axle as stronger than the 10 bolt front... so maybe it appears on select 1 tons or some such?

Alternatively, maybe it's an error in the book.

 

[tRustyK5]

For solid front axles GM had the D44, the 10 bolt and the D60. That's it...

They did use a 9.25" IFS diff in the IFS stuff.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

For solid front axles GM had the D44, the 10 bolt and the D60. That's it...

They did use a 9.25" IFS diff in the IFS stuff.

^^ Truth! GM did use a 9.25" IFS front differential.

One more MAJOR thing to consider is that there is a decent chance that the diff is offset enough that putting a leaf spring perch where it needs to be is impossible, the diff casting will likely also present a hurdle.

I don't know the issues you'd run across (other than steering which will be tough) but I can practically guarantee there will be plenty.

 

[Cee-Jay]

Hmm, well the book groups GM axles with AAM axles. Okay, I get it now... the table I'm looking at groups by axle manufacturer, not automobile manufacturer. So AAM is probably grouped with GM because AAM, per Wikipedia, was founded in 1994 when a private investor group purchased the Final Drive and Forge Business Unit from GM's Saginaw Division. So the axle listed is the one used in Dodge trucks per 63ChevyII's comment. I had incorrectly assumed this axle had actually appeared on GM trucks. I'm sure y'all are right that putting one on a K5 would be quite an operation.

Thanks for being patient with me, fellas.

 

[tRustyK5]

No worries. It's probably a lot more apparent why we swap in D60 fronts now. 9.75" ring gear, 35 spline inners, beefier outers (with lots of after market upgrades available) and it's 100% bolt in.

Welcome to CK5

 

[tenderfoot]

I saw this in a wrench a part yard today. Made me scratch my head and found this thread while doing so. It was in maybe an '05 Chevy rear end. Everything else on the truck was raped so couldn't tell the year.

Oh yeah, it had disc brakes too.

 

[Bent77]

Nice dual shocks

 

[tenderfoot]

Nice dual shocks

I thought so too. And with the disc brakes. You'd think someone would have nabbed it already. Every other Chevy & Dodge for that matter in the place had no axles. I found it humourous.