Axel Help

[MrArmyAnt]

Went to a junkyard today, they had some drummed 14bolts, but they looked up codes and said it was off a van and one off a truck, and niether had posi or something, only one wheel turned. Well I always knew that as being locked, but then what is full float (ff) and what ever sf is? How do i tell them apart? And also they wanted 250 for that axel, then for a d44, with out the hubs (the things with the lugs attached) for 250. is that reasonable? Is there any good literature around the net on this topic?

 

[colbystephens]

that's not really a very good deal. i picked up my complete ff14 and d44 for $300 - and many on here have gotten them cheaper. the way to tell ff and sf apart is that the ff will have a hub that sticks thru the wheel - sf doesn't. an sf w/ a wheel on it would look flush with the wheel. i don't really understand your question about lockers, but if you're saying that you spun one hub on the axle and the other hub didn't turn, then it's not locked. if it were locked, both hubs would spin at the same time - that's the idea behind a locker, both wheels always turn whether or not they have traction. i say pass that up and keep your eyes peeled. depending on what you're going to do, you might be able to just pick up a 3/4 ton truck for cheap and use other parts off of it as a donor.

 

[MrArmyAnt]

that's not really a very good deal. i picked up my complete ff14 and d44 for $300 - and many on here have gotten them cheaper. the way to tell ff and sf apart is that the ff will have a hub that sticks thru the wheel - sf doesn't. an sf w/ a wheel on it would look flush with the wheel. i don't really understand your question about lockers, but if you're saying that you spun one hub on the axle and the other hub didn't turn, then it's not locked. if it were locked, both hubs would spin at the same time - that's the idea behind a locker, both wheels always turn whether or not they have traction. i say pass that up and keep your eyes peeled. depending on what you're going to do, you might be able to just pick up a 3/4 ton truck for cheap and use other parts off of it as a donor.

How cheap?
My budget for the blazer alone was only 1500.

Also the hubs didn't stick out, they were flat. Good thing i didn't buy them. This is why I need one of ya'll to go to the yard with me.

 

[colbystephens]

if you're asking how cheap you can find a donor rig, that's a tough question to ask which is entirely dependent on what you need for your rig. however, as an idea, i bought my k5 for $500 good motor, tranny, tcase and front end - trashed interior, and kinda rough body (not too bad though). i would imagine you could pick up a k20 w/ no motor and a body w/ some usable parts for that or less. in thinking of a donor, it's important to figure what you will be needing from it - if just the axles, find them elsewhere and save a couple hundred. one thing you didn't mention checking into in your post was checking gear ratio. if that wasn't on your mind, it'd be a good idea to consider. i ended up getting 4.10's, which will spin 35's pretty good, though i've heard 4.56 would be better. anyway, if you buy gear w/ a good gear ratio, it'll save you tons on regearing later.