I have a 78 blazer that I’m putting an LS in would like to know what would be good rear end to either go with the Dana 44 or what rear and axle combo would be good to go with as I want rear disc brakes I am in the process of searching all the threads for stuff but thought I would ask that’s why my three questions are on here this morning. Sorry for the people who get aggravated with questions that I already answered, but I am looking.
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Axle
- Thread starter SSS
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If you upgrade the rear brakes, it would also take a close look at the front being upgraded to match.
What do you plan to do with it is the main question? Street driven i would look at the early 2000s 14 bolt semi float with 6-lug. If you plan to wheel it, I would look at the early 2000s 14 bolt full float 8-lug.
What do you plan to do with it is the main question? Street driven i would look at the early 2000s 14 bolt semi float with 6-lug. If you plan to wheel it, I would look at the early 2000s 14 bolt full float 8-lug.
no its going to be a highway Queen
Yeah I would still opt for spacing and punctuation
What size tires are you thinking of using?
I have found quite a few of the 2000 to 2006 1/2 ton trucks with lots of miles on them and still going. You just have to get rid of the G80. We pulled one out of an old company truck that had 300K on it, it was 2wd with a 4.8. It was still in good shape, but we went to 4:10 gears, is why we pulled it out. It didn't have a G80 to blow up, is why I believe that it was still in good shape. It was even quiet on the highway!
I have found several who race that era of truck using the stock axle with a Eaton Truetrac and a girdle style cover, even when they are running 600 to 800 HP.
Many don't believe it or agree, because it's a "10 bolt".
I would suggest test fitting wheels over the brakes on that era of axle, if you are wanting to run 15" wheels.
I have found quite a few of the 2000 to 2006 1/2 ton trucks with lots of miles on them and still going. You just have to get rid of the G80. We pulled one out of an old company truck that had 300K on it, it was 2wd with a 4.8. It was still in good shape, but we went to 4:10 gears, is why we pulled it out. It didn't have a G80 to blow up, is why I believe that it was still in good shape. It was even quiet on the highway!
I have found several who race that era of truck using the stock axle with a Eaton Truetrac and a girdle style cover, even when they are running 600 to 800 HP.
Many don't believe it or agree, because it's a "10 bolt".
I would suggest test fitting wheels over the brakes on that era of axle, if you are wanting to run 15" wheels.
An AXN is a nice setup if you can find one. 9.5" diff, factory disc brakes with parking brake drum-in-had style. Mounts will be wrong for a square body, but that's true for any axle from the 90's, 00's, '10's, etc. https://ck5.com/forums/threads/14sf-tech-info.135125/post-4035907.
If you want bolt-in 6-lug, there are ways to build one using the older housing, but newer axle shafts and various methods to get disc brakes if you really care. Sticking with drums makes things much simpler. https://ck5.com/forums/threads/14sf-tech-info.135125/
Or simplest approach is break out the credit card and throw a bunch of dollars into the 10-bolt. https://ck5.com/forums/threads/ultimate-10-bolt-axles.339253/
If you want bolt-in 6-lug, there are ways to build one using the older housing, but newer axle shafts and various methods to get disc brakes if you really care. Sticking with drums makes things much simpler. https://ck5.com/forums/threads/14sf-tech-info.135125/
Or simplest approach is break out the credit card and throw a bunch of dollars into the 10-bolt. https://ck5.com/forums/threads/ultimate-10-bolt-axles.339253/
I don't see any reason why the newer 10 bolt axles would be a poor choice.
Since you are already prepared for fabrication work, I would suggest looking at all of the 1/2 ton trucks from '99 and up. I haven't researched the lug pattern, ring gear size and ratio options for the 2012 to 2019 era, nor do I know what differential options there are.
I do know that drum brakes were still installed on a bunch of rear axles in the GMT900 trucks, 2007 to around 2012, so check before buying.
Since you are already prepared for fabrication work, I would suggest looking at all of the 1/2 ton trucks from '99 and up. I haven't researched the lug pattern, ring gear size and ratio options for the 2012 to 2019 era, nor do I know what differential options there are.
I do know that drum brakes were still installed on a bunch of rear axles in the GMT900 trucks, 2007 to around 2012, so check before buying.
The 6x5.5 pattern didn't go away, they just started calling it 6x139.7 to coincide with using metric lug threads. This may mean 2 different sized lug nuts from now on, which isn't that big of a problem by itself. There may be an M14-1.5 stud that fits the front end (I have no idea), but I wouldn't really recommend trying to get 7/16" studs for the rear. You should research center hub size.
No reason why those axles won't work, but it will be hard to find gears lower than 3.42. 3.73 may be the limit. Also, with the cutting and welding required to get it under a square body, it would be nice to get more of an upgrade. The advantage to these axles is that they could be very cheap, but they also commonly have >200,000 miles on them. At least in the '00s, the SUVs had bigger rear brakes that were considered an upgrade to pickup trucks. Disc with parking brake drum was available at least in the early '00s.
Out here, it's very common to find 3:73 gears, the 4:10 was less common before the 6L80, then I found it more often.
We've parted 3 AWD Yukons and 1 Escalade with 3:73s. We could only sell one of them.
We swapped SUV brakes onto one truck axle when we found a clean 4:10 one for my son's 2wd. We had parted out several SUVs, so parts were easily available.
As I said, many don't see this axle as a n option, but if you research what many are doing to them with racing the GMT800 and 900 platforms, they hold up surprisingly well. There are many on YouTube who have been beating on them for years.
If swapping the lug studs to match both ends up and if it's not possible to swap the front to metric, check into 1/2" studs. That had more and easier options when I looked last.
We've parted 3 AWD Yukons and 1 Escalade with 3:73s. We could only sell one of them.
We swapped SUV brakes onto one truck axle when we found a clean 4:10 one for my son's 2wd. We had parted out several SUVs, so parts were easily available.
As I said, many don't see this axle as a n option, but if you research what many are doing to them with racing the GMT800 and 900 platforms, they hold up surprisingly well. There are many on YouTube who have been beating on them for years.
If swapping the lug studs to match both ends up and if it's not possible to swap the front to metric, check into 1/2" studs. That had more and easier options when I looked last.
This is probably a good approach. Keep in mind to factor in stud cost towards the total.
The challenge when I went to 1/2" in one of mine was that I couldn't find a stud which didn't require drilling the hubs and rotors out, without special ordering. I could find the drill bit in town, however.
Which axles?
I had my 76 d44 and 12b done without drilling, napa had them in stock, but was 2002
I got tired of breaking studs from 35" tires
Front 10B.
I don't remember if they didn't have something in stock, or not available at all. It was 2014 when I was working on it.
