Beefing up 10 Bolts for 35's or 37's

[Blue85]

Having 1/2-tons regeared may cost as much as buying a set of 3/4 tons (14BFF/10B), but 1-tons will be much more expensive (14BFF/D60). There are always stories here and there of people scoring deals on D60s, but it's usually based on keeping eyes open and sooner or later finding one. If you want one in the short term, be prepared to pay a pretty penny.

And as stated already, the rear 10B is worse than the front one. It will probably break first, which is why 3/4-ton trucks still had 10B front but got the giant rear axle.

 

[72blazerguy]

The truck is around 1.5 hours away and the axles are around 2.5 hours away.

If those axles are matched gear ratios, that might be the way to go. Some wire wheel, paint and you would have a bolt up system. They have been posted for a month, guy would probably take $250 for them.

 

[paratrooper307]

Just keep some extra axle shafts around and keep looking for a good deal, they do turn up periodically. As others have said, it's really not worth regearing a 10 bolt when you can buy 3/4 or 1 ton axles for less with the right ratio already in them. Prices vary, but if you pay someone to install gears, once you get the new gears, install kits, and labor, you're easily looking at 1500-2000 to regear both axles. For that tire size, just be on the lookout for a matching set of 3/4 tons, they'll be cheap and practically a bolt-in deal. Don't forget about the 14bolt semi-floater either. It's not as desirable as the FF, but it's lighter, has better ground clearance, and is plenty strong for those tires. They are found in 3/4 ton trucks and suburbans.

 

[rebelgregory]

Yes, the 14SF axle is a good option and has it's own advantages. I looked into them when I was planning my axle swap.The main benefit was staying 6 lug for me.

Problem was they were harder to find around here than a D60 front. They're popular swaps with a lot of other 4x4s. Maybe you guys have a better supply in your neck of the woods.

 

[paratrooper307]

Yes, the 14SF axle is a good option and has it's own advantages. I looked into them when I was planning my axle swap.The main benefit was staying 6 lug for me.

Problem was they were harder to find around here than a D60 front. They're popular swaps with a lot of other 4x4s. Maybe you guys have a better supply in your neck of the woods.

I was actually referring to the 8 lug SF axle, which seems to be easier to find and cheaper than the 6 lug SF. It also is a direct bolt in. Unless you've got a lot invested in 6 lug wheels, nothing wrong with going 8 lug. I figured the time and money saved by going 8-lug justified the purchase of new wheels. A matched set of 8 lug axles for 150 bucks was a no-brainer for me

 

[COCHEV]

Do some searching on here. There was a big long thread on wheeling with 10 bolts a few years ago. Lots of guys thrash their rigs and wheel all kinds of places on half ton gear....

Go play and fix what breaks

 

[sreidmx]

I have the 44/14 combo and wheel the crap outa mine. The rear is welded and I am on 36-14.5-16.5 swappers and just leave the front open and don't be stupid with the throttle. I haven't broken anything besides a locking hub also.

 

[6.2Blazer]

You don't need a D60 front for 35's or 37's and light wheeling, and the D60 is where all of the expense in "going 1 ton" comes from. Look for either a 14FF or 14SF rear axle. These should be pretty common as the 14FF that will bolt in has been used since sometime in the '70s up to the late-80's. The 8-lug 14SF was also very common in the 3/4 ton trucks from maybe the early-80's up to '91 in Suburbans. The nice thing about either of these axles is you shouldn't have to worry about breaking them. You can break many parts on a front axle and just switch to 2wd and drive home, but just about anything you break on a rear 10 or 12 bolt will disable the truck.

As said above a front 10-bolt can hold up okay with these tires if you pay attention to what you are doing. I broke a couple u-joints on my old front 10-bolt running lighter 35's and a limited slip, but it was always from having a tire stuck in a rut and having it turned sharply trying to climb out. After learning to avoid this situation I ran for years with no issues. I also ran a rear 10-bolt with a Truetrac and upgraded 30 spline shafts for several years with both 33's and 35's with no issues, but also did not abuse the truck.

 

[handloader90]

As mentioned earlier I found a 1 ton CUCV set of axles D60/14BFF here about 1.5 hours away. $1,400 for the pair. I'm gonna gather some funds over the next week and a half and most likely go and pick them up.

When you refer to the expense in a D60 are you referring to the intitial cost of finding one that someone's willing to part with or to maintenance and replacing broken parts?

 

[blazinzuk]

Usually replacing all the worn out bits on a used axle. Always seem to be at very minimum new wheel bearings often times brakes spindle bearings and upper king pins right there has got to be close to 500.

Bigger axle bigger parts more expensive. Although one thing not mentioned often is the brakes on one ton stuff. With my 38"swamper radicals the difference was I bet 15 feet. Thats about a car.

 

[Cruz89K5]

As mentioned earlier I found a 1 ton CUCV set of axles D60/14BFF here about 1.5 hours away. $1,400 for the pair. I'm gonna gather some funds over the next week and a half and most likely go and pick them up.

When you refer to the expense in a D60 are you referring to the intitial cost of finding one that someone's willing to part with or to maintenance and replacing broken parts?

In my experience, if the axles are still in the CUCV they are probably good to go. I've bought and sold several CUCV's and all of the axles were in good enough shape that I got a premium for them because they were ready to run. I didnt change a single thing in the set I pulled out for my truck 6 years ago until recently.

 

[6.2Blazer]

As mentioned earlier I found a 1 ton CUCV set of axles D60/14BFF here about 1.5 hours away. $1,400 for the pair. I'm gonna gather some funds over the next week and a half and most likely go and pick them up.

When you refer to the expense in a D60 are you referring to the intitial cost of finding one that someone's willing to part with or to maintenance and replacing broken parts?

I was mainly referring to the up front cost of a front D60 versus a 10-bolt. Dana 60's were only used from '77 to '87 on 1-ton pickups so they are not nearly as common as a D44 or 10-bolt that was used on every 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck, Blazer, or Suburban from the early 70's until '91. I grew up in a farming community back in the 70's and 80's where everybody had a Chevy 4wd pickup. I bet out of 30 trucks I remember there were only 3-4 that were 1 tons.

For the military CUCV axle set you talk about, I would say that $1,000 or more of the total price is for the D60 front. The only reason the rear 14FF is worth a little more is because of the Detroit locker.

A front D60 commonly goes in the $1,000 range where as a front 10-bolt can go for $100.

 

[colbystephens]

I'll just throw this into the mix for you to consider:

Despite knowing that ¾ ton gear would probably be strong enough for me (38" tires), I thought about how/where I go four wheeling and future build mods I plan to do. Here, out west in the desert and mountains, you get pretty remote very quickly, and I absolutely wouldn't want to be pulled out of the Rubicon because I broke an axle shaft in the front and thus wouldn't have four wheel drive. So I went for a Dana 60 up front for peace of mind. The hassle of getting pulled out of somewhere, or having to get a wrecker to come get me in some crazy circumstance, made the cost of the 60 worth it. It's kind of a gamble either way: You could spend the money now on a 60 and not need it. Alternatively, you could end up spending that money on a wrecker pulling you out of a swamp later on. It's all a matter of choosing your risk/gamble.