Budget build survivability? Axles?

[Whitetrashbeautiful]

Hi again. Have a budget built '82 k10. I know that a 14ff/d60 combo is strong and dependable, but I don't have the cash to drop on a set(2000$ plus however much gears and lockers would be.) so my question of the night is: will my stock ten bolts(with lockers and gears of course) hold up to light trail riding, mudding, and highway use? Drivetrain is a 355/700r4/208. Tires are 35/12.50/15 might go up to a 37 down the road. Selectable lockers and 3.73 or 4.11 gears will be used. Total weight of truck plus all my gear is 10,000+ lbs. so will the stock axles hold up? I'd love to put a 14/60 combo in it but as the truck sits I have less than 1500$ wrapped up in her. What y'all think? Truck will be used for hunting camping toy hauler, occasional mud and rocks.

 

[big reaper]

im not sure where your coming up with the $2000 figure. i know that a 14bff can be gotten for around $300 and i have seen d60s for $450. if you are already planning to re-gear and install lockers then i would probably look for a set in the ratio you want then just reseal and check everything else out.
i got my 8lug 14ff and d44 in 4.10 ratio which is what i wanted for $300 for the pair. then i just replaced the seals and wheel bearings and installed them

some will say the 10 bolts will hold up and some say they will break.
it all depends on how hard you use it and how you take care of them. Im of the opinion that 37s on a 10 bolt with a locker is a bad idea. but i tend to over build things so i dont have to worry as much about anything when im out in the middle of nowhere. im currently running 33s with out lockers and next step for me will be d60 lockers and 37s but thats a ways down the road when and if i find them cheap.

 

[owenst7]

Hi again. Have a budget built '82 k10. I know that a 14ff/d60 combo is strong and dependable, but I don't have the cash to drop on a set(2000$ plus however much gears and lockers would be.) so my question of the night is: will my stock ten bolts(with lockers and gears of course) hold up to light trail riding, mudding, and highway use? Drivetrain is a 355/700r4/208. Tires are 35/12.50/15 sure might go up to a 37 MAYBE down the road. Selectable lockers and 3.73 or 4.11 gears will be used. Total weight of truck plus all my gear is 10,000+ lbs. so will the stock axles hold up? I'd love to put a 14/60 combo in it but as the truck sits I have less than 1500$ wrapped up in her. What y'all think? Truck will be used for hunting camping toy hauler, occasional mud and rocks.

SERIOUSLY? Not a chance. A half-ton in completely stock form, brand new, with stock tires would be seriously overloaded at that weight!

If you're talking about the total weight with the trailer behind it, I think you'll need a healthy 700r4 with the normal updates to make it handle that much weight. I recently towed a 7200lbs trailer (so around 1200lbs GVW) from Fresno to Reno with my stock k1500, and my very built 4l60e (a "modern" 700r4) gave me a few concerns going up Donner. Other than the Trans, the axles and everything should hold up assuming you're gentle and stay up on preventative maintenance, and you are comfortable fixing things yourself on a trail occasionally.

BTW, I only had $1000 in to my 1-tons for the first two years I wheeled them. I ran them stock with 4.10s during that time (I did weld the rear) while running 40s. It sucked sometimes, but was way better than when I had 35s, and since locking the front and rear and putting 5.38s in, I haven't really found that many trails that I wasn't able to do before, it's just a lot easier now.

 

[Whitetrashbeautiful]

I'm going off the 2000$ cuz here in nc there hard to come by cheap. That price is coming from a local guy selling combos out of Cucv. If I can find something that cheap ill definetly pick them up. But in the mean time I wanna run the ten bolts. I'm a cheap sob. So 35's and limited locker use will survive?

 

[owenst7]

I'm going off the 2000$ cuz here in nc there hard to come by cheap. That price is coming from a local guy selling combos out of Cucv. If I can find something that cheap ill definetly pick them up. But in the mean time I wanna run the ten bolts. I'm a cheap sob. So 35's and limited locker use will survive?

Assuming your curb weight isn't 10k lbs lol. If you're just a K10 with a normal amount of gear, I wouldn't worry about it. Just make a point to avoid being hard on the truck, and carry spare parts. Welding your ujoint caps in the front axle yokes is a good idea too, or at least grinding them for full circle clips.

I'd recommend trying very hard to get a 6 lug 9.5" rear to buy a locker for, rather than buying one for that 10 bolt. You should be able to get your money back out of a 9.5" with a locker pretty easily too.

You guys on the east coast have a WAY better supply of 1 tons than we do on the west coast. I would suggest looking in other places if you're having trouble finding them under $2k. That's twice as much as they run over here, and they actually seem to be going down in price with the supply of fabricated housings and the steering support for the newer Ford 60s.

Also, you don't HAVE to regear, lock, etc. those axles when you put them in. One of the nice things about building these trucks is that the 1 tons are literally a bolt-on affair (with the exception of the perches if you have a rear from a K30). You have an auto, 4.10s would work fine for 35s, even if they aren't ideal. Put them in, wheel the truck, fix your stock steering, save money, and put gears/locker/etc in them when you can afford to invest the money again.

 

[big reaper]

If you are going with selectable lockers I honestly think it would it would be a waste of money. As a temporary thing I'd say just run the 10 bolts unlocked until you can get a set of axels built with lockers. I'm not sure what you were looking at as far as selectable lockers but I'm pretty sure they would be more than it'd be worth spending just to have to buy different ones for a stronger Axel.

I've actually just been thinking about welding the spiders in my front Axel for off road use until I can get a d60 and put a locker in it. I like the idea of a selectable locker but can't justify the expense when the front Axel is only used off road and has hubs.

 

[6.2Blazer]

I'm a little confused as you talk about a budget build and not being able to afford axle upgrades....then talk about installing selectable lockers and new gears in the 10-bolts. This isn't exactly the budget route.

At minimum install a 4.10 gear 14FF rear axle which can be had for $100-$300. You should be able to find a 4.10 gear 10-bolt front in 8-lugs to match for the same price. This is much cheaper and easier, plus you never have to worry about upgrading the rear axle again.

 

[owenst7]

I'm a little confused as you talk about a budget build and not being able to afford axle upgrades....then talk about installing selectable lockers and new gears in the 10-bolts. This isn't exactly the budget route.

At minimum install a 4.10 gear 14FF rear axle which can be had for $100-$300. You should be able to find a 4.10 gear 10-bolt front in 8-lugs to match for the same price. This is much cheaper and easier, plus you never have to worry about upgrading the rear axle again.

That's what I would do...but everyone that asks questions on the subject always seems to know more than the rest of us

 

[79rustyk10]

I got a rolling 1977 or 78 k20 frame. FF 14 bolt and Dana 44, 4.10s. Delivered, for $100 cash. If you keep an eye open, good deals can be found.

Keep the front open, and drive carefully a 44 or ten bolt can hold up for a while.

 

[Whitetrashbeautiful]

Thanks for the input guys. I know I said budget, and the lockers and gears are when money present itself. And I'm gonna have to look around some more for the axle upgrades if I can find em that cheap.

I'm getting the weight(10000lbs) from curb weight plus fuel(80 gal) water(100gal tank) bed cap(150lbs) and people and gear(800lbs) the build for this truck is to hop in drive for awhile then go camping, fishing, hunting with out having to rely on outside sources(read: self contained camping truck.)and if the road there ain't exactly a road that's fine. I'm military so double redundancy is the norm for me.

 

[owenst7]

Thanks for the input guys. I know I said budget, and the lockers and gears are when money present itself. And I'm gonna have to look around some more for the axle upgrades if I can find em that cheap.

I'm getting the weight(10000lbs) from curb weight plus fuel(80 gal) water(100gal tank) bed cap(150lbs) and people and gear(800lbs) the build for this truck is to hop in drive for awhile then go camping, fishing, hunting with out having to rely on outside sources(read: self contained camping truck.)and if the road there ain't exactly a road that's fine. I'm military so double redundancy is the norm for me.

I honestly am not sure a K10 frame would handle what you want to put it through. I am sure the axles would be a headache. Granted I wheel my truck in the rocks a lot harder than most people, but my K5s frame is in horrible shape and has broken in several places, and I weigh less than 6k lbs and have a very flexible suspension. I also have not been wheeling it very hard for that many seasons.

I think you'd be a lot better off with at least a 3/4 ton frame and you certainly need a full float in the back.

I'm not a big DOT-compliant pencil-pushing guy, but at 10k lbs, you'd be close to double what your truck is legally allowed to weigh on the road...in a 30 year old truck...when there were less regulations.

My girlfriend and I go out for a five days a time and barely use five gallons of water in the desert. I have a filter and means to boil water, but have never actually needed them. I frequently harass her for doing what she calls

(She wants to bring a whole damn kitchen with her out to the Rubicon)

 

[Whitetrashbeautiful]

So upgrade frame bigger axles, and when I go camping I mean for weeks at a time and I like the photo that's what my wife calls camping. She needs her showers.... I'm in the market for a 1 ton crew cab so I can take the kids along to. That's gonna be a long truck... So how hard is it to convert a 2wd c30 to 4wd? Because a 2wd is easier to find around here. Whew I need to lay off the booze if ima gonna talk on here...

 

[Whitetrashbeautiful]

So upgrade frame bigger axles, and when I go camping I mean for weeks at a time and I like the photo that's what my wife calls camping. She needs her showers.... I'm in the market for a 1 ton crew cab so I can take the kids along to. That's gonna be a long truck... So how hard is it to convert a 2wd c30 to 4wd? Because a 2wd is easier to find around here. Whew I need to lay off the booze if ima gonna talk on here...

 

[owenst7]

The frame under the engine and under the firewall is different. Its not just a bolt on affair. As far as fabrication goes, the frames are fairly straight other than the kick under the firewall...its relatively simple fabrication.

You could keep your 2wd trans and do a divorced case if you can find one (or buy a custom one). A divorced Ford 203/205 would work in a 6x6. Otherwise, you'll need a 4x4 trans to be able to bolt a tcase to. In the long run, you'd pretty much need a k30 donor.

An older cummins Dodge would give you a stronger frame, coils up front, newer body/interior, and way more power. They're pretty comparable to the price of what you're talking about. As much as I love to modify everything I own, buying two trucks to build a truck that is already available is kinda tough to justify.

I don't know your laws, but back home, 1 ton VINs held a value due to the fact that they allowed you to have a higher frame and body height. Might be something to consider if you have laws that would concern you, and you already need a 1 ton.

 

[Big Ray]

a/c in a tent!?!?!?



AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[big reaper]

I have to admit you seem to have the same problem I do. I want to build on a small budget. But for some reason when I get thinking about working on my truck it almost always spirals out of control and I end up dreaming of bigger and more expensive things.

My original plans for my k5 were to keep it under 4500 total investment and I know for a fact I'm over that already and its still going.

 

[sweetk30]

all your needs / plans and weight = not the best at 1/2 ton at all.

buy the time you buy gears & install kits & lockers your over the 2k mark just in parts basicly not counting service items like oil / rtv / brake cleaner to rinse stuff out . then you got install time/labor not cheep or 1 hr job .

also 1/2 ton brakes on 10k loads = not in my book .

35 around the limit unless you plan on spare parts like axle shafts and such on heavy wheeling or light wheeling and 10k loads. 37 later multiplys this problem.

2k for a set of 1tons from a cucv with factory detroit in back and HUGE brakes and axles ment for 10k loads with 4.56 gears to boot . also 700r4 will like the 4.56 with 35-37 tire much better than 3.73 will. 4.10 o.k. if you had to .

toss in a lockright locker for under 400 bucks all day online site prices and this will fit in the open diff of the 60 front and gewt you 4wd . also guys here and other sites running the lockright on 38-40-44 tires and no real problems in the 60 front.

the pro's to the 2k now 1tons / 4.56 gears / detroit locker rear / BIG brakes / super strong axles is MORE than out weighing the 1/2 tons with all the coin you wana put in them and still be 1/2 ton .

i my self am still running my first dana 60 front from close to 15 years ago now. been under 3 trucks . only thing i have done was srw hubs as it was from a drw truck / clean repack wheel bearings / new pads 1 time / clean change gear oil 1 time / reman the king pins minus the pins them selfs . she has generic cheep greaseable u-joints in the shafts that were in it when i got it .

this axle has been from a crew cab work truck to play toy on 38" tires to work truck with 35-38" tires at times and fisher snow plow setup with 8ft & 9ft wide blades at times depending on needs . 9ft blade is over 900lbs alone on the front . plowing with 35" tires all the time . and blasting around in 4wd full lock to lock wheel spins with plow on front still nothing has broken .

try all that with a 10 bolt or dana 44 and see how long it lasts .

all this info is just axles. not even the major diffrence in 1ton frame . i would just buy a rolling cucv frame with axles and swap on your good body if you got one.

hope this info and real world info of mine helps you make the right choice in your build for the best bang for the buck .

and lots of the basic info is from being a auto mechanic for years and fixing over and over again guys vehicles that didnt pick the right size stuff to start . and now there service life of weak/smaller parts is much much less than normal .

 

[6.2Blazer]

I wouldn't even think about driving that era K10 on a stock drivetrain at 10,000 lbs. Handling, braking, power...basically every aspect of driving it would be bad. That's not even taking account how soon the parts would wear out or break. You are talking 1-ton dually capacity at that weight!