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Building a hybrid axle?

sled_dog

sled_dog

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Just randomly reading crap on Pirate and came across some hybrid axle work. The subject talked about 60 with 14 bolt shafts but then it turned to 9" with 14 bolt shafts and outers. Made me think of making a 9" 14 bolt hybrid. Use the 9" center section and tubes, then chop the spindles off the 14 bolt, attach them to the 9" tubes. Then take the side gears from the 14 bolt and install them in the 9" carrier, weld them fast to the carrier and bam you've got a welded rear that accepts 14 bolt shafts. At the worst all I can think is you'd have to shave the 14 bolt side gears to fit in the carrier. Then you've got a 9" with 8 lugs, Full Floater, 14 bolts awesome shafts, 35 splines, and its locked. Advantages over a 14 bolt? ground clearance is better, lighter axle, and easy to attack stuff to the housing for 4 link, traction bars, etc. Anyone have thoughts to add here? My only thought is, I hate removing much weight from the back without removing the same if not more from the front. I'd still have the 60 up front cause well with the fullsize rig and 39.5" IROKs that 60 is not going anywhere.
 
now that I stop and think a second, you could build a front 69 hybrid in the same fashion. 60 side gears in the 9" carrier, use the tubes of the 9", some Dedenbear inner Cs(mmmm beefy), Dedenbear knuckles, there would be no need to tear apart and waste a good 60 in the process. Aftermarket front shafts, personally I think I'd build it driver side pumpkin. I could see the possible need for a jig setup to insure everything is all nice and neat, but I'm getting in good with a local shop that narrows rears, don't see why he wouldn't help me out.
 
$459 for a high pinion housing, best price I found so far, didn't look too long though.
 
Hi-Pinion 9"? Only one made is the Currie and it uses the 8.8" gearset and is only recommended for up to a 35" tire on a jeep... Not something you want on a heavy fullsize with 40's or bigger. Cool thing to do is build a rear enging buggy and run upside down 9" low pinion thirds so they are not hp's /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

Also, the 14 bolt is 30 spline, not 35.

And last, on your 69 hybrid, why put d60 spiders into a 9" carrier and weld it? Just get a 35 spline 9" ARB and buy some Yukon inner 60 shafts and have them splined to the 45* pressure angle that the 9" uses opposed to the 60* that dana stuff uses.
 
Yep I've seen those but you can only get 4.86 gears for them... Well they say others will come out in July but they said that same thing but about March a few months back... Plus they are the only makers of all the parts which dictates high prices. I'd much rather run a Rockcrusher center section.
 
well this method could be applied to other axles I would say. Was just thinking about that 12 bolt sitting in my driveway. Then there is contending with the 12 bolt carrier strength. Wondering how much of a trade off would be there. hmm.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Yep I've seen those but you can only get 4.86 gears for them... Well they say others will come out in July but they said that same thing but about March a few months back... Plus they are the only makers of all the parts which dictates high prices. I'd much rather run a Rockcrusher center section.

[/ QUOTE ] For that price I'd rather go with a Tera 60. Very cool but yeah $1500 ouch. Anyone have strengths and weaknesses on factory high pinion axles? Namely 44 and 60. Just always want to have options open for things to do.
 
Putting the 60 and 14FF side gears into the 9" carrier sounds cool but the 30 and 35 spl. shafts won't even go through the side bearings of a 9" unless you get the 3.25" version, which means nodular, which turns into $$.
Also, 14FF shafts are built for the offset of the 14FF housing and the 9" isn't going to match right up to that.
Using the 14FF spindles and hubs is a good idea though, good bearings, 5 and 6 lugs aftermarket hubs available (last I checked) and you can fit a 35 spl. shaft through the spindle no problem.

If you go to the trouble of building a 69 front, you probably don't want to hang kingpin outers on it, ball joints are a good bit lighter.
 
true but I'm certain its quite a big heavier, and what are the shafts on an Eaton like?
 
just as big as the 14 just lower spline count. you can run a 14bff detroit locker in it and 14bff axel shafts and done. you have the clearance and strenght. O ya you also have a huge ring gear
 
Have you guys read the article in Peterson's about the monster d44 they built. It had 60 knuckles, 35 spline, Arb, etc. With the clearance of a 44 and the strength of a 60 it sounds good. Although the price probably wouldn't. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Actually couldn't see it costing too much more than building a 60 and you'd have the extra clearance...

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifI'll let one of our more knowledgable members take over from here /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Were it me I'd make up and weld flanges to the 9" housing that allow a D60 front stub spindle to bolt on. Maybe use the Alston 4130 housing as the base for the build if it's still available. For the front I'd use the same housing with D60 'C' brackets etc. That puts me into the same wheel bearings front & rear, same brake rotors front and rear, same wheel hubs, etc., etc. and allows for replacement of a damaged rear stub spindle. For rear axle shafts I'd have drive plates and double splined shafts made.
 
all fine and dandy, expensive but fine and dandy. One thing about a 9" front axle I never understand is this, how do you check the internals?? Not like you can pop the cover. You have to tear down the entire axle just to pull the third member and check wear and oil.
 
Some of the parts might be spendy, but I'd be doing all of the welding and assembly work.

Cut the 'bubble' off the housing (assuming a stock type housing) and weld on a flange for what ever cover looks to fit the best. As a guess I'd say either the 10 bolt or a Model 20 cover would be the closest.
 
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