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Converting 10-bolt to 8-lug?

Blaze

Blaze

1/2 ton status
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Is there any way, and if there is, is it worth it? I know it is a weak axle and all, but I'm not going to do any hardcore wheeling with my truck. I'd love to put a D60 in the front, but can't afford it right now.

My rear 10-bolt is on its way out and a friend of mine just gave me a 14-bolt SF. Of course, it is 8-lug and my wheels are 6-lug.

I figure since I'm upgrading to 8-lug rear wheels I might as well find some wheels I like and then figure a way to make the front work with 8-lug wheels.

I'll start yard crawling in the meantime hoping to find a D60 for cheap. :whistle:
 
Everything from a 3/4 ton swaps right on over to your existing 10 bolt front, the brake hubs w/ rotors, caliper brackets, and calipers. The only thing that may be different is the ratio in the 14 bolt you now have.
 
Awesome, I need new brakes in the front anway!

Gearing isn't a big deal. my gears don't match as it is.
 
if u plan on regearing etc. i would just pick up a 14ff, the 14sf is good but the 14ff is the king of the crop besides a rockwell or something. and they r very cheap. and converting to 8 lug up front is easy. u just need the parts. and mostly anyone can do it.
 
While you are in there you might as well replace your spindle bearings and check your u joints I was going to do the same thing I bought all the parts to do it and found out my front diff needed a full rebuild so I just bought a d60
 
shaun89 said:
if u plan on regearing etc. i would just pick up a 14ff, the 14sf is good but the 14ff is the king of the crop besides a rockwell or something. and they r very cheap. and converting to 8 lug up front is easy. u just need the parts. and mostly anyone can do it.
Click to expand...

I know that, but this axle is FREE so I'd be saving a bunch of money. With what I'll be doing with the truck, I will never break a 14bsf.
 
You can keep the same calipers and therefore will not even have to disconnect the brake lines. When I converted my 10-bolt to 8 lug many years ago I picked up a complete set of outers for 50 and bucks and spent about an hour bolting them on.

The front 10-bolts are okay axles, and equivalent to a Dana 44 front. A 10-bolt rear will almost always break before a front will. I wheeled for years with 35's and a limited slip in a front 10-bolt and only broke two axle u-joints...one was the 10 year old stock one and the second was a cheapo parts store version. Afte replacing them with Spicers and slightly adjusting my driving style (i.e. not cranking the tire all the way to one side while jammed in a rut and gassing it) I ran for years with no issues.
 
That's kind of what I figured, I really don't plan on beating this thing off-road, so the 14bsf and 10-bolt front should be fine.

So you just got the hubs and rotors for the 10-bolt, did I read that correctly?
 
Blaze said:
I know that, but this axle is FREE so I'd be saving a bunch of money. With what I'll be doing with the truck, I will never break a 14bsf.
Click to expand...


I'm in the same boat...got a FREE 10 bolt a couple of weeks back, it'll do 'till I can afford to 1 ton it....someday...:whistle:
 
I'll mention this just because I see a lot of people post who think that front 10-bolts only came in 6-lug and the 8-lug axles were all Dana 44's. GM stopped using Dana 44's for the most part in the late-70's, therefore just about every 3/4 ton GM truck out there since then has a 10-bolt front axle.
 
you could also find the parts to convert the 14sf to 6 lug.
saves you money on wheels and converting your 10b.
 
To change an 8 lug 14bsf to 6 lug is a pain the the behind, or so I've heard. :whistle:

To change the front 10b to 8 lug is easy.

6 lug vs 8 lug....
axle housing, same
axle shafts, same
knuckles, same
spindles, same
calipers, same
brake caliper brackets (backing plates), different
hubs and rotors, different
locking hubs, same

By different I mean they are specific to their respective 6 lug or 8 lug species.

It would be easy enough to pull everything from the knuckles out of a donor to swap over to your axle. And you gain bigger brakes at the same time.

BTW, go with at least a 16" wheel when you buy some new 8 lug wheels.
 
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