Ford axle swap...15" wheel? opinions/

[reece13]

So after much decision, tomorrow i am picking up a ford/sterling 10.25 rearend im going to swap into my k5. Got it at good deal and is complete hub to hub, all new seals, brakes, etc. I know most people swap in 14ff but i have been looking for a while and cant seem to find what i want for the right price so i decided on this. I was just wandering if anyone on here has used this axle and if so, can a 15" rim be run on this? its out of a 90 model f250 with drum brakes and isnt metric studs/lugs. i was hoping to run a 15" since i already have 15s (and swap my tires over) and im not really a fan of the popular 16.5" rims and the hummer tires. I know i can get Bart wheels from summitracing in 8x6.5 in 15s and with proper backspace should fit...any opinions greatly appreciated

 

[jt512]

I think it's all going to come down to backspacing. You can put 15's on 14 bolts, D60/70's, even 2.5 ton rock wells but it all depends on the particular wheels offset.
How much do you need for the ford rear , that I can't tell you

 

[82355]

You would be better off buying one of those $700 14bff with the Detroit in it.

Martin

 

[Avery4jc]

Yeah I don't know about running a 10.25" sterling when 14 bolts are so readily available. I'm not saying it's a bad axle, I'd just rather have a 14 bolt.

I went through a 10.25" sterling, moved the perches and swapped it under my dad's '75 F250 Highboy and it was stout but I only did it to keep it in the Ford family.
If you end up going this route look up the updated hub seal part number.

They changed the style of the seal at some point after production and the new seal swaps right in but supposedly seals much better. I remember looking it up when I rebuilt his axle and it was a much better design than the old seals I popped out.

Just because everyone likes pictures here's his 10.25 I worked on. Those were 16" rims and you can see how much clearance there was in this pic. I can't remember the backspacing but I have no doubt you can make a 15" wheel clear.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

You'll have to move the spring perches and shock mounts for sure, and I don't know how close the overall width is. I would imagine it's close but it's unlikely that's it's identical.

The 10.25" ring and pinion and axle shafts are both weaker than a 14 bolt, closer to a Dana 70. Still pretty strong.

15" wheels have the same problem as anything else in this situation, they may have a little trouble clearing the rear brakes but, you'll have WAY more trouble fitting 3/4 or 1 ton brakes on the front with 15" wheels.

 

[reece13]

Thanx for all the responses. Yes, i would rather have the 14ff, but it seems that everyone in the area i live thinks that the 14ff are made out of gold or something. Im sure i could get one from a salvage yard, but id def. have to go thru it all. but for people selling them that already have them pulled from the truck, are trying to charge me almost what a d60 would cost and im not paying that! Im not saying im a tight wad, but i've had more opportunities lately to get some ford axles. The one i may pull the trigger on here, has the gears i need, a locker, new brakes and just came out of a running truck. Im def. going to measure the wms to wms before i buy it though, b/c i dont know the exact width of it