GM 10 bolt front---what next?

[bmsmalley]

So after an earlier post on here about 10 bolt axles I have decided to upgrade the rear to a 14FF. All fine and dandy but that leaves the front a 6 lug. No problem, I just upgrade from the knuckle out. Good to go right so far. I am I still limited to 35" tires because the core of the front is really a 10 bolt looking like a 3/4 ton. Will chromoly axle shafts get me to 36" or 38" tires? I almost have a plan together here, what is next?

 

[Fabrimacator21]

The front will hold up better then the back but I'd say don't go larger then 36's unless you plan on getting real good at swapping axle shafts. Don't know how much the chromos will help but driving style plays a big part. As long as your not hammering on it with the tires violently starting/stopping you should be ok with 36's. How hard do you plan to wheel?

 

[bmsmalley]

No plans to wheel hard. Just a weekend toy to to get the family out in the wilderness and off the pavement. And of course back home again.

 

[Fabrimacator21]

In that case chromos shouldn't be necessary.... I've run 35's with stock 10b's front and rear with no problems. Nothing hardcore but still decent mud, hill climbs, etc. If you really baby it, 38's would be doable but I'd stay under 36's.... don't want to strand the family because of a broken shaft. If you go chromos you should get some spicer u joints also.

 

[bmsmalley]

Very good advise, thanks. How much lift are you running on your truck with 35"? My plans were to run 36" with 6" lift and eventually cross over steering. Your thoughts?

 

[jonathon]

I think a 10b will be fine with 35's, and could survive on 38's if your easy on it, though I'd be worried about ball joints. Start talking chromo's and I'd just say screw it and get a 60..

My rig has 4" and 35's.. very little rub if I start flexing, otherwise bumping down logging roads is not a problem.

 

[89yimmiJ]

When I first built my truck in '04 I put a D60 in and it broke the housing the very first weekend after jumping it a little.

I put in a D44(with a Truss) and haven't had a single issue. I run 35's and had a Vortech supercharger on it. Stock shafts and good joints with truetrac.

I have a spare set of shafts that I have been holding onto for 5 years out of fear of breaking one in the truck but haven't needed them yet.

 

[obijuan]

with big tires youl go through wheelbearings pretty often. i do mine with 37s about every 3-6 months.

 

[Fabrimacator21]

I think a 10b will be fine with 35's, and could survive on 38's if your easy on it, though I'd be worried about ball joints. Start talking chromo's and I'd just say screw it and get a 60..

My rig has 4" and 35's.. very little rub if I start flexing, otherwise bumping down logging roads is not a problem.

Agreed... if you can find one cheap. 300 bucks for chromos or 1000 for a 60 depending on where you live. I've see 60's as cheap as 500 on CL though. If you've got the money I'd say step up to a 60 and sell the 10b. You'll have 1 ton brakes all the way around and you won't have to worry about breakage with 38's. Hell you could jump the thing.

BUT this is ck5 and we are gonna tell you to go beef no matter what. You just need to figure out what kind of wheeling your gonna do and what you might want to do in the future (because it snowballs once you get bit by the wheelin bug). If you might go with 38's and see yourself getting into some more hardcore wheeling then a 60 is the better option. Plus you can flog the hell out of your rig which makes wheeling 10x more fun.

 

[Texis]

Not many rocks around your part of Texas, just dirt and mud, with some sandstone.

I am in Southeast Texas (read mud ONLY) and I ran 10 bolts for years with 36 tires without any failures, and I tried to break stuff in my youth. Of course these were non-posi front ends.

The terrain has a bunch to do with how well things hold up. If you're on solid rocks (high traction...no give)...get the 1 ton stuff. If it's woods and mud, the OEM stuff works fine. After all nothing typically breaks when everything spins free without ANY traction.

The one failure I do remember was in West Texas, after I installed a 14 bolt, posi rear end. I discovered the T-case yoke couldn't handle the added traction on rock hills....there is ALWAYS a weak link somewhere in the drive train, and rocks find it.

Much of the 4 wheel community has to deal with high traction hills, rocks, etc. and therefore everything you read is all about massive drivelines, but you don't sound like a wild man and you don't live around rocks and mountains.

For you....36's + 10 bolt OK

 

[Teck]

Mine has a 10 bolt still in it with 5.13 and a posi and hold well when I was drivng it. They are not bad for the average guy, but If you are going to do alot of wheeln I would just spend the money on a 60,so you don't regret it later.

I'm loooking at going ahead during my rebuilt and getting a 60 if I can find 1 for a good deal. Really don't need one because this one will probably not see much mud any more in its life as long as I own it.

 

[Stomis]

I'm running 36x12.5 TSL radials with a d44 (basically same as a 10b) and a 14b both locked with crossover and 4in of lift. I havent had it out to much but I got it pretty damn stuck the other day and dug all 4 tires in and didnt have a single problem.

 

[obijuan]

man i really wish i took video of it when i did it. nobody believes me. when i had my 37s on the 10b rear i got em to smoke on dry pavement on multiple occasions. it was stock otherr than an auburn posi and 4.56 in it. my truck had 350/th400/205.
never had a problem with my 10bolts, but ive got mostly mud here. put it in some cheesy rocks a couple times but nothing different from a mall curb or two.