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Hypothetical half ton 6 lug rear axle upgrades

AJMBLAZER

AJMBLAZER

Better to be lucky than good.
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The Blazer is a '89 so it has a 10 bolt 30 spline rear end. Unfortunately it has the Grenade Lock and that and the nearly 200,000 miles on it makes me a think a bit. Enough so that I'm sorta watching for an upgrade/replacement to at least have to slowly work on.

So assuming I just took my time and found something cheap and built/worked on it as I could, what should I look for?
Another 30 spline 10 bolt that's open? 12 bolt? 14SF? 14FF and do the 6 lug hub conversion?
Van axle and make both axles the same track width? (That bugs the **** out of me.)

Not going to regear. Keep it 3.73's since I have a perfectly fine 3.73 geared front axle and for DD and road usage I'll stick with 33's.
Would like to put a true locker in the rear. Either a lunchbox like the Powertrax NoSlip I had in my Ranger or a full Detroit. However the Detroit would require the gears being reset.
Definitely want to go disc brakes. I know there's skads of stuff for the 14FF but what about the 6 lug options? Want to retain a parking brake too.

Truck is my alternate DD/dog hauler/trailer tower/easy wheeler (all I do anymore)/me, my buddy and his kids going shooting vehicle/etc. I'd like to pick up a set of 33x12.5 muds for it, MAYBE 35's but I doubt it. DD duty will at best eventually see some narrow 33's.
Don't really need the beef of a 14FF or the cost and hassle of swapping over to 8 lugs in the front or 6 lugs in the rear but if that turns out to be the cheapest/easiest with the locker, disc brakes, etc then I'd do it.

So, hypothetical away! Mine is pretty much fine now, has year old Mobil 1 synthetic lube in it, and seems happy. Just sorta theorizing for the future.
 
Since you're preparing for the future then I would go with a 14ff and do a detroit in it. I would also upgrade to 8 lug up front (yes new wheels will be in order) but this will not only give you strength out back but piece of mind knowing that you will be set for whatever the future holds for this rig.
 
The future pretty much is it gets driven less as I get a DD car and then eventually a nice DD pickup (few years when the diesel Mahindaras are around and in the used market).
If I start wheeling again in any sort of hard fashion I won't be using this. I'd start with a Jeep, Suzuki, Toyota, or something smaller that fit on the trails and also I didn't feel so bad about damaging.
In fact I may just give up truck wheeling for the most part and go ATV's. Sure are a hell of a lot more legal ATV places around here than truck legal stuff.
 
Well with that said then I would look for either a 12 bolt axle or a 28 spline 10 bolt axle (reason for the 28 spline is there are alot more used parts available versus a 3 year only 30 spline).
 
disk brakes with a parking brake on a 14 bolt.... carefull... this is a slippery slope to a headache, ask me how i know ;)

my advise, for a daily driven, non trail rig, the 8.5in 10 bolt is plenty strong. Ive wheeled mine on light trails, mud, gravel, and woods, and daily driven it since i bought it. without upgrading a thing. I do run 33in tires. my biggest fear thats kept me off the trails recently is my worn out springs.

If you want to replace the gov bomb with a stronger unit i certainly wouldnt fault you for it. a reenforced diff cover with cap support screws wouldnt be a bad idea either.

That 10 bolt was made for so many years, finding a factory disk brake setup with a parking brake shouldnt be too hard either. Probably from a late model S10 pickup or something.
 
Get a 28 spline 10 bolt rear. Keep your eyes open for a full case detroit (30 spline version). When time and money allows add a set of 30 spline alloy shafts, they're remarkably cheap. Then I'd add a new set of 3.73's and have it put together. Maybe not hardcore bomb proof, but a big strength and reliability upgrade from stock. Keep the drum brakes, they work fine, they're as light as disc's and have a park brake that works good.

Rene
 
If youre set on an upgrade, Id go with a SF 14bolt like chevy305 did on his truck. or get a plain old 12 bolt or 28spline 10 bolt and go through it when time/money allows then install it at a later date. Seeing the thing is mainly a DD type vehicle I see no reason for a 14 bolt FF.

Any way you cant really go wrong.
 
Yeah, one of those things to think about.

Only reason I throw the 14FF in there is it'd be about bomb proof, they're cheap, you don't need beef parts, disc brake components are everywhere, the Detroit is the cheapest out there, and an open carrier'd 14FF with 3.73 gears should be easy to find. Now there's a place or two making 6 lug hubs for them so it's actually a viable option.
 
tRustyK5 said:
Get a 28 spline 10 bolt rear. Keep your eyes open for a full case detroit (30 spline version). When time and money allows add a set of 30 spline alloy shafts, they're remarkably cheap. Then I'd add a new set of 3.73's and have it put together. Maybe not hardcore bomb proof, but a big strength and reliability upgrade from stock. Keep the drum brakes, they work fine, they're as light as disc's and have a park brake that works good.

Rene
Click to expand...

x2 just grab a detroit to replace your gov bomb when it blows and be set
 
Eh, could do that as well.

This is one of those "slowly work on it over a long time" sorta theoretical things.


Watch I hear a loud pop and bang sometime soon...
 
I've seen it happen to too many people with less miles and well treated trucks.
 
The 8 lug 14SF with a gov lock would be easy to find with 3.73 gears. You can swap in 6 lug axleshafts and disc brakes from a newer truck and it would be a bolt in affair from what I have read on here. Or for close to the same cost swap in the 8 lug conversion for the front which has the bonus of bigger brakes (same size calipers on a slightly larger diameter).

I wheeled my old '79 K10 with an 8 lug 14SF, gov lock and 33" tires for years with out a problem. But I am not hard on my trucks to begin with. The larger gov-locs are not as problematic as the 8.5" 10 bolt versions.
 
So. Again. Is this the 'kinder, gentler' CK5 now?

Whatever happened to '10-bolts will spontaneously combust at any given moment', and if you don't get a 14-bolt, a busload of nuns will die, and you'll forever burn in hell?

OK. Admittedly, the 'busload of nuns' was from another board. But have we forsaken everything? 10-bolt rear axles? Really? I'd never thought I'd hear this? What is this world coming to?

By the way, I blame Rene for this. :D
 
jms said:
So. Again. Is this the 'kinder, gentler' CK5 now?

Whatever happened to '10-bolts will spontaneously combust at any given moment', and if you don't get a 14-bolt, a busload of nuns will die, and you'll forever burn in hell?

OK. Admittedly, the 'busload of nuns' was from another board. But have we forsaken everything? 10-bolt rear axles? Really? I'd never thought I'd hear this? What is this world coming to?

By the way, I blame Rene for this. :D
Click to expand...

Didn't you get the memo? :D

We are going back to 10 bolts these days because there is less breakage due to the lighter axle and not needing as much throttle as a D60/14ff equipped rig becuase of their added weight. :haha:
 
Also because we're older, busier, and cheaper now.
 
4X4HIGH said:
Didn't you get the memo? :D

We are going back to 10 bolts these days because there is less breakage due to the lighter axle and not needing as much throttle as a D60/14ff equipped rig becuase of their added weight. :haha:
Click to expand...

LOL, don't forget with a 10 bolt you need less tire for the same ground clearance...so you can do more with less. :haha:

Michael...I in turn blame you. "Get out and wheel, screw the crazy uber build". :draw:

Rene
 
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