I Dont Want to go 1 ton!!?? (help)

[mudslinger99]

Well you will always get a wide variety of opinions when it comes to axles.. Some say they have run 10 and 12 bolt stuff for years with no problem..Others say they broke a 12 bolt in one ride to the grocery store.. But there is a big difference in what terrain people are running in and how heavy their foot is..

Around here 1/2 ton running gear is more common and believe it or not most of the time preffered for a play truck.. I think it is mostly due to ground clearance, availibility of parts and the fact 1/2 ton stuff is cheaper to replace because you can find parts every where...The fellows I have went wheeling with around here run up to 44inch tires on some pretty heavy trucks that get abused pretty hard with minimal breakage for years... But keep in mind we mostly have mud to play in.. I'm sure bigger axles would be more popular if we had more rocky terrain..

I think the major reason that you see so many people going 1 ton is the terrain they run and because it is cheaper in the long... Like has been mentioned by the time you build up the 10 and 12 bolt to handle the terrain in most cases you can go 1 ton for less and have a much stronger set up... So think about what everbody has said and decide what is best for you..

That is a good looking truck you got there..Also nice lay out on your site.. Good luck to you on what ever you decide..

 

[blazinzuk]

thought I would chime in here you can make a 10/12 bolt live forever but you have to be aware of them like has been said here you can break anything but it is less of a worry with a bigger axle such as the 14b ff I have seen guys break their half ton stuff but my biggest concern with a balls out type of driving style would be breaking the ball joints on the front axle. one tons weigh alot and are pretty expensive but would be dang near unbreakable with 35s but I also think you could spend some money and build your half tons to work for you

 

[Greg72]

GG,

There's really not much reason to avoid going to at least go 3/4-Ton from a cost perspective....the 14-Bolt rears are cheap and plentiful and a Deeetroit locker for it is cheap and indestructible. You can do an 8-Lug conversion on your existing front axle for a couple hundred bucks to solve the 8 lug vs 6 lug problems that the new rear axle will cause.... Based on your upcoming engine and your driving style, you need a beefier rear axle SOON. If you break a 12-Bolt on the trail you're probably walking home...the 14-Bolt will take care of that...worst case scenario is that you'll be blowing up front inner shafts or stub shafts (and probably lots of u-joints)....but that won't stop you from still getting home at the end of the weekend.


The biggest expense in a 1-Ton is the front D60 ....it will cost you some good money to buy a re-buildable one, and then to go through it and replace seals and bearings will cost you some more. Odds are you'll want to do crossover steering at about that same time, and you'll probably want a selectable locker if it's a streetable K5. It's not hard to get $3500 into a front axle (with steering) if you go that route.... I don't mean to be the "reality broker" but sometimes it's better to know in advance what you're in for.

 

[dontoe]

Where is the cheapest place to get the 6 lug adapters? I wanna go 14bff soon but I have 8 Outlaw II wheels I love and another 12 Ralley wheels. I really wanna stick with the 6 lug.

 

[bigjbear]

Gabe, Just a few thoughts for you; I usually don't answer this style of post anymore because they often turn into a mess. But since you are in my neck of the woods, I might have info that you would be intrested in. From the pic you posted it looks like you've got an 81 & up. That would most likely have come w/ f&r 10b. You mentioned Tellico, and I'll assume you also want to go to places like Bisley Knob and Windrock. You mentioned swapping in a new engine-I'll assume more powerfull, and older front and rear axels. You didn't say what transfercase but w/ the 700 I'll assume its an NP208. If any of this is wrong let me know because it will affect my advise.

Now for the "?" Are going to keep the 35s for at leat a few years. Why did you swap in the older axels- was it due to damage or was it to get a dif ratio you wanted? Do you know how old and how many miles your D44/12B combo have on them? Are the breaks, bearings, gears, ect in good shape? Last one, are you always hammer down, or is that just when needed?

35s and 1/2 ton stuff can work great in north GA, but 35 in radials seem to be about the limit when combined w/ a lot of weight, a strong engine and decent gearing. If the axels you have have gearing you want then I'd keep that rear. However, if you are going to regear or add a full case locker I'd be on the hunt for SF14B. The big FF14B housing will suck on 35s. You will look like you are trying to plant corn in clay. If you really want a FF find a D60 from the back of a Dodge and you will also get all the stuff to inbord the shocks at the same time (Dodges came that way stock).

The easiest way to do the swap will be to grab an 8 lug SF from our bodystyle P/U or 'burb', 3/4 ton of course. Then buy 3 new shafts and do a disc brake swap to get you back to 6 lug. Or you can buy an '88-98 SF14B w/ 6 on 5.5 pattern from a LD 3/4 ton. That will net you the bigger drums if you don't want to add rear discs. Of course the newer one wont be a bolt in, though. The late models 6 lug SF14B are running just over $300 complete form the junkyards in our area (I just bought one for my '95 Yukon ) The older 8 lug SF14B are about 1/2 that and the FF14B are a little less. I sold a complete 3/4 Dodge w/ a D44 front a FF D60 rear a few years ago for a couple hundred bucks. That should give you some ideas on price.

For some idea on how how things have held up for me. I've broke more stuff in my 10B front than my 12B rear. In fact the only thing I've broke in the rear was a lunchbox locker (at Tellico), and that may have been due to a worn out, almost 20 yr old case. I've had no issuses since I added the full case Detroit & 4.56:1 gears. That axle started in my '80 Jimmy; stock 350/TH350/NP205 and is now in my '73 Blazer; mildly built 350/TH350/NP203, both running 35x12.50-15s on steel rims. The 12B has served myself, and several others on here, well in north GA as long as we ran 35s. Looking back, I think the best choice would have been to swap in to a SF14b or if you have the time/money a FF D60 for 35-37" tires in our area. With the way the soil is here you will want to lock the rear. You don't need to, but you will want to.