Need Quick Advice! Axle Prices

[Glen1978]

Need to make a choice pretty quick. I decided to go 1 tons and have found a couple sets and need to make a move before I miss my chance. K5 is bone stock 89 with 3.08 gears and 33's on it. Great running 350tbi and SM465 tranny. Will be street driven and run trails on days off / weekends with 37" tires. Mainly concerned with gearing and a little worried about the running the rear spool in option 1. I live in the mountains of Colorado so if we go way off anywhere we take my ole ladys new 4runner. This is my part time DD and mountain beater ride.

Option 1: Dana 60 / 14 bolt in ready to run condition. 4.10 gears. Front is open and rear is spooled (not welded up). Includes pretty new front extended brake lines, dual steering stabilizer, front spring plates, and 3" steering block for steering correction. These axles are 8.5 hours away for $1000.

Option 2: Dana 60 / 14 bolt from low mile CUCV. 4.56 gears. Front is open and rear is Detroit. Still under the CUCV and will be pulled today. Includes front spring plates. These axles are 2.5-3 hours away for $2000.

Im running 3.08s and 33's now so Im way undergeared and it does decent in the mountains thanks to the old granny 4 speed. Gearing calc shows my RPM now at around 1882. 4.10's with 37's will put me up to 2234 rpm and the 4.56's will move it up to 2485 rpms. Thanks

 

[nvrenuf]

Imo the CUCV pair is overpriced at $2k.

Option 1 looks good as the price is reasonable but the 8.5 hr drive (one way) is a killer. Fuel / travel cost + time??

The spool WILL eat tires if you drive it a lot. Road manners in snow is also something to be considered, it doesn't snow where I live so I don't have an opinion on that.

Honestly I'd probably wait on both and hold the money until you find something closer for a reasonable price. CUCV axles average $1000-$1500 for the pair and should be easy to find within a couple of hours given a little patience.

 

[Glen1978]

Well the CUCV axles have 34k miles on em and that is the shipped price to the terminal thats 2.5 hrs away. I live up in the Colorado mountains so nothing is close.

 

[skunked]

The spool isn't something I'd want on the street. Have you thought about buying just the D60 from the guy 8hrs away? Sourcing a 14B with 4.10's shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[Glen1978]

Ive thought about all scenarios. Nothing is particularly close. Everything is in Denver.....2.5 hrs away. If I went with just a 60 id have 4.56 gears and be up for a gear swap and Detroit to buy.

 

[skunked]

I didn't know you were stuck on 4.10's.

Detroit's are stupid easy to install in a 14B FF.

 

[Glen1978]

Im after 4.56s. While easy to install there not free. From what Ive seen the 14 bolt is almost free when you buy the front CUCV 60. Well 4-500 bucks.