A lot better selection of tires in 17" wheels. Especially if you're like me an scrounging the used tire market.
CK5
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Phil's '88 Big Blue Build Thread
- Thread starter Phil513
- Start date
I've forgotten...why are you not looking for a 9.5" 14bsf in 6-lug so you can simply keep your wheels & tires?
It's probably what I should do. I can sell my 14bff. Guess I should inquire at some local wrecking yards.
9.5" 6-lug axle, move spring/shock perches (which you'd hafta do anyway, right?), regear the front, add locker(s)...DONE.
Should be easier than redoing wheels, tires, hubs, etc. I am a fan of the FF axle style (easy maintenance), but if you were in serious need of FF hardware I think you would have already found out.
Oh, using the 9.5" axle will allow you to run similar rear brakes, vs. having to switch to discs or having drums stuck behind the hub assembly. So that saves some headache, too, unless you were wanting disc brakes.
Nah, I'm good with rear drums.
I'm liking this. I can even put my spartan up front instead of in the rear as planned. Then get a detroit for the rear.
Now to see if I can find a 6 lug 9.5 axle. Craigslist doesn't have anything.
Like this?
Even matches my current gearing. hahaha
https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/pts/5483450631.html
Even matches my current gearing. hahaha
https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/pts/5483450631.html
You can run 15" 8 lug wheels.
There is no grinding required at all to run 16" wheels on 3/4 ton axles. By the late 80's, 16.5" wheels were no longer even an option, a 16" wheel was on all 3/4 tons (and 1 tons).
If you do run a 15" 8 lug wheel, there is NO grinding required on the brake drum. The only grinding is on the front axle (unless you go rear disc brakes), and is rather minor on a 3/4 ton.
Martin
I'd jump on that if I were you, seeing that it's local. $100 seems fair to me. One downside of the 6-lug 14bsf axles is that 3.42 seems to be a very common ratio. Not sure what other ratios were offered, but I can only recall seeing one axle that wasn't 3.42 (and that was a cargo van with 3.73, FWIW).
So I'd jump on that and simply budget for a gear upgrade. Or also buy an 8-lug axle with the proper gears and swap gears or shafts to build the axle you want.
If you buy an 80s 8-lug 4.10 (or whatever) axle you should be able to swap shafts and then install it without having to mess with perches.
Win-win, right?
Ah, thanks, that's good info. I thought the whole OD of the rear drum had to be ground down.
No, a 15" wheel will fit right over a 14bff drum.
Martin
Martin
Martin, is this true for 11" and 13" drums, or just the 11" ones? I know that they'll both accept 16" wheels, but I haven't tried 15" on either.
Both.
Martin
Martin
So couple of things about the 6 lug semifloat. The 2wd version is narrower like 5" around a 63" wms. The 4wd ones are 68 ish wide. So make sure it's the wider one
I measured my turning radius before and after and it did increase by about 3" because if the wider rear axle I guess.
You can out your 10 bolt yoke on the SF so no need for driveshaft changes.
And of course the huge massive big time score is a SF out if an H2 they have a factory selectable e locker.
If you want discs in the back just get a newer rear axle with factory discs.
I would trust a SF 14 bolt on 40s with a locker. Pretty good axle if you wanna stay 6 lug
I measured my turning radius before and after and it did increase by about 3" because if the wider rear axle I guess.
You can out your 10 bolt yoke on the SF so no need for driveshaft changes.
And of course the huge massive big time score is a SF out if an H2 they have a factory selectable e locker.
If you want discs in the back just get a newer rear axle with factory discs.
I would trust a SF 14 bolt on 40s with a locker. Pretty good axle if you wanna stay 6 lug
Thanks.
Ah. The one in the ad is from a 2WD.
Why is the wider one better? Isn't that bad for turning radius? Is it just about clearance between the inner fender and the tire?
On a Blazer it makes very little difference.
I have never thought to myself gee I wish I had a narrower rear axle so I can turn sharper.
The 2wd one is narrower than his current rear end
I have never thought to myself gee I wish I had a narrower rear axle so I can turn sharper.
The 2wd one is narrower than his current rear end
Also the wider one looks so much better
Yeah, Blazers always look a bit borderline odd with the rear as narrow as it it stock. I wouldn't want to make that worse.
