Question on Axles

[BrianDamage]

I am "axle dumb", so bear with me :



Been needing a new rear axle for a while, thinking of going ahead and getting one while I'm not working (since it's so hard to get anywhere to get one when I am )...there is a local 4x4 salvage, the last time I talked to him he had 3/4 ton front and rear axles with or without gov locs. I know gov locs suck, but they are better than no lock at all... Someone told me if I get one with a gov loc, that I won't be able to go back in later and put a good electric or air locker in it....is this true?
I'm not really looking for the guy at the junkyard to be of much help, beacause when I asked him if they were 14bolt semi float or full float, he didn't know what I was talking about . He just knew one had clips, the other didn't.

Is there a type of 14 bolt FF that I need to look out for that is NOT upgradable? This guy sells his stuff in "usuable condition"...may have to get a D44 and a 14B FF and then just upgrade the internals later.

 

[scrappy88]

If it's got a gov-lok in it you won't be able to upgrade to a detroit unless you get an open carrier for it. The gov-lok carrier is completely different. If you wanted to go to an ARB air locker then you can swap that right in as it completely replaces the existing carrier. The gov-loks in the 14bff aren't nearly as crappy as the 10 bolts. I'm going to be running one in mine.

 

[perp]

I broke 2 gov lock in different trucks. they like to slip and let one tire spin about 80 mph and then try to lock and BOOM. this happened to one, the other snapped while climbing s hill with big washed out areas, the truck rear bounced while on the gas and BOOM. still drove both home but with all the parts floating around inside the thing drove like a spool. I agree with scrappy about the detroit fiting only an open carrier and this is the cheapest price application for a detroit becaus it does fit inside the carrier. easy to install to, no shimming of anything needed. can do in 1 hour. works 100 times better than gov loc. the ARB is nearly 900.00 for the 14 bolt and thats a lot. both are good units, i have an ARB in front and a Detroit out back.

 

[BrianDamage]

so are all non-gov loc axles open carrier? if not how can I tell the differance ?

really, a gov-loc will probaly be all I ever need...my K5 is just my hunting truck....but we've got MAJOR mudholes on our lease, and I've already been stuck a few times like I am now.