Rear axle width choice ?

[sweetk30]

Thinking of making a wrecker truck for my self . I have 2 DRW axles to pick from . What would you pick narrow C&C 14ff . Or a dana 70 rear from a DRW g-30 camper thats WIDE like a truck with DRW and box .

I know my turning radius will be a bit worse . But i think the width will pay off for stability side to side .

What would you pick ? Narrow or wide .

 

[HankScorpio]

Stock rims and tires or lifted with big tires and wide rims?

 

[sweetk30]

Not like BSF recoverys truck on youtube .

Just a stockish truck for me . Maybe stuff 265's under it over the 235's . Little fatter tire is all .

 

[nvrenuf]

I like a D70 but how would it fit the bed? If you’re using a Holmes type bed would the tires stick out awkwardly?

 

[Capt Ron]

Narrow, tight parking lots/storage yards, dropping and hooking cars in single car garages etc.......

 

[onetonbb74]

14 bolt, I've had bad luck with d70 axle shafts...

 

[sweetk30]

Narrow, tight parking lots/storage yards, dropping and hooking cars in single car garages etc.......

None of the above for me . Not doing public towing. And most tow truck on med duty frame use a axle as wide as this 70 .

 

[imiceman44]

Thinking of making a wrecker truck for my self . I have 2 DRW axles to pick from . What would you pick narrow C&C 14ff . Or a dana 70 rear from a DRW g-30 camper thats WIDE like a truck with DRW and box .

I know my turning radius will be a bit worse . But i think the width will pay off for stability side to side .

What would you pick ? Narrow or wide .

To me I think it should come down to the bed and how it will look.
If the tires stick out more than an inch or so it will look awkward, on the other end tires tucked in more than 2 inches looks dorky

 

[sweetk30]

To me I think it should come down to the bed and how it will look.
If the tires stick out more than an inch or so it will look awkward, on the other end tires tucked in more than 2 inches looks dorky

Width of bed is around 86" .

C&c 14ff is 63+17 for outside of drw tires on it for tital of 80 to 81 inch wide .

Drw dana 70 i have is 72+17 for 89inch width .

Or new option i can do if i find one is g-30 van full float 14ff at 70 inch wide . Swap hubs and brakes to drw to bring it down to 67 inch then plus 17 for drw outer width tires on for a total of 14 inch range .

More i think it over the more i like the option 3 van mod axle .

And if you look at older wrecker bodys some had fender flairs on them for the little extra coverage .

 

[rksjd8420]

Get a cab and chassis 11.5" AAM 14 bolt out of a 2001 to 2010 GM. They are about 69" and you get good disc brakes with an emergency brake.

 

[sweetk30]

Problem with late model rear is they take different rims for bigger hub center hole . So its going to need a special ring made for the front to make them work .

Then backspace changed a bit and disc brakes wont let older rims fit the axle .

Lug nut style is different 2 ways . No more lug seat ring and metric nuts / studs .

Yes this can all be over come but there is a lot of stuff to change to make it all work together seamless.

 

[rksjd8420]

I think the 1994 to 2002 Dodge Dana 80 cab and chassis is about 70” and has 9/16 wheel studs like GM. Mid 2001 to 2002 are disc brake. The only problem would be the difference in the hub centering which is easy to get around with a centering ring.

 

[imiceman44]

Width of bed is around 86" .

C&c 14ff is 63+17 for outside of drw tires on it for tital of 80 to 81 inch wide .

Drw dana 70 i have is 72+17 for 89inch width .

Or new option i can do if i find one is g-30 van full float 14ff at 70 inch wide . Swap hubs and brakes to drw to bring it down to 67 inch then plus 17 for drw outer width tires on for a total of 14 inch range .

More i think it over the more i like the option 3 van mod axle .

And if you look at older wrecker bodys some had fender flairs on them for the little extra coverage .

Use the d70.
1.5" stick out is perfect and if you want to cover it with a little flare it's easy