tires vs axle

[MetalCore_Blazer393]

ight pretty much i want to know how the stock 10 bolt axles on my blazer will hold up to 38.5x16 or 39.5x18 boggers, i know there not strong at all but if i put say the 39.5s on it and took it to go trail riding or through some small stuff and not really gettin on the pedal and spinning them im i still likely to brake an axle or tear something up? like i can see my self just taking off from a stop light or something nothing and braking one lol, ive snapped one before on it with 35x12.50 mud terrains but that was me being ignorant when i first got the truck and flooring it through heavy mud till i was out and after the 3rd trip my rear end said no more lol, and how much stronger are the chrome alloy axles or what ever u can get to put in them? thanks guys

 

[blazinzuk]

A rear 10 bolt will not be happy with tires that big even if you are super gentle. Front on the other hand if unlocked will probably live with few problems.

You could probably street drive 10 bolts with big tires and I have seen guys wheel them with 38s or bigger. But the fact is they will break. Which ruined my day of wheeling. Chromo stuff is expensive. It is not rare to find a 14b on craigs list for less than a couple hundred. Oftentime you can find whole 3/4 ton trucks and just switch the axles and get a nearly free set of axles

 

[Blue85]

Most people here will tell you that those tires are too big for 10-bolts. The rear 10-bolt is OK for maybe 35's. Some will tell you about blowing up the 10-bolt on pavement with 31's. Others will tell you about wheeling 38's. If you are set on 6-lug, search for threads on the 14 Bolt s/f axle.

The front is a little better and is probably good for 37's. You can also beef a front 10-bolt with aftermarket U-joints and shafts, which is a valid option since a Dana 60 is pretty expensive. This would be OK for your 38's, unless you put a locker in it.

Don't forget that the stock gears will suck bad with 38's or 39's. If you can find a set of axles with the right gear ratio, it might not cost much more than re-gearing what you already have. Just please don't put 38" tires on your 3.08 gears and then come back asking us how to get more power from the engine.

 

[MetalCore_Blazer393]

thanks guys, and both front and back have 4.56 gears and lockers so, i did glance on criags list and found some axles for $200 or so, so im probably going to switch axles first, last time i looked every 14 bolt was above $1k but lol, im thinkin of buyin a wrecked CUCV with dana 60 and 14bolt for $1k and pull the axles out and scrap it for money back, pull other usable parts first though lol, thanks guys

 

[blazinzuk]

Well there you go. You could sell your 10 bolts for a little cash for sure scrap the truck, one tons are the way to go if you want to run big tires. I have known alot of folks who have messed around with half tons or 3/4 tons for a while if they are planning on 40s or bigger they always go to one tons sometimes it takes a while but they always do

 

[DizturbedOne]

FYI

I've seen 3 ten bolt axles break in two months on 35" tires. 2 on a buddies truck and 1 on mine. I wasn't getting too crazy for mine, just a little too vertical with some aired down tires and alot of traction, a little bounce as it slid down the hill a little while crawling up it and SNAP! lol

My buddy was getting pretty flagrant on the gas the first time and it was no suprise. The second one he snapped was a newly built axle with new chromoly shafts, new 4.88's, and new Detroit Truetrac's. It broke while backing up a muddy hill that he was stuck at the bottom of. It compressed on a little bump he was trying to crest midway up at about 7-8 mph and SNAP!

I'd stay at 35's on them 10-bolts and take it easy... My 35's get me alot of places with some steady driving and some slow crawling.