bsgreen
1/2 ton status
That's an awesome pic
CK5
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Ultimate 10 bolt axles
- Thread starter Csm Davis
- Start date
That's an awesome pic
hay everyone forgot . . . . dana 60 has king pins / bigger parts . . . and 10 bolts ....... on the diff covers . 
I am doing that on my suburban.
First thing that eliminates the biggest problem is rcv shafts.
Second get the best ball joints and bearings.
I am not planning on a truss yet but if you plan on jumping it that might be wise.
I would definitely do the brake upgrade and I will go with a selectable locker for the front.
That should leave my weak point at the locking hubs which is the easiest to change.
I also will not go more than 4.56 gears to keep the pinion strong enough.
The rear I already have a 14bff that is strong enough that I will shave for a smoother glide I might consider the disk brake if it becomes necessary with the 37" tires I plan on using.
As someone else said, too many variables. I’ve been running a front 10 bolt / rear 12 bolt, 3.73 gearing for years with a carb to tbi conversion for about 10 years with zero breakage. Knock on wood. Both axles have lunchbox lockers. I’ve put disc brakes on the back along with the upgraded Yukon shafts front and rear. Disc brakes were put on just to keep the tire in place if I did break a shaft.
I’m running low power, 35’s and never spin the tires on rocks so I don’t bounce or have a spinning tire grab and snap parts.
IMO - driving style and power are the biggest factors in breaking crap. I’m currently building a 60/14 combo and it’s EXPENSIVE just to get it somewhat close to what I’m running with lockers, disc rear and 4.10 gearing. No upgrades.
The 14b is HUGE and heavy compared to the stock rear. I’m planning on upgrading the drivetrain for more power and I want to go to 37’s at some point so I’m preparing the drivetrain for that future upgrade.
The stock axles can be safe up to 33/35’s depending on driving style. All axles have weak links. The 60/14 both have their weaknesses too.
If you’re happy where your build is at, upgrade the shafts to chrome molly ($125 on Amazon last week - Yukon rear shafts) and drive smart. If you’re looking at more aggressive trails you’re running, look for the 60/14 combo. The bigger axles give peace of mind - but they come at a cost of weight, rear clearance and $$$. You can get 2” back by using a shave kit on the 14b - but you need a machine shop and tools to get that done too. That’s like going from 31’s back to 35’s.
I’m running low power, 35’s and never spin the tires on rocks so I don’t bounce or have a spinning tire grab and snap parts.
IMO - driving style and power are the biggest factors in breaking crap. I’m currently building a 60/14 combo and it’s EXPENSIVE just to get it somewhat close to what I’m running with lockers, disc rear and 4.10 gearing. No upgrades.
The 14b is HUGE and heavy compared to the stock rear. I’m planning on upgrading the drivetrain for more power and I want to go to 37’s at some point so I’m preparing the drivetrain for that future upgrade.
The stock axles can be safe up to 33/35’s depending on driving style. All axles have weak links. The 60/14 both have their weaknesses too.
If you’re happy where your build is at, upgrade the shafts to chrome molly ($125 on Amazon last week - Yukon rear shafts) and drive smart. If you’re looking at more aggressive trails you’re running, look for the 60/14 combo. The bigger axles give peace of mind - but they come at a cost of weight, rear clearance and $$$. You can get 2” back by using a shave kit on the 14b - but you need a machine shop and tools to get that done too. That’s like going from 31’s back to 35’s.
Chrome-moly shafts are a must to make a 10b survive if you have a traction device in the front diff. I did a very long time of wheeling with a open d44 and 35's and never came close to breaking a shaft. I drove without a lick of finesse either and had a manual trans for added fun.
On the flip side. With another d44, tru-trac and an auto trans I'm three for three in Utah for breaking a front shaft. The last three years on big trips out of Colorado I've broken. One on the left and two on the right. The failures wern't due to any crazy bouncing or throttle happy antics. The last one at Blazer bash was just a little off idle with the wheels turned slightly right and coming off a short rock. Felt bound up a little and snap. That was it. Chro-mos are in my future for sure.
I've done the math too for the debate to go-to a 60. In my case with the correct gearing to match, still have a traction device anf fresh bearings all through out I'd be $2000 into it for parts alone. That's not including the price of the 60 in the first place which go for $1500 and up around my location. Put that up against the cost of the chro-mos and keeping the 44 makes financial sense as long as you don't plan on going bigger than 35's long term. Still don't mean you can rock bounce it with 35's and a locker, but it should survive normal sane wheeling without heavy throttle.
On the flip side. With another d44, tru-trac and an auto trans I'm three for three in Utah for breaking a front shaft. The last three years on big trips out of Colorado I've broken. One on the left and two on the right. The failures wern't due to any crazy bouncing or throttle happy antics. The last one at Blazer bash was just a little off idle with the wheels turned slightly right and coming off a short rock. Felt bound up a little and snap. That was it. Chro-mos are in my future for sure.
I've done the math too for the debate to go-to a 60. In my case with the correct gearing to match, still have a traction device anf fresh bearings all through out I'd be $2000 into it for parts alone. That's not including the price of the 60 in the first place which go for $1500 and up around my location. Put that up against the cost of the chro-mos and keeping the 44 makes financial sense as long as you don't plan on going bigger than 35's long term. Still don't mean you can rock bounce it with 35's and a locker, but it should survive normal sane wheeling without heavy throttle.
I beat the d44 with the old Warn Chromolys in the k5 absolutely mercilessly once I got past thinking it was fragile. Broke 9 locking hubs though.
Never really hit the front diff until the D60 showed up. It's a rock catcher for sure
While I can't understand why you have had so many failures with yours, I know that @500$k5 has been doing fine with 33's and a drop in locker for years. Stock axles from 1978.
I never broke anything on my 76 with stock axles with lunchbox lockers front and rear, sm465/205 behind a turbo diesel, on 35" xterrains.While I can't understand why you have had so many failures with yours, I know that @500$k5 has been doing fine with 33's and a drop in locker for years. Stock axles from 1978.
It's the driving.
And I did put it through hell especially on the Rubicon.
Crappy luck? But the running theory is the tru-trac when it is bound up releases torque all at once and the shaft goes boom. Or it's just a combination of the tru-trac and 40+ year old shafts.While I can't understand why you have had so many failures with yours, I know that @500$k5 has been doing fine with 33's and a drop in locker for years. Stock axles from 1978.
You mean besides the broken inner and outer shaft and carnage to the ball joints? LOL. Then no, nothing really out of the ordinary.
I am really curious if anyone has actually pulled the trigger and bought those outrageously expensive RCV joints for their 44. Even if I purchased RCVs and a locker, I’m still spending less than the initial cost of a Dana 60 in my area. Quite tempting to by the RCVs to be honest.
....there is always the 14bff front axle that rock hound off-road makes which is around the cost of a 60, but much stronger than the 60...
....there is always the 14bff front axle that rock hound off-road makes which is around the cost of a 60, but much stronger than the 60...
I will say that a spicer 760x joint in the Warn shafts I had in my K5 never broke. I did swap them each year
I haven’t talked to anyone running the RcV joints on a 44 though
What size tires/driving style did you do with the spicer 760s?
37s/very bad
I had all 4 tires off the ground multiple times with my foot to the wood. Dragged a cj7 up one of the harder trails in CO with sparks coming off the rims against the rocks and still didn’t break the Warn shafts or the joints
also towed a dead 12 passenger van out of Empire loop without an issue
It did break the cross pin in the ARB though
I had all 4 tires off the ground multiple times with my foot to the wood. Dragged a cj7 up one of the harder trails in CO with sparks coming off the rims against the rocks and still didn’t break the Warn shafts or the joints
also towed a dead 12 passenger van out of Empire loop without an issue
It did break the cross pin in the ARB though
I love it so basically, if I slam a little locker in my 44 (which has 4.56 gears already) snag some chromoly shafts from Yukon and spicer joints, I should have a pretty bullet proof setup. I run 37s and like to think I don’t try and kill my rig ( I’ve grown up quite a bit since high school) I should be golden.... my goal is rubicon next year.
Well you may get lucky. If you bounce it, catch it on an undercut, or hammer it, it will probably break
Nothing is bulletproof, but it’s better than stock. Mind you these were Warn shafts. I have a different truck now with a D44 up front, with Yukon shafts. I try not to be stupid
Also have not reamed this truck through those trails. As always, take spares
Are the Warn shafts better than the Yukon’s?
