CK5
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What Axles will Fit? Need Help!!!
- Thread starter wed68
- Start date
First things first...
First it would be helpful to know what year and model truck we are talking about!...but I can answer the SF vs FF question...
An "SF"(semi-floating) 14 bolt is like a 10 bolt on steroids..if you snap an axle,the tire and rim roll away and your truck drops to the ground,just like a 10 bolt will!--all the weight of the truck PLUS the tourque to turn the tires is born by the axle shaft itself...they are pretty beefy though,they dont break very often...
An "FF" (full floating) axle has the weight of the truck riding on bearings supported by the axle "tubes" or housing..you snap an axle shaft on them,it just wont propel the truck anymore--but the tire and rim stays attached to the "tube"...its similar to the front hubs setup,as far as the bearings and locknuts are set up..all the axle shaft has to handle is the tourque to turn the tires,not the weight of the truck AND the torque like a 10 bolt or 14 bolt SF axle does...this plus its huge size makes it MUCH beefier than the others--thats why they usually are used on heavy duty 3/4 ton or 1 ton trucks...
Once we know what truck you want to put the 8 lug axles in,you will be able to search this site to find out what axle will bolt in,what wont,what U-joints you'll need,etc...plenty of folks here upgrade their trucks to them,hardly a day goes by without a question like yours....
First it would be helpful to know what year and model truck we are talking about!...but I can answer the SF vs FF question...
An "SF"(semi-floating) 14 bolt is like a 10 bolt on steroids..if you snap an axle,the tire and rim roll away and your truck drops to the ground,just like a 10 bolt will!--all the weight of the truck PLUS the tourque to turn the tires is born by the axle shaft itself...they are pretty beefy though,they dont break very often...
An "FF" (full floating) axle has the weight of the truck riding on bearings supported by the axle "tubes" or housing..you snap an axle shaft on them,it just wont propel the truck anymore--but the tire and rim stays attached to the "tube"...its similar to the front hubs setup,as far as the bearings and locknuts are set up..all the axle shaft has to handle is the tourque to turn the tires,not the weight of the truck AND the torque like a 10 bolt or 14 bolt SF axle does...this plus its huge size makes it MUCH beefier than the others--thats why they usually are used on heavy duty 3/4 ton or 1 ton trucks...
Once we know what truck you want to put the 8 lug axles in,you will be able to search this site to find out what axle will bolt in,what wont,what U-joints you'll need,etc...plenty of folks here upgrade their trucks to them,hardly a day goes by without a question like yours....
Sorry for forgetting the year, It is an 84 K5 with the stock 10 bolts.
I need to regear and am thinking of just rebuilding the 10 bolts with 4.11 gears, I do not crawl rocks, we do not have any in South Lousiana, I pretty much only drive on the street and pull a boat from time to time.
The new 350 feels very weak with the 3.08 gears, I really should just regear the 10 bolts, I only have 33 inch tires on it!
Bill
I need to regear and am thinking of just rebuilding the 10 bolts with 4.11 gears, I do not crawl rocks, we do not have any in South Lousiana, I pretty much only drive on the street and pull a boat from time to time.
The new 350 feels very weak with the 3.08 gears, I really should just regear the 10 bolts, I only have 33 inch tires on it!
Bill
I'd upgrade...
Its less work,and probably cheaper to get 3/4 ton axles in the long run--unless you know how to install and set up a ring and pinion,its going to be more money to have someone re-gear the 1/2 ton axles--and then you still have fairly wimpy axles!...the 3/4 ton SF or FF axles bolt right in place of the 1/2 ton ones,only the u-joint needs to be changed --a "conversion" joint is available to connect the 1/2 ton driveshaft to the larger 3/4 ton rear ends yoke..(2wd and 4wd axles have different shock mounts,but can be altered to fit)..
The front axle is a bit more complicated...you could swap on some 8 lug hubs and spindles,other than that they are identical to a 1/2 ton 6 lug axle--or you can spend 1000 bucks to get a Dana 60 1 ton front axle--the best for brute strength and huge tires...but a Dana 44 1/2 ton axle will live if the tires are not larger than 35"..unless you get it airborne or crawl on rocks..if you dont plan on doing any hard core off roading,you could get by with the Dana 44 1/2-3/4 ton style axles,put a truss under it,and it will probably hold up fine!
I know everyone wants a Dana 60,but I've hung some very heavy plows on my 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks and thrashed them pretty good plowing and I've yet to break an axle tube or housing..they aren't as weak as some folks lead you to beleive...they just dont like heavy tires and rims,or hard landings after getting some "air"....I'd say at least half of the ones who have a Dana 60 dont really need one...
Its less work,and probably cheaper to get 3/4 ton axles in the long run--unless you know how to install and set up a ring and pinion,its going to be more money to have someone re-gear the 1/2 ton axles--and then you still have fairly wimpy axles!...the 3/4 ton SF or FF axles bolt right in place of the 1/2 ton ones,only the u-joint needs to be changed --a "conversion" joint is available to connect the 1/2 ton driveshaft to the larger 3/4 ton rear ends yoke..(2wd and 4wd axles have different shock mounts,but can be altered to fit)..
The front axle is a bit more complicated...you could swap on some 8 lug hubs and spindles,other than that they are identical to a 1/2 ton 6 lug axle--or you can spend 1000 bucks to get a Dana 60 1 ton front axle--the best for brute strength and huge tires...but a Dana 44 1/2 ton axle will live if the tires are not larger than 35"..unless you get it airborne or crawl on rocks..if you dont plan on doing any hard core off roading,you could get by with the Dana 44 1/2-3/4 ton style axles,put a truss under it,and it will probably hold up fine!
I know everyone wants a Dana 60,but I've hung some very heavy plows on my 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks and thrashed them pretty good plowing and I've yet to break an axle tube or housing..they aren't as weak as some folks lead you to beleive...they just dont like heavy tires and rims,or hard landings after getting some "air"....I'd say at least half of the ones who have a Dana 60 dont really need one...
