who has "pimped" their 44 or 10b

[lectric80]

For me, I don't need a D60. I am running 33's with no plans to go bigger than 35. I plan to regear to 4.10 in the front 10 and rear 12 within the next few weeks (expect a couple of gear pattern q's). The front will get chomo shafts with spicer joints. I will keep the old shafts as trail spares. I am adding Warn premiums as well.

The only reason I am replacing the shafts is that I have no idea how many miles are on the current shafts. I don't know how PO's treated the truck overall, and I don't want to be out on a hunt or wheeling trip and break something that simple. Not to mention that I already have the new hubs, so I will have it most of the way torn down to replace them.

 

[habitatxskate]

i agree with with kid..i bought 3/4 rears and since imm not wasting money re gearing m eslling them and going d60 asap...smart idea, i should have just waited though

 

[BGKYK5]

I know this isn't the original point of the thread, but......

I got a 8 lug 10B front and 3/4T 14BFF with my project truck when I bought it. The 14BFF was hashed so I decided to regear when I rebuilt it (ended up replacing it). I looked into the minimum cost I thought I could get away with to re-gear/rebuild the 10 bolt to match and add crossover steering. It turned out to only be about $2-300 more to get a D60 and do the same thing (including getting some $$ back from selling the 10b). No plans for a front locker......................yet.

 

[obijuan]

when one goes 1 ton do I have to go crossover too? or will i have to get dropped and raised steering componenents to use it?

im gonna pimp my 10b with crossover but not anytime soon.

 

[BGKYK5]

You don't have to go crossover with a D60 front, but it is easier to go crossover with a D60 than a 10b (you don't have to find and machine flattop D44 knuckles).

 

[jms]

Getting a front 60 and then not locking it makes really no sense. That would suggest the 60 wasn't needed in the first place...

This all comes down to a 'wheel-it-now vs. 'wheel-it-later-when-it's-built situation.

I'm a proponent of the 'wheel-it-now approach. So, dating back to '98, the front 10b got upgraded as it suited my needs, 4.10s, then 8-lugs and 4.56s, and the ARB. Could I have gotten a 60 for the money I spent on the front 10b? Actually, not really - the few I've seen when I lived in NE would have required a lot of work/$$/time to make them suitable. I haven't bothered to look since I moved to LA.

Once I put the locker in the front 10b, I've said to myself that I'll get a 60 when I really break the 10b. Well, in 4 years, I've gone thru 1 set of front shafts; failures were related to losing retaining clips on the u-joint caps. I've modified my current set for full-circle snap rings, so we'll see. I've broken a piece of the ARB (it's the old, 2-spider design of '98), but that got fixed for free. So overall, the 10b has held up well. Am I going to x-over and install chromo shafts and CTMs - no, probably not, based on the ARB experience. I don't have plans to step up from the 315s, so the 10b will probably live a few more seasons.

 

[BGKYK5]

I guess "no plans" was misleading. I'm getting a front locker eventually (ARB or Detroit - and they're not really that much more for the D60 as apposed to the 10B). Just gotta get the suspension, brakes, steering, and the rest of the axles "done" first. My credit card can only take so much at a time.

 

[ssped]

Well I am locked, Xrossed over with high steer, premuim hubs and the whole thing on the 10b except fer a truss and the axles. The 10b will break and I know I will do it. Even on 33's.

Now where are these chromo shafts for 130$ ?

 

[obijuan]

each

 

[ssped]

chevy305 said he got his axles for 130 to 150 each. That is pretty cheep to what I am finding. CCOR said he could get yukon shafts for 462. a set.

 

[Blue85]

6 lug is a real waste of time IMHO, 6 small lugs and you're guaranteed a 10 or 12 bolt rear.

Hmmm. Then how is it I have 6 lug wheels, but no 1/2-ton axle in the back?

 

[obijuan]

how is it you posted the same thing twice in a two minute span? it always says to me there is a five minute wait to double post.

 

[GM4wheeling]

what kind of axle are you running then?

 

[southernspeed]

I did 4.10 Yukon gears, new shafts,bearings, ball joints, hubs, cross over, hydro assist and panhard. Beadlocked wheels. Works great but I only run 35s and am quite 'sympathetic' on the gas when wheelin'.

 

[RootBreaker]

when I was a wee lil tot.... back in 1989 it was funny.. monster trucks had stiff suspension.... lockers were not a big commodity...

anyway.. I wheeled HARD from 1989-1991 on the following

350/t400/np203/d44/14bff/3.73/33's opened diffs

I beat that thing up... hard too... loved it... never broke anything....

back then I found a truck for $500 with
350/smc465/np205/d44/14bff/4.56 opened diffs
I did a body swap and tire swap

beat that thing harder... 4.56's rocked.... factory 1979 camper special pickup....

wheeled it until 1997 when the truck came off the road.. plans for 53's and rocks... but that got screwed up by NJ as the lift laws changed...

so down the line I find another $500 upgrade but im on 40's now....
the $500 was this..
350/t350/np203/d60/14bff/4.10/38's/rollbar/new rad/new alt/dual tanks

so I got my d60 cheap... sold some of the parts and basically got the d60 for free!!!!!

but my point of this...
1. d44 can handle the abuse on at least 33's
2. d60 can be found cheap if waited upon


It is funny how I wheeled years ago on 3/4 ton drivetrain and 33's
mud, mud and more mud and barely ever broke anything on the suspension
open axes and all...

I can say even though my d60 was cheap...
I put $1200 into gears, rebuild kit, ujoints, detroit locker
and that was with me doing the labor.....

 

[Chevy305]

chevy305 said he got his axles for 130 to 150 each. That is pretty cheep to what I am finding. CCOR said he could get yukon shafts for 462. a set.

I've seen them for that price, but a quick search on Summit has turned up that the only front shafts for that price are the short inner shaft only. I guess a full set of front chromos are really rediculously priced

 

[Blue85]

what kind of axle are you running then?

Well, the wheels are 6-lug, but we all know that 3/4-ton axles have 8 lugs, so I cut two wheel studs off and put the 6-lug wheels on with a big hammer.

Seriously, though - it's a GM 9.5" rear. Fairly common axle.

 

[jamber2541]

I scored some Yukon shafts and Longfield joints from someone that gave up on thier project at a fraction of the cost (300.00) delivered. Keep searching different sites with a little luck and plenty of searching you can score a good deal.

 

[GEORGIA GABE]

I built my ten bolts and wheeled the pee out of them for a while... I also took out stock in front axle shafts, If I had to do it over I would have probably done the same thing... the reason is not financially based. I spent money on lockers front and rear (lockrite) ring and pinions on both, master rebuild kits on both, warn premium hubs... I broke the rear ten bolt and put in a 12 bolt after I broke my 2nd 12 bolt ring and pinion (with 35s mind you) I said enough is enough. I bought an Eaton rear end that already had 456 and detroit and did the 8 lug conversion on the front (I also upped the anti to H1s with 42 Iroks) I wheeled it that way for a while and actually made the 10 bolt front survive ( i did break about 5 sets of shafts before I ponied up and bought my 60... I went balls out on the 60.. Chromoly axle shafts, forged ujoints, warn drive flanges and a Detroit.. the axle already had 456 from the factory so no gears were needed. Now I just break transfer cases and driveshafts... oh well.

What I was saying about building slowly even thought it costs more comes down to learning to drive. There is a guy in my club right now who is about to buy a seriously built rig and he has no clue how to drive... I think it will result in him putting himself and others in harms way because he did not take the time to progress slowly. He will be going from a jeep with little tires and little axles to a chromo one ton v8 linked jeep with coilovers beadlocks, an atlas and 39 Iroks... that right there is a steep learning curve.
gabe

 

[slyguy_22]

Come to think of it i had a 89 chevy pickup 2500 series 4x4 back bout 10 years ago that was 6 lug. pretty sure it was a 14bolt that gm used but not positive. think they only did the 6 lug 3/4ton for 1-2 years.