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Will my 1/2 ton axles be fine?

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CheyenneK5

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Bought my first K5 a few months ago and it has just been sitting there due to not having any time to work on it. However that doesn't meany mind hasn't created a build list for it. I am currently looking at doing a lq4/4L80 swap and was wondering if I was going to need to get a pair of 1 ton axles or if the stock 1/2 tons will hold just fine. It will be a 70% road and 30% offroad with 35" or 37" tires and a 4" lift.
Appreciate any advice
 
Meh. Maybe. But it would be beneficial to bump up to a 9.5" or even better the 10.5" 14 bolt.
The front will be just fine.
 
Teeeeeeechnically. There are two versions though.
The 9.5" semi float which is 8 lug but only came in 3/4 ton squares.
Then the 10.5" full float which came in both 3/4 and 1 tons.
The 10.5" is the better axle for sure but it really is a low hangin sob. If you're never exceeding 37s, its really not necessary. Both rear axles are plenty good for that. If you do get a 10.5, just chop the lip off the bottom and have a good time.
 
So if I'm reading what you are saying correctly is that I can but a 14 BFF in the rear and keep the 1/2 ton up front? Because I have a friend who has a 14 BFF he will sell to me for cheap
 
I'm running a 14BFF and a 10 bolt front (stock) and it's been fine for everything I've done.
 
That's excellent to hear, sounds like I'll be getting to work on that axle swap on my next days off
 
If you havent already figured out, a 3/4 ton 8 lug dana 44 and 10 bolt are no different in strength than their 6 lug versions.
 
did you get a different blazer? you said you had a 74 with 1 tons

Introductions & Greetings

I'm technically not new here, but I haven't been active. I'm from NE Kansas. I've owned several K5 Blazers and squarebody trucks. I currently own an '89 K5, '75 K5, '76 C10 short bed, '84 C10 short bed, '87 K10 long bed, and an '87 C10 long bed. Obviously I love squares. I'm excited to be...
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fourwheelerjeff said:
did you get a different blazer? you said you had a 74 with 1 tons

Introductions & Greetings

I'm technically not new here, but I haven't been active. I'm from NE Kansas. I've owned several K5 Blazers and squarebody trucks. I currently own an '89 K5, '75 K5, '76 C10 short bed, '84 C10 short bed, '87 K10 long bed, and an '87 C10 long bed. Obviously I love squares. I'm excited to be...
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Same one, but upon further inspection they are just 1/2 tons. I saw the 8 lugs on the wheels and just assumed they were ‍
 
I have ran 35s for 16 years on a stock front 10 bolt. All stock except for a truss. The truss has become bigger over time. I am on my 3rd housing. I keep bending them for some reason. Never broke internals. Stripped a set of gears getting off of a trail on front axle only. No locker.
I can not speak for a rear 10 bolt. I have a Ford 9".7-4-104X4PARK179.jpgDSC_0232.JPG
 
The 1/2 ton axles are not going to automatically break if you try to use them with that engine combo. There are/were a LOT of people running around with big engines and big tires on 1/2 ton axles. Whether they will "hold just fine" means different things to different people, and depends on driving style, where you drive it, and a little bit of luck.
I usually recommend swapping in either an 10.5" or 9.5" 14 bolt rear axle as they are not expensive and easy to do (get details on which versions bolt in....) and then you can swap the stock front axle over to 8 lugs to match wheel bolt patterns.
 
You already have a ton of great advice here, so I'm not sure that I will add any technical wisdom here. But I've always heard that you should not plan on running anything over 35's on a 1/2 ton axle.

Of course , there are always exceptions to that. If you are careful off road, or strictly a mall crawler then you'll be fine. No hate for mall crawlers, my wife has a jeep that is one, so I belong to that club. That being said; if you have the opportunity, one tons or 3/4 tons is never a bad idea. If your like me and let the "yee-haw, watch this!" side take over when your off road, its better to be over built.
 
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