10 bolt to 12 bolt or 14 bolt???

[1sxychvy]

Hey guys! I have a 10 bolt rear end under the truck right now but I have a 12 bolt laying around or should I try and find a 14 bolt and swap that in? I dont plan on doing any hard core off roading. Plan on running 36's.. I know a lot of the answers are ganna be put a 14 bolt in but do you think the 12 bolt would hold up ok and just go with it..   Also I'm having a brake problem... My porportioning(spelling) valve keeps leaking is there a way I can just get rid of that and just run the lines front and rear. Thanks in advance!!!!

[Lt.Del]

My porportioning(spelling) valve keeps leaking is there a way I can just get rid of that and just run the lines front and rear.

no, it's there for a good reason.  Remove it and you will really have problems.  Pressure will not be "proportioned" correctly and you can have severe brake lock when applying brakes.

[VileZambonie]

You cannot eliminate the combination valve. Just fix the leak.If you go from 6 lug to 8 lug are you going to have wheels for the change? The 10 and 12 bolt strength differences are minimal.

[1sxychvy]

ok thanks guys, I understand what your saying about the valve.

No I do not have wheels for the 8 lugs thats what I was dreading too... I could find a 6 lug 14 bolt but kind of exspensive I think. I dont think the 10 bolt is going to hold up with 36's and a beefy 350???

[Blazin]

They never made a 6 lug 14 bolt for our trucks. The difference from a ten bolt to a 12 bolt is almost nothing. If you are going to spend that kind of time use the full floating 14 bolt.

[1sxychvy]

ok so I think if I do get a 14 bolt I'm reading up to find out how I can just make the front 10 bolt an 8 lug instead of buying a D44 8 lug.... Its possible isnt it?

[joesgarage71]

They never made a 6 lug 14 bolt for our trucks. The difference from a ten bolt to a 12 bolt is almost nothing. If you are going to spend that kind of time use the full floating 14 bolt.

 Are you sure? 6 lug 14 bolt SF axle 9.5

[VileZambonie]

Why bother? I had 44"s on my truck with GM corporate 10 bolt.

[SFord]

Why bother? I had 44"s on my truck with GM corporate 10 bolt.

Did you have it as a show truck ? If not you sure have a good handle on the go pedal if the 10 bolt lasted.

[VileZambonie]

No I had it as a daily driver. I beat the crap out if it and it held up pretty good. I've really only anhialated 2 rear ends bad. 1 12 bolt I broke the spider gears launching out of a driveway. The other I was in my 84 K5 (10 bolt with 35" tires) and the carrier bearing let go, lost a c clip  sending the axle half way out of the tube on the highway. That was freaky. The nice thing is they're cheap, easy, and readily available (I'll spare you the ex wife jokes)

[SFord]

I had a 85 lwb 4x4 with a 10 bolt and 35 inch super swampers.I went through 3 10 bolts before upgrading to a corporate 14.No more problems after that. But I was real ruff on the truck(mud boggin in the ga. clay).

[JRConnieK10]

I was running 44's with a 10 bolt 5:38 gears diong a burnout 1st and 2nd gear then POW snapped the axle locked the front hubs walked it on the trailer brought it home new axle good to go never had a problem again never did burnouts any more either. Oh yeah I was at the Indy 4wheel offroad jamboree also, man was that a long ride home hearing "I told ya not to do it" the whole dang way.

[SUX2BU99]

I have my 2.76 12 bolt for sale and was contacted by a guy who wanted to buy it to replace a busted 10 bolt in his truck that has a very healthy 350 in it (he claims somewhere near to 500 horse).  He needed it that night and I missed his email but when I phoned him back he said the rear end shop is going to be able to rebuild the 10 bolt to handle around 550 horse so they can be built tough.

[1sxychvy]

what about the front 10 bolt? Can I convert it over to 8 lug?

[Blazin]

Yes the ten bolts came with 8 lug from the factory in the later trucks.
The only 6 lug 14 bolt I know of is in the 88 and up trucks.