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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: Blazin on September 03, 2008, 08:20:56 pm

Title: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 03, 2008, 08:20:56 pm
Looking for the best way to lock up my 14 bolt? Spool or mini spool would be preferred. Anyone know of a good place, for service and price?
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Captkaos on September 04, 2008, 07:58:18 pm
Is is currently open?  If it is an open carrier and not a gov-loc, you can put a Detroit drop in on it....
I think ARB makes a selectable locker for it also...
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 04, 2008, 08:07:45 pm
Oh yeah I forgot to mention as cheap as possible, but not weld it! It is open now. I was looking into spools, or mini spools. Minis are not suggested for big diggers though. Might just weld it! Its just a woods machine, the Blazer.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Captkaos on September 04, 2008, 08:20:06 pm
Weld it..
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: VileZambonie on September 05, 2008, 12:48:01 pm
Yeah cheapest way is to weld it.

http://www.4x4mecca.com/forum/tech-tuesdays/2504-tech-tuesday-welding-your-spider-gears-lincoln-locker.html
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 06, 2008, 12:21:52 am
I welded the 12 bolt I just took out. I kinda wanted to get away from the Cave Man thinng is all! ;D
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: cracker0169 on September 07, 2008, 10:49:58 pm
How well did the 12 bolt do that you had welded? Any problems on dirt or pavement?
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 08, 2008, 12:31:43 am
It hasn't been in there quite a year. I think I might have put 50 miles on it on pavement. Maybe 150 on dirt roads. Other wise its all been wheeling. Have had no problems at all. Just putting a 14 bolt & Dana 60 in.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 08, 2008, 09:34:52 am
OK, I have swapped a full floating 3/4 ton 4x4 rear into a Chevy 1/2 4x4 before, and it was a direct fit as far as the spring perches. Lifted the 1 ton full floater up into the Blazer yesterday. Got one side u bolts in and started. Go to the other side, the perch is off approx 3". Measured two other 3/4 ton rears, and one 1 ton rear, all measured the same as the one I was putting in, 40" & change. The Blazer, and a 1/2 ton I measured match 43" center bolt to center bolt. Whats up with that ??? I thought all the rears spring perches were the same.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Captkaos on September 08, 2008, 12:01:28 pm
Hmmm, that is weird.  I put a 1/2 truck in a K5 and it was fine...
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: cracker0169 on September 08, 2008, 04:59:18 pm
Blazin, I did some research for ya and the cab and chassis 14FF were 4" narrower wheel mount to wheel mount than srw and drw. I couldnt find anything on spring perches on a quick search but that axle might be from a cab and chassis truck... :-\
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Captkaos on September 08, 2008, 05:32:38 pm
If it came from a Cab/Chassis, they are narrower.  I though he said it came out of something else...
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 08, 2008, 11:23:42 pm
I know cab and chassis truck rears are narower. This came out of a 78 K30 single rear wheel. I have done the 3/4 full floater to a 1/2 ton chassis before, direct bolt up. Why this is different I don't know? As I said the three others in my yard I messured were all the same. The 1/2 ton and my blazer were both the same!!!
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: VileZambonie on September 09, 2008, 07:37:52 pm
Are you sure it's out of a 78? The later axles were wider
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 09, 2008, 09:06:24 pm
100% positive, I bought the whole truck about 8 years ago and pulled them myself. They have been sitting around all this time. Plus I have an 80 1 ton K 30 single rear wheel, and it was the same measurement. I made new one from 2" x 2" 1/4" wall box tube. Its in, just need to make some drive shafts, get my steering buttoned up, some brake action going.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: wirenut on September 10, 2008, 05:02:38 pm
do you remember if the springs were ouitside or inside the frame..just a thought
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 10, 2008, 10:47:24 pm
They were outside the frame just like every other Chevy I have tore apart. Almost 3" wouldn't be enough to clear inside the frame even if it was possible.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: cracker0169 on September 11, 2008, 05:26:08 pm
ya got me!  :-\
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: wirenut on September 13, 2008, 07:42:13 pm
whats your measurements  to center of perches, i'll measure mine .. for comparison if you want..
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: VileZambonie on September 13, 2008, 11:45:02 pm
Werern't the perches wider on the one tons than the 3/4 ton and half ton models? I can measure my one ton Monday if you want
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 14, 2008, 01:42:32 am
I am not sure. A buddy of mine says he swapped in a 1 ton 14 bolt rear and don't have to move them. I think he got a 3/4 ton unit and paired it with a Dana 60 front. Doesn't matter its in now, I cave maned and welded it too! Gotta put a caliper on it in the AM and its ready for the bog. Couple little things like put the grill back in ( zip ties are your friends ), etc.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: VileZambonie on September 14, 2008, 02:22:10 pm
What did you have to do to make it work?
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: 86 chevy silverado on September 14, 2008, 03:31:11 pm
I just read this thread for the first time and went outside to check my one ton (14ff) to my 3/4 ton (both '86) and the one ton is 2 1/2" narrower than the 3/4 ton rear.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: VileZambonie on September 14, 2008, 03:56:04 pm
The whole axle is or the perch center to center?
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: 86 chevy silverado on September 14, 2008, 04:05:48 pm
Leaf spring perch center to center, the axle width is the same.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: VileZambonie on September 14, 2008, 04:09:27 pm
Interesting. We should make a sticky thread on the differences between all of the axles. We can take measurements and such and post details as this can help with some of the interchangability issues between yokes and mounts etc.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: 86 chevy silverado on September 14, 2008, 04:36:59 pm
Another difference I just ran into is that I have an open differential on my 86 K2500 14blt and was hoping I could swap it with the 14blt limited slip rear out of my 81 C20 thinking the rear should be the same but the brake drums are wider on the 86 so I opted not to do the swap.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: VileZambonie on September 14, 2008, 06:53:25 pm
why did that stop you from doing the swap?
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: 86 chevy silverado on September 14, 2008, 07:28:29 pm
I went round and round with the idea, I basically decided I wouldn't do the swap if I had to go to smaller brakes (thats backwards to me) and they could not be swapped over to the other rear because the axle tubes are also different lengths.
Title: Re: 14 Bolt Full Floater ???
Post by: Blazin on September 15, 2008, 12:45:28 am
The shock are mounted inside the frame on the one ton pick up I have and the one the rear end came from too. Where as the 1/2, & 3/4 tons are on e the outside of the frame.
 I chopped the old ones off, then I cut two pieces of 2"x2"x1/4" wall square stock 5" long, cut a radius in one side to match the axle housing, drilled a hole for the center bolt in the top, & welded them on