14 Bolt Full Floater ???

[wirenut]

do you remember if the springs were ouitside or inside the frame..just a thought

[Blazin]

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.

[cracker0169]

ya got me! 

[wirenut]

whats your measurements  to center of perches, i'll measure mine .. for comparison if you want..

[VileZambonie]

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

[Blazin]

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.

[VileZambonie]

What did you have to do to make it work?

[86 chevy silverado]

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.

[VileZambonie]

The whole axle is or the perch center to center?

[86 chevy silverado]

Leaf spring perch center to center, the axle width is the same.

[VileZambonie]

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.

[86 chevy silverado]

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.

[VileZambonie]

why did that stop you from doing the swap?

[86 chevy silverado]

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.

[Blazin]

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