[Guest]

Can anyone tell me what (make model and year) i can find a GM 14 bolt, 9 1/2 inch, 6 lug, rear axle with 3:73's.

I need to replace one in my 1999 Chevy Tahoe. This is the 2nd complet carrier i have destroyed and i ripped the teeth off of a ring gear on another setup. These stock axles are weak. I only have a 4inch trailmaster susp. lift with 33 x 12.5's. Vehicle info: 1999 Chevy 4 door Tahoe

Thanks

 

[MouseMotor]

far as i know there is no stock 14 bolt with 6 lugs. all were 8 lug. but i could be wrong, some strange make and model may have 6 lugs. but most are 8.

 

[Shorts]

Look for a 14SF, that is a 6lug axle. They were on the 3/4 light duty trucks or the heavy 1/2t. You can find them in the 88-98 trucks. As for the brakes, they'll be drum.

 

[Guest]

do you know any specific models and years?

some of the junkies searches ask for make model and year for parts searches.

Thanks

 

[Shorts]

All of them. They only ask you for a specific year so they can search their inventory easier. Some don't know the specifics on the trucks. They'll just say "Oh I have a 94, you can look at it and see if its what you need". And that's often what you'll need to do. Some yards are pretty setup and do know their inventory and you can tell them exactly the part you're looking for.

And when I call, I'd just say that. "I'm looking for a 14bolt semifloater rear 6 lug axle from a Chevrolet 3/4t 4x4 truck between the years 88-98. Do you have any 88-98 Chevrolet 3/4 4x4 trucks?"

I will also tell you to be sure you get the axle from a 4wd truck. The 2wd 3/4t trucks have a narrower track width. And if you put a 2wd axle on your 4wd truck, you'll need spacers on there to get the rear even with the front.

 

[Guest]

thanks for the great info. I'm on the hunt for this stronger rear.

 

[Guest]

Any reason you couldn't convert a 14 bolt SF (9.5) with 8 lugs to 6 lugs with new shafts? Are breaks interchangeable from the 10 bolt or 12 bolt with 6 lugs?

Thanks,
Michael

 

[MouseMotor]

i guess i was wrong about the 14 bolt 6 lug. in all my years i have never seen one, or seen one in a manual (6 lug 14 bolt rear).

i am sure someone some where has axle shafts that will do that. try summit racing first.

brakes i am not sure about, or even sure if there was a 12 bolt from 88-98 trucks offered. but i can tell you in those years there were 3 rear brake types tjat i know of.

10 inch 2 1/4 inch shoes
11 5/32 2 3/4 inch shoes
13 inch 2 1/2 inch shoes

 

[15280]

You might want to look into some of the late 90's ( '97, '98)3/4 ton suburbans, and see if they're what you need.

kind of a double ?? on my part though - I know the older burbs had a 14 botl FF int eh 3/4 tons, adn I was just looking at buying a '98 3/4 ton and was surprised to see the 6 bolt wheels. same 10k lb tow capacity, etc, etc, so....

$0.02
chris

 

[MouseMotor]

i learn something new every day. i've never seen anything other than 1/2 tons with 6 lugs or 5 lugs.

now that i know there is something stronger that will take the 6 lug pattern ill keep an eye out for an upgrade for my truck.

 

[Shorts]

Even if you did run into a 12 bolt axle, I'd say stay away. Those axles are no longer used on vehicles, thus the availability of parts versus the 14sf and 14ff are harder to find, and more expensive to boot.

 

[15280]

pretty sure it was a 14 bolt under the sub - my '77 C30 is a 14 bolt FF ( 10.5" ring gear) and to be honest, I was surprised to see the same cover under there. OTOH, I didnt exactly open it up, and check the internals, so by all means take it as a 'you might want to check into this' type of comment. The reason I made a note at all is I'm in the market for 3.21 gears for the 14 bolt...

chris

ps: shorts, your avatar looks kinda like a 'readers rides' photo I saw many years ago in Four Wheeler - was it you?

 

[Shorts]

Yeah, GM put the same equipment under both the trucks and SUVs. However, you don't want one off the van. Those have a narrow track width as well. GM used the same equipment for years so you'll see it on various generations of trucks amd SUVs. GM did make their stuff easy, you basically count the bolts on the diff cover and viola, that's the axle you have. I want to refer this thread to a link of various GM axle ID, I just can't remember the main page. It was useful.

As for the gears on them, GM did use a variety, 3.08s, 3.23s(?IIRC), 342s, 3.73s and 4.10s. They have since rolled the fullsizes out with 342s as the minimum. The 308s and 323s were more prominent in the 70s/80s. The surest way to determine gear ratio is to count the teeth on the R&P. The easier thing to do, if you are absolutely sure the gears have not been changed out is to reference the RPO codes in the glove box. G is a designaator for the gear ratios.

The 12bolt comment was directed more in response to Mouse Motor as he mentioned the 12. I want to say that GM did put them under blazers in the SFA days, which of course is the 80s time frame. They were also used in the muscle cars IIRC.

My truck was in FourWheeler readers rides a couple years back, it was June or July issue.

 

[Shorts]

Ok, I found what I was looking for. My info in my previous post wasn't too spot on so reference this:

http://www.coloradok5.com/axleguide.shtml

 

[MouseMotor]

yea, i had never run across a 12 bolt in trucks.

i know that the 12 bolt are a common swap on X and F Bodies. (Nova and Camaro). Although I know most came with 10s, and if you put them together right can take most anything.

 

[15280]

shorts - I looked, but even based on my specific '77 C30 ( which definitely has a 14 bolt cover) there look to be some errors on that coloradoK5 page. you might want to try checking at

http://www.drivetrain.com/rearend.html

main page for these guys is http://www.drivetrain.com/

on the R&P page, you can go through each brand, and size of axle, and it'll indicate years, models OEM ratios, and in most cases, aftermarket ratios available. Bottom of each section also lists what limiited slips, lockers, etc they carry for them. ( no affiliation, and I'll leave everyone to make up their own minds on pricing...but I've always found the page helpful for its info)

chris

 

[Shorts]

Ah, good link, I forgot about them. I just remembered the green colored pics on the k5 site /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Guest]

While we are on the subject. Has anyone converted a FF 14 bolt to 6 lug? I was considering trying this with a disk brake upgrade. I did find a company that would offer a entire package but $1200 is a little out of my price range. I was thinking of making or buying some brackets and getting the rest off the shelf or junk yard. Any one tried this?

Michael

 

[Guest]

Jason Payne (willyswanter) was machining up a 6 lug unit with disc brakes at one point. I'm not sure if it went into service or not.

Here's a shot of it:

And another:

Ohhh, work-in-process pics:

I think what he had to do was weld in 6/8 or 8/8 of the original bolt holes and drill the correct ones out. You could try PMing him I suppose. He doesn't frequent here much, POR and his club sites mostly, I think.

 

[MouseMotor]

that is one way of doing things, just make your own part. i love milling machines, make what ever you want on them. it just takes a little time.