10 bolt or 14 bolt

[Burb One]

Axle talk...

I've got a 2004 1500 Suburban on 33's lifted with a 6 inch Rough country (IFS is fine for my uses, it's not a rock crawler, it's a Suburban. My use is to just get over any moderate trail with little problems, which it does.)

I have been looking at upgrading the rear axle to a 14 bolt with an Eaton e-locker, just so I can rely on it, and not the IFS, in a bind.

However, now looking to actually buy the axle and locker, it looks like Eaton has discontinued or is out of stock of the locker for the 14 for the foreseeable future.

I've now been doing more research and it looks like the 14 bolt, might not even be an upgrade I want because i will lose a considerable amount of ground clearance over the 10 bolt.

I will be staying on 33's, so.....

Is the loss of ground clearance with the 14, too much if staying on 33's?

If staying on 33's, will 10 bolt w/ elocker be okay for long term? I am pretty easy on the pedal, and also now reading, the 14, may be overkill if staying on 33's, especially when considering the ground clearance loss. I do want the rig, to be as hardy as possible...

Thanks!
Harrison

 

[pappawheely]

The 14 bolt has a thick flange that hangs down compromising the ground clearance. There are kits out there to trim that flange back giving you an inch or so of extra clearance. Even if you are plowing the diff in the dirt everywhere you go, the 14 bolt is bulletproof! I used to chase offroad races in my 79 blazer. Carrying heavy tools and spares in the desert caused me to destroy a couple of Dana 44's. I switched to the 14 bolt and never had any issues ever! I still have that truck sitting in storage.

http://www.tmrcustoms.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=11

http://www.barnes4wd.com/GM-14-Bolt-High-Clearance-Shave-Cover_p_169.html

 

[emtmark]

14 is worth every hassle it creates as it will never let you down


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[Burb One]

Thanks! The shaving kit is interesting. Never seen those before, and didn't know they were an option.

Dang, just made my decision harder, I had almost talked myself back to the 10 bolt.

I really am having trouble finding the Eaton e-locker for it, and would prefer not to go to an air locker or Detroit (the truck sees some snow and driven by inexperienced family)

 

[smlobx]

What do the K 2500's use?

 

[goodtimes]

For a 33" tire & only "moderate" use (IE: not rock crawling or racing or heavy towing), the 14 bolt is a massive axle.

If you can find one cheap & don't have to sink a lot of $$$ into it (gears, bearings, brakes, adapter plates so the front and rear use the same wheels, possibly new wheels . . .), sure , but I don't know if I'd specifically seek one out & then spend a bunch of cash on it to make it work.

 

[Burb One]

What do the K 2500's use?

The standard k2500 uses a 14 bolt Full float with leaf spring rear in my understanding.

I am looking at 14 bolt semi floats from certain models of Escalades and Yukons (Coil and shock, not leaf), that will bolt right up to a 1500

 

[Burb One]

For a 33" tire & only "moderate" use (IE: not rock crawling or racing or heavy towing), the 14 bolt is a massive axle.

If you can find one cheap & don't have to sink a lot of $$$ into it (gears, bearings, brakes, adapter plates so the front and rear use the same wheels, possibly new wheels . . .), sure , but I don't know if I'd specifically seek one out & then spend a bunch of cash on it to make it work.

Yep, that's the problem,

Right now I'm looking at
10bolt:
$700 for e-locker
$400 for gears

14bolt:
$1000 for 14 bolt and "shave kit"
$1000 e-locker (if I can find it)
$400 gears.

Good news is the 14 bolt I am looking at just needs modification of parking brake, and the rest is bolt in (also same lug pattern as front, so no new wheels).
Money isn't as much of an issue as I came into this knowing what it would cost.


Just now that i research I found the 14 bolt, while bullet proof, may not actually provide as much as an advantage if the 10 bolt is stout enough AND provides more ground clearance, hence my question for other people's experience with the 10 bolt being stout enough assuming 33's IE Want to hear experience with the 10 bolt, not the 14 bolt, because we already know the 14 is bulletproof)

 

['05TJLWBRUBY]

I would personally never put money into a 10 bolt. GM finally wised up after all these years and switched that axle out in the '14 and up rigs for a bigger setup. Guys in the diff world put a lot of kids through college with blown up 10 bolt repairs. The gov bomb units are very common failure points and bent housings are more common than strait ones it seems. With regards to the 14- keep in mind those were used in 3/4 and one tons from factory all the way back in the '70's up to today. There's a few different variations over the years mainly in the pinion bearings/seals and various widths from standard to C&C and dually. Many of those trucks came on 29" tires at best off the lot so the concern for ground clearance should not be a concern if you're running 33s. You will not be taking a rig on 33s anywhere ground clearance matters that the 14 will get you "stuck" and a 10 bolt will get through, locked or not. If it rubs or scrapes, who cares- its pure beef which will shrug off about anything you'll put it up against. If your'e stuck, you're stuck and better be pulling line anyway. With regards to the "shave"- again, unless you're running the Hammers or comp use where clearance matters, I wouldn't waste the money or time to do the work. If you are really worried about it, just grind off the lower lip and gain about 3/4" or hair more with just the grinder and few minutes time for free. The lip is massive and not a concern to trim. Cost wise you should be able to pick up a 14 for next to nothing. Newer ones in mid '00 and up should have disc brakes. Any fab work for relocating shock mounts, spring perches or sway bar mounts is simple stuff and well worth the work as mentioned above over any cost you'd put in a 10 bolt. The FF 10.5 14 is what I'd look for and many come with the G80 gov lock from factory. Unlike the 10 bolt gov "bomb", the 14 bolt version actually works quite well and is pretty solid. Unless you're wheeling where you really need a locker, the g80 limited slip should do better for all around use daily driving in all conditions including rain/snow, and handle light offroad use as well. I'm actually in process of building a pair of 14s for my current "Project Suburban HD", and pulling both the open and the G80 in favor of ARB air lockers at both ends. It's been on 33's since I brought it home and swapped the tires out. This rig will see multi-purpose use and wheeling beyond what limited slip will allow so real lockers are needed and in my opinion, ARB is the only option.

Best of Luck,

Mike

 

[Jeep]

Which 14 bolt? 9.5" or 10.5"? Big difference in both, but both substantially better than a 10 bolt. 9.5" will come with 6 lug semi floating axles which will match your front.

 

[Rot Box]

I would personally never put money into a 10 bolt.

I would not either--ever. I'm convinced any off roading (no matter the tire size) is too much for a 10 bolt with a locker/LSD/Posi and the weight of a Suburban only makes matters worse imo.


I vote six lug 14 bolt semi-float. Probably don't even need to shave those.. Anyway I'd try to get one with 4.10 gears then re-gear your front differential to match.

 

[emtmark]

FF14, if by some horrid turn of events you detonate your diff you can still pull the axles and limp home. swapping a broken axle on the trail is now a one tool job and really easy.


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[pappawheely]

I swapped 8 lug hubs on my front dana 44, an easy bolt-on. Not sure if you can do that with the ifs.

 

[Burb One]

Looks like I will be going with the 14 bolt SF... Don't know where you guys are finding them that cheap (maybe the FF are that cheap) but I like the idea of the SF being bolt in (except for some fabbing for the parking brake), and already 6 lug. Between FF and SF, if I am breaking this axle, the IFS would have been long gone.....

Also did some more research, always thought the G80 Locker was like a Detroit locker. Never looked into the "governor" part of the name (always assumed that's because it was standard of government vehicles or something....) Anyway, learned today that it disengages at 20 mph, so I don't have to worry about it engaging and spinning on one of m family members. Maybe in the future, when Eaton decides to sell the e-locker again, I'll revisit it.


Thanks!
Harrison

 

[justcuz]

The e-locker was used in the H2 Hummer with the semi-float 8 lug 14 bolt. Maybe you could source a used one from a wrecked H2. The Gov-Lock in the semi-float 14 bolt with 33" inch tires should hold up fine. If they fail they usually don't kill the carrier like a 10 bolt. I've repaired them by removing the remaining Gov-Lock parts and adding extra frictions and shims, making it a self tightening ramp type LSD.