Junkyard DIY axle build - Request for information

[CaJLMetalHead]

Hey fellas...

I am considering building my own junkyard axles... and I am a bit confused about which axles to get..

I know for the FRONT Axle the Superduty Dana 60 Front is the right one.. and I will need to look for Ford F250 F350 (F450 ??) years 2005 - 2016 .... but not sure about the GM 14 Bolt for the REAR Axle... I know that visual identification includes the cooling ribs in the differential housing and the removable Pinion cover that has bolts... but I am not familiar with the trucks and the years... there is a guy selling one on FB.. came out of a 2005 chevy pickup with a 6.0 2500 hd ... but he insists is a 3/4 ton instead of a 1 ton?..

Thanks !!!!

Sponsored

 

[Jubi351]

The desired 14 bolt is 99-06 3/4 or 1 ton srw. The reared is the same, the springs are what give it the higher load capacity.

 

[CaJLMetalHead]

The desired 14 bolt is 99-06 3/4 or 1 ton srw. The reared is the same, the springs are what give it the higher load capacity.

Thanks for the info.... so what determines the 14 Bolt being either 3/4 or 1 Ton the original springs' load rate? but physically any 99-06 would be the same when it comes to strength? I know that there are different axle widths from Wheel Mounting Surface to Wheel Mounting Surface

One more question... would a properly built Dana 60 / GM 14 Bolt be able to handle 43 inch tires for rock crawling?... of course.. I am talking about typical rock crawling we mere mortals enjoy .... not rock bouncer 1500 HP random high-speed uphill madness ... LOL

This information is going to be important as my plan is to collect as much info as possible to serve as a guide for other fellow Jeepers..

Thanks!

 

[Jubi351]

The 14 bolt is technically a 1 ton axle. The 3/4 ton and 1 ton are relative to the chassis. The running gear is the same just the suspension is different. Axle width difference is basically srw vs drw, unless it's a chassis cab.

I can't speak to the strength other than to say the axle shafts are over 1.5" in diameter, they're huge and widely used in rock buggies.

 

[Starboard M]

A F250/2500 is a 3/4 ton truck
A F350/3500 is a 1 ton truck

Both the 3/4 ton and 1 ton will usually have the same rear axle, gear ratios and open/limited slip/locker will differ a bit.

A late model F350 will have a Dana 60 in the front, they are often called the "Super 60" and are the latest generation of D60. I think those are 2005+. Much like how the JL Rubicon uses a "D44" that is stronger in most ways compared to the D44 of yesteryear.

I want to say the F250 would have a Dana 50, but that may be the '99-'04 era I am thinking of.


Final general thought, the Ford axles will have the metric 8 lug bolt pattern, while the 14 bolt will be the standard 8x6.5.

 

[Panthers65]

For the most part that's right. 05+ Superduty's will have the more desirable Dana 60. 3/4 ton and 1 ton is just the chasis it came from. There is nothing different between the dana 60 front in a F250 and F350 from these years. Same with the rear, a 14 bolt is a 14 bolt, as long as you get the FF and not the Semi-Float. Finding one with factory discs will obviously be better than factory drums.

The Dana 50's from 99-04 came in the 250's and excursions, they are Beefy dana 44's. The 99-04 Dana 60's from the 350's had 30 spline outers vs the 05+ dana 60's that had 35 spline outers. More splines = more contact service to the hubs and larger diameter shafts = stronger.

Although the 05+ coil sprung 60's are stronger, tons of people wheeled the 99-04's obviously before the 05's came out. You can modify the outers to match the 05+s, but that's just an extra expense.

 

[CaJLMetalHead]

For the most part that's right. 05+ Superduty's will have the more desirable Dana 60., a 14 bolt is a 14 bolt, as long as you get the FF and not the Semi-Float.

The desired 14 bolt is 99-06 3/4 or 1 ton srw.

A F250/2500 is a 3/4 ton truck
A F350/3500 is a 1 ton truck

Great info.. Thanks! ... a couple of questions..

How do I determine if the Axle is Full Float vs Semi-Float ?

Jubi351 mentioned that the desired 14 bolt is 99-06 ... I found a listed 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD.. this one... so... is not a desirable axle because is newer than 2006?

 

[Panthers65]

in the picture above do you see how there is a hub in the middle sticking out past the lugs? That is a Full Float axle, meaning the hub and therefor weight of the vehicle rids completely on the spindle and spindle bearings, and not the axle shaft.

Compare that to your factory axles now where the lugs are pressed into the axle shaft, and the weight of the vehicle sits on the shaft and axle shaft bearing = not a full float axle.

 

[limeade]

Great info.. Thanks! ... a couple of questions..

How do I determine if the Axle is Full Float vs Semi-Float ?

Jubi351 mentioned that the desired 14 bolt is 99-06 ... I found a listed 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD.. this one... so... is not a desirable axle because is newer than 2006?

The area I circled below is where the axle shafts unbolt from the hub. This is a full-float 14 bolt axle.

 

[CaJLMetalHead]

ok cool...

would this 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD be a desirable 14 Bolt?... or is 2011 too new?

 

[limeade]

ok cool...

would this 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD be a desirable 14 Bolt?... or is 2011 too new?

Because it has disc brakes, it would be a good one. Plus, a reasonable assumption would be the bearings, races, etc. are in good shape as compared to 70/80/90 model years. I'd ensure it has an open carrier (no Gov Lok). You can check by taking off the cover and looking for the number of cross-pin holes. An open carrier has 4 holes and the Gov-Lok has three. Once the cover is off, turn the ring gear/carrier and count the number of holes you see (they are about as large as a quarter and are on the side of the carrier, facing you as you rotate the carrier).

One of my favorite features of the 14 bolt is the ease of putting in a Detroit Locker. While you have to disassemble the ring gear from the carrier, the Detroit locker goes inside the stock 14 bolt carrier. This keeps you from having to set the gears up as is typical with adding lockers to any other axle. The 14 bolt is super easy to work on and fix. It uses old school bearings and races in the hub, along with adjusters for the carrier bearings.

I would not pay $750 for the axle you have listed. You can find drum brake equipped 14 bolts for $100 or so. The disc brake conversion is fairly easy and cheap with off the shelf parts for less than $750. I'd get the seller down to $500 or less as these axles are a dime-a-dozen.

 

[limeade]

See the 14 Bolt Bible for some great info:

14 Bolt Bible

 

[Jubi351]

Jubi351 mentioned that the desired 14 bolt is 99-06 ... I found a listed 2011 GMC Sierra 2500HD.. this one... so... is not a desirable axle because is newer than 2006?

My assumption there is that all the manufacturers of truss swap kits developed it around that production due to availability at the time. When you decide who's kit you are going to use reach out to them for specifics.

 

[TOTL Innovations]

https://www.jkowners.com/threads/2005-super-duty-d60-axle-bible.268018/ This will be of some help as well.

Also just to be clear, the term super 60 is thrown around a bit too much. 05+ Ford 60s are definitely the way to go because they are far superior to previous generation 60s but the Super 60 specifically has a 10" ring gear instead of the standard 9.75". It is found under the F450 although that is quite a bit wider of an axle and I believe 10" ring gears came in axles that had 4.88 from the factory. You will have to do a bunch of research to confirm if the axle is a 60 or a Super 60

 

[CaJLMetalHead]

I visited all the pick-and-pull locations in the Bay area where I live looking for Dana 60s. NOTHING! after driving 250 miles in the past 3 days and visiting about 10 locations I am getting really frustrated.. I had no idea it was this hard to find 2005+ Dana 60s in my area..

I see nothing on Craigslist and on Facebook Marketplace people are asking ridiculous $$$ for a set of old axles...

At this point, I am seriously contemplating ordering DSTRAC axles instead of trying to build my own

Sponsored