So how much abuse will the 10.25 take?
Is there a Dana 80 single wheel rearend?
How does the 14 bolt compare?

 

the sterling and 14 bolt are very close in strength. you have more aftermarket options for the 14 bolt and they are easier to find. i have been running a welded sterling 10.25 in my bronco for about 7 years now and i beat the **** out of it with 39" iroks. it has stock shafts and diff but new gears and seals.

the dana 80 is a beast in itself. it is very strong, more so than the sterling or 14 bolt but it is also a lot heavier. i cant remember the weights but they werent even close!

-cutts-

 

I need strength since I'm running 52" tires and the sterling 10.25 needs atleast s gear change but if it can't handle 52" and stage 2's and a d66 and a heavy right foot then i gotta figure out what will

 

lol no i would not suggest stressing the sterling with 52's. you have a lot though you need to think about. u-joints, driveshafts, axleshafts, gears, etc etc. i really think you would be best off going with rockwells, no they arent the answer to everything but they were designed for large tires like that, the sterling was not.

-cutts-

 

I know rockwells are meant for big trucks and tires but I have to be able do drove this truck 60 mph I refuse to have a trailer queen and yes I know I'm asking a lot to have 52" tires and still drive on the highway but I don't think rockwells are gonna let me drive on the highway I don't wanna rock crawl I just wanna go in a straight line in mud and floor it at times

 

i am not sure why you are so against the rockwell idea esp since you want to play so bad. i know the costs are high for replacement and it takes time but if you really want to play you will be spending a lot more time and money replacing parts than its worth.

and just for reference 2.5 ton rockies with 6.72 gears and 52" tires is equivalent to about 3.55 gears and 30" tires. your truck would feel stock running 60mph and you would have a LOT more throttle response than you do now.

rpm = mph x gear ratio x 336 / tire diameter

i'm just saying! been there done that.

-cutts-

 

This probably has nothing to do with 52's but I think the 10.25 is tough. Pulling 16K 5er lately I have been slamed so hard in the rear end that I would have thought the rear end would be in pieces. Coming off a bridge or dip in the road I get 'chucked' hard, where the front of the 5er comes down on the pickup. I'm impressed but maybe tomorrow I'll be on the side of the road with a broken rear end cussing it.

 

I guess the reason I'm against rockwells is it takes a lot of fab work to make it happen just not simple bolts ons If already spent a lot on the high steer kit for the d60 and all new bearings and ball joints if there is a way to make it work I'd like to use it Plus I can't use my wheels I got now but I can see where your right and the big tires can wear on parts

 

The power that a shaft transmits is proportional to rpm and the torsion the shaft with stands.

If you are dropping the rpms and keeping or increasing the power, the shafts will have much more torsional stress.

Glenn, this can explain why the 10.25 is strong with stock or close to it tires but weak with large tires.