I can tell you that the Dana 80 is stronger than a 10.25" or a 14B. Look at weight ratings.

 

Strength vs Physical size/ ground clearance, there's going to be a trade off.

The 14 bolt is no comparison to the Dana 80 for ultimate strength. If you don't think so, chances are you probably don't need it. But it is freakin' huge and isn't the best choice for a wheeling application.

I haven't seen common ring gear failures in the 10.25 or the 14 bolt. In fact, the only times I've replaced them on a 10.25 is with a ratio change or if the bearings are so far gone, it has destroyed the gears.

Jason

 

My pinion bearing failed in my 10.25". It probably had something to do with the fact that because of a small leak (that I fixed as soon as I got the truck) that my grandpa let go for years that caused it to be constantly low on oil. I took the axle out and brought it in for a rebuild and the gears were fine and were used again.

If you plan on wheeling this thing hard enough to worry about the 10.25" breaking, then you will probably break the moderately stronger 14B. If you wheel something hard enough, even the strongest axles break. I agree about the size of the Dana 80 being a little ridiculous, but I recomended it because it is enough of an upgrade to be worth the work of swapping.

 

Sorry Oppusum, but I'm gonna agree with everyone else, I say stay with the Sterling, now if you had the b####d child of a Dana 61 then I would say go for it. I've seen many a sterling take a pretty heavy abusing behind built PSD's and never give a whimper, so I don't think the 14 bolt would offer enough extra strenght, plus the headache of having different sized rims on the back than your front due to chevy's having a different 8 lug than Ford or Dodge.

 

This I dont get, I thought dodge, ford and chevy had the same 8 lug bolt pattern until ford got retarded and went metric in 98. The wheels currently on my truck were on a 69 GMC 3/4 ton and then a mid 90's chevy 1 ton.

 

Ya I was going to get him on that one, the lug pattern is the same 8x6.5 The actual lug studs are larger on the chevy though 9/16 vs 1/2.

 

aaah, ya got me, I had a brain fart, I don't know what I was thinking about, for somereason I thought they didn't work, but who knows why I was thinking that.

Sorry, ignore my ramblings of a madman

 

Don`t forget the F450 is wider and has a 10 bolt lug pattern.

 

If you want the Dana 80, then your best bet is getting one from the mid to late 90's Dodge diesel.

 

Dodge parts Ick