I found a good deal on one local, $200 for the axle with brakes, springs and overloads. Its a posi 4.10 unit with 140k on the clock. Guy said he pulled the cover everything seems good to him.

My question is what does it take to put one in? Are the spring perches wider / narrower than a 79 D-60 or D-70? Only other concern would be the yoke size, but im thinking the 14b should also be 1350. No ebrake so thats one complication off the list.

Just lookin for some tips / opinions, did a quck search to no avail. Only have internet at work right now, well most of the time so cant really look through a bunch of threads.

Thanks guys, Mike

 

Before I 4 linked my rock crawling truck I swaped a 14b in on my 78 f150. The spring perches had to be moved out one inch on each side, and one shock mount had to be move to the front of the axle. My axle came from an 88 suburban and had a 1350 yoke.

Depending on what your axle was from and what truck you're putting it into, your results may vary, of course, lol.

 

you can use a 1330 to 1350 conversion u joint but either way you go your drive shaft will have to be lengthened.

 

Well that sucks... is the pinion that much shorter? My driveline currently is a tad on the long side, so if its only an inch i should be good. I was however hoping to avoid moving spring perches. The only downfall of the buy is the guy has no idea what it came out of. since it has overloads im inclined to think a 3500 but not familiar enough with em to know, i just cant remember seeing a 2500 with factory overloads. But that still leaves me without a year.

You guys being the knowing type of fellers, at least sound like it, would you go sterling 10.25 or 14bolt, light wheeling, some mudding and boosted launches, needs to be able to handle at least 400rwhp 800+ tq on 38's, maybe 40's

 

I'm going 14b as did another buddy 1 trust. 2 more buddies I trust each went Sterling, although 1 of them had a VSS to plug in so that helped with his decision.

I think you'd be fine going either way.

 

Hey Chase long time no see, thanks for pitchin in. Is the sterling any easier to make work? I can get one for near free or free, but its a open 3.73. Right now down time is a big deal and i wount be able to fab stuff for a while, all at the same time my D60 is howlin (literally) to come out, getting to the point i sometimes ponder if im going to end up walking to work soon.

 

Maybe Fordworth will see this as he's one of the guys I was referring to. He call tell you what's up, although he used a sterling out of a newer stupid-doodie and had the axles re-drilled for the right lug pattern.

From what I remember him saying it was easy, although I think he might have had to move the spring perches. I highly doubt he had to modify the driveshaft but I can't say for 100% sure.

I know part of the love for the 14b is they are cheap & easy to gear & lock. Not sure how the sterling compares in this department but I wouldn't think they'd be THAT much more.

If the 14 b has a posi & the gears you want I'd say you might go for it. If the locker is in is the "gov-lock" that some had stock I might double think it as I've heard those things blow & are known to fail. Do some reading on that before you decide for sure.

*edit - I just shot Fordworth a text to make sure he sees this.

 

Ok he's on the phone now. He said the yoke on the sterling was a 1410 so he had to change that. He did say the pinion on the sterling was 1.5" longer of so than the d60 he took out.

He also had to move the spring perches but he has a highboy with the narrow frame rails.

 

If it has a gov lock I'd pass. Those things are bombs looking for a place to go off. I went with a Sterling 10.5 after I grenaded my D60. The reason I chose it was because I needed something strong, I was sick of not having a parking brake with the disc conversion (especially now with the manual trans), I didn't want to lengthen the driveshaft, and I found one cheap with 3.73s which I wanted to swich to.
The 14B pinion is almost 3" shorter than the D60 while the Sterling's is about 1.5" longer. In addition to changing the axle I also changed the rear springs under the truck and lifted it a bit to level it out. When it was all said and done the DS lenght came out perfect.
The perches had to be moved inboard about 1.5" each and I changed the slip yoke on the DS to a 1410 to match the Sterling yoke. I was able to do that because I have a CV joint at the T-case end so the DS is turned around backwards. A 10.25 may very well have a 1350 yoke on it though.
Like Chase said, I had the hubs redrilled for the 8 on 6.5 bolt pattern.
All in all I don't think it's much different than swapping a 14B. The only thing that would be truly simple would be another D60. BTW, I have two of them available.

 

I got ya and i had been looking for a sterling 10.5 but have had no luck except for JY's and they want 500-800. I actually had a D70 for it that i never noticed was slightly bent until i got it in the truck, at least i only paid 100 for it, and sold the center to a guy for 75 and kept the axles.

Im leaning 14Bolt, another one popped up on craigslist for 200 4.10 open, thats all i know about it... Im rather curious why the pinion is so short on them, alsmost seems like it would make them weaker, but apparently not, all i have ever heard about them is theyre tougher than dirt and just as cheap.

However this is a problem with the pinion / DS length... longest a shop will make a 1 piece driveline is 69 inches... mine is 70.5" lol so retubing isnt even an option. Im trying to locate a t-case e-brake which will solve the problem of DS length, as i understand theyre 8-9" long. I really dont want a 2 piecer, and least of all pay for it.

Any of you fellas know where one of them NP205 e-brakes are hiding?

 

I forgot to mention that the 10.5s are 3" wider than the others so they match the width of the front.
One of the reasons that the 14 bolts are so strong is that they have a support bearing on the head of the pinion like a 9". Also, if you get an open diff they are to add detroit lockers to because they install in the stock carrier and don't require setting up the gears again.

 

I run a 14 bolt in my mud bogger. Granted, it is a Blazer so bolting in a 14 bolt was a piece of cake, but they are pretty much indestructible especially for the use you are describing. I got it with 4.56 gears and it was open. I dropped in a Detroit Locker in about an hour and we were good to go.
What size wheels are you running? 15 inch wheels will fit but 16 or 16.5's (or bigger) give more clearance around the drum so you don't get your wheels packed full of mud. If it has disc brakes then you have to go to at least a 16 inch wheel to clear the calipers.

Mark

 

Some sort of traction device is going in there for sure, still trying to decide on what though, i dont want any poppin slammin and bangin goin on when im spinnin wheels or takin corners.
So the 14b is narrower than the front by 3" and the 10.5 is the same width?

With the D60 front 15's dont fit, and 16" might, the alloys i had for it rubbed the calipers. So it has 17's on there right now, will likely go 18s in the end.

 

Yes, a 10.5 from a 99 or newer is wider than a 10.25, D60 or 14 B.

 

I think you read that wrong. The 14b or d60 would match your current front end (or be slightly narrower is a d60 front), but the 10.5 sterling would be 3" wider.