If i do the swap i guess i'll just change to a 8 lug pattern. I would rather have the full floater for extra insurance anyway. Does the full floater 10.5" use drum brakes or disk brakes?

I know where i can get a older style corporate 14 bolt full floater with 4.56 gears for 700 bucks. Only problem is that it has drum brakes and it came off a duallie 3500 so i dont know if the hub to hub measurements or spring perches would be right for my truck. I guess im just going to have to sell the 79 blower car and use the money to fix up muh beater, lol. Thanks for the info, you been a big help.

BTW, i dunno if you know anything about 4x4's or not...you seem pretty knowledgeable in the differential area. Does the front differential, "9.25", out of a HD mount any different than the small one in 1500's? Im wondering this because i've got the Fabtech lift on my truck and i was wondering if the cradle was different or not. I know they use different lifts on HD's but i was under the impression it was only because of the different sized frame.

 

I don't know, but let me know, because that's what I want to put in my truck!

 

Will do, just as soon as i can find something to go under my truck.

Im thinking about just upgrading the front axels and leaving the differential alone. Seeing how im not shooting for more than 360 rwhp, i think it will even it out enough when in 4wd to not worry about blowing up the front diff. That and i dont think the 9.25" front diff will work with my cradle.

As far as the converter goes, im kinda rethinking that too. If i can get a good setup going on with great off idle torque then im really not too worry about launching. Although, my truck is kind of a dog until about 2500 rpm or so. Unless i can find a really low rpm stall just about 200-500 rpm over stock, then i dont think that would hurt too bad on the drivetrain.

So now i guess im back to what James B. did. Tell me, when you converted the 10.5" to a semi-floater....all you did was have the housing ends cut off and a set of large ford 9" ends put on. Im saying large because the bearings on your axel look like the same kind Moser use...which are large ford 9's. Could you maybe tell me everything you needed to do the conversion, i've got a off road shop down here that does custom diff's so having the housing ends cut and put on is no biggy. What axels did you use, and why did you go 5 lug instead of the factory 6?

 

Basically, that about it. DriveTrain Direct in Corona, CA did the whole thing for me. They also changed the axle tubes to heavier than stock for my application. The spring perches, sway bar and shock mounts had to be welded on. The conversion is a kit. The kit is available only with axles machined and drilled for the 6-lug pattern. The axles shafts are superior and they may also be who makes the kit.

It's very silimar to the Ford 9", has a seal and a pressed on retaining ring and everything, but it's a little different. The bearing and seal are held in the housing with a spanner nut instead of bolts like a 9". There are no C-clips in the result, the axles are retained by the spanner nut. I went with 5-lug because old-body style 1500 2WD trucks are 5-lug. The axles are not available with the 5x5" pattern, so they had to be plugged and redrilled.

Drivetrain.com in Las Vegas also does these conversions. I have no idea what the availability is for disc brakes and ABS sensors on one of these.

I can tell you this, I have a 10.5" Eaton Posi in this rear. It is the biggest one Eaton makes and it's awesome. Very predictable and precise lockup every time. This rear has no trouble at all handling all the torque I can throw at it, which is enough to wrinkle STREET tires.

 

Nice launch! Looks like it wont take too much to see some light under those front tires. Sorry, i got confused and i was thinking you had a new body style tahoe....reason i asked the 5 lug question. Everything sounds pretty good as far as assembly goes, looks like im going to have to chunk about $1500 to 1800 in a rear end. Not too far off from having a custom built Moser unit, but i guess the 10.5 would be stronger than a 12 bolt. I'll search for some info from Superior to see how much there kits are, i called 4x4 axel today and they said that its gonna cost about 100 bucks to cut the old housing ends off and to tig weld new ones on, not too bad. Preciate the info!

 

Just thought i would mention, while i've been looking around i've found some 6 lug forged axels for a 9.5" 14 bolt semi-floater for 99 bucks each new if anyones interested. Would make it an easy swap without having to go to 8 lug.