[quote author=HI^C link=board=1;threadid=11443;start=msg104798#msg104798 date=1076744734]
weaker yes,
pinion size, bearing support, carriers, axle shafts, ring gear size, and of course that heavy axle means shes got somemore material in her axle tube thickness and that huge center chunk is gusseted like no other.
14 bolt nearest rival is a d70, but 14 is suppose to be stronger. d80?
YES dana 60 can become closer in strength, 35 spline shafts 1.5", 90% of d60 need spindles enlarged to take a 1.5" shaft. $$$ yes the few 60 hd that will take
factory d70 35 spline shafts are harder then crap to find and might be less then the left over 10% mentioned above.
price varies, but i have been given, thrown away more 14 bolts, and the local yards is at least a 10 to 1 ratio 14 to 60.
I would be interested in a stock, no cut, LBS Vs LBS weights 14 vs 60 without brakes or similiar setup discs. damn drums on 14.
costs of 60 parts, detroit, gears, install kits, labor to install, labor to bore spindles for 1.5 shafts, are more expensive then a 14, no boreing of spindles on the 14.
let me get back to you on the axleshaft statement, 14b axleshafts are the same, i was talking about custom shafts as in both sides and only one side cut from stock length. THEN the other way is using stock axle shaft on oneside and cut and respline the cut side, but now i think about it i am not sure that the stock shaft can be cut and resplined. I could have swore that is the way the guy here did it?
Then i compared the 14 bolts have same axleshaft vs many many different 60 axles that do not have the same axle shaft length.
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Honestly, a 60 housing is plenty strong for a 40. How many people do you know that commonly bust 60 gearsets?? or rear 60 housings?
I do not think that you can respline a 14 bolt.
The gussetts and pig are what make a 14 bolt so much heavier.. And generally weight is your enemy..
We are talking about low budget..
find either a 60 or 14 bolt, (same cost)
Narrow one side (same cost)
Custom axles (basically the same with a possible slight cost increase to the 60 depending on how you do it)
Get some 35 spline side gears for a 60 carrier ($30)
Or you could weld a set of 9" ends on the 60 housing and go SF.
What I am saying is that custom mods to a 14 bolt are just as expensive as a 60 (if not more so, have you priced a 5.13 gearset for a 14 bolt lately?) And that they are significantly heavier.
Heavy breaks. That is a fact.
I could have had a D80 for $60. But what a waste of time that would have been...
They are big boat anchors..
14 bolts are nice because they are strong and cheap fromt he factory. If you are talking custom mods for almost the same price you will have a more suitable axle made by Dana...
