ho52 to 14 bolt

[cmabolt]

Hi all. I am thinking of swapping out my 72's 3/4 ton ho52 to a 14 bolt rear and seem to remember there are 14 bolts from certain years that will bolt directly in. Does anybody know what years I need to look for??

Thanks

[Longhorn Man]

Is your 72 a 2 wheel drive, or a 4X4?
If it is 2 wheel drive, does it have leafs, or the way more common coils?

[cmabolt]

Its a 4x4. I have heard it's something like 65 from plate to plate???

[capev86]

find a 14 bolt from a 2000+ GM truck. it has an 11.5" ring gear instead of a 10.5" and rear disc brakes! there is a place up here new me (justchevytrucks.com) that deals in these as well as anything else you can think of for a 73+ gm pickup or suv. you may be able to find something more local too. i believe you will need to move the leaf spring perches on any axle not for a 67-72.

[hicktownhotrodder]

i did that swap in my pickup over the summer(pics coming soon) and i had a mid 70's 14 bolt. ruffstuffspecialties.com has everything you need to put it in, and if you want to, put disc brakes on it

[capev86]

i don't think the older 14 bolt is that much better than the HO52....certainly not enough advantage to warrant going through with the swap unless you need a new axle. the late model axle is definitely cool (and beefy) and has the disc brakes. i'm sorry, but i'd rather have well designed factory disc brakes (or even drums) instead of an aftermarket kit that uses car parts and has the lousy e-brake in the caliper instead of a proper separate drum parking brake. those kits are good for show cars and off road vehicles...not my street driven truck that will be towing trailers. i hope to adapt the factory rear disc from a late model 3/4 or 1 ton to the original axle in my 72 burb C20....some day.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by capev86

i don't think the older 14 bolt is that much better than the HO52....certainly not enough advantage to warrant going through with the swap unless you need a new axle. the late model axle is definitely cool (and beefy) and has the disc brakes. i'm sorry, but i'd rather have well designed factory disc brakes (or even drums) instead of an aftermarket kit that uses car parts and has the lousy e-brake in the caliper instead of a proper separate drum parking brake. those kits are good for show cars and off road vehicles...not my street driven truck that will be towing trailers. i hope to adapt the factory rear disc from a late model 3/4 or 1 ton to the original axle in my 72 burb C20....some day.

First of all,there`s no reason at all to even get away from the HO52.There`s nothing they lack that a newer axle gives,except parts availability.The 73-up 14-bolt lacks nothing and parts are available.That`s the only sensible reason to even consider a swap.The original poster didn`t mention a desire for disc brakes or any sort of upgrade needed.Discs can easily be installed on either axle.You can take parts from one and use them on the other,too.I helped a guy put 14-bolt brakes on a HO72 for his`72 rollback to get it on the road quick.The original drums were out of spec.I`m sure he`s made enough in the past two years to buy a new truck with that 38 year old rear under there.

Fact is,there is no direct bolt-in 14-bolt SRW.But,it`s an easy swap.And remember,rear disc brakes are more hype than anything.More cool factor than a useful upgrade.All drum rears have excellent parking brakes.All heavy trucks have drum brakes.My friend`s`07 K2500 Classic Crewcab Duramax has rear drum.

[Mike C]

AAM is a spin off from GM, and the 14 bolt is the predecessor to the AAM 10.5 and 11.5 that current trucks come with. But the AAM parts are ridiculously expensive compared to the FF 14.

If you have to R&R your HO, the 14 swap is much cheaper, but if you are just "thinking about it 'cause" then don't.

One ton 73-91 single rear wheel trucks should have the same spring spacing as a 67-72 4x4 of 40" while the 2x4 trucks are 42.5". It is not very difficult to remove and replace the spring perches.

I put a semi-float 14 in my Jimmy and re-used the spring mounts after cutting and moving them. I did however get a set of '72 shock mounts off an old 12 bolt I had as I liked them better. The SF is much beefier and in my case, significantly tighter than the 12 bolt it replaced.

[ed2552]

Originally Posted by capev86

find a 14 bolt from a 2000+ GM truck. it has an 11.5" ring gear instead of a 10.5" and rear disc brakes! there is a place up here new me (justchevytrucks.com) that deals in these as well as anything else you can think of for a 73+ gm pickup or suv. you may be able to find something more local too. i believe you will need to move the leaf spring perches on any axle not for a 67-72.

Not sure what you're thinking, but 00+ GM trucks have an AAM axle, which is nothing like a 14 bolt.

[capev86]

i don't know what you are talking about....

justchevytrucks.com deals in 1973 and newer and they show pics and give info on the axle i mentioned.

[BLAZERMAN]

Look for a 14 bolt from a 73 up 1 ton, the perch's will be right but you will have to move the shock mounts. I have found some 14 bolt rears from a motor home that bolt right in, shock mounts and all but they are dual wheel..you can still use these just by changing to the single wheel hub and still retain the 13" brakes.
The HO52 is a great axle but the 14 bolt has a few advantages including a much larger and easier to find brake system.