6 lug to 8 lug swap

[Twisted71]

Hola, I have a 71 chevy c10 4x4. Everyone says the 12 bolts a POS so I've gone nad purchased a 14bolt ff. Im still looking for a d60 front which seems to be a pain in the buttox. How hard is it going to be to swap the axles. I know the spring perches need to be moved cause 14 bolt is 42 inches I believe while 12 bolt is 40 or some wierdness like that.

I plan on running 33's with a 4 inch lift. I think im going to go 454 with a th400 with a np205. I plan to gear for 3.73 so the gas milage isnt terrible.

Any ideas would be great thanks

T71

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by Twisted71

Hola, I have a 71 chevy c10 4x4. Everyone says the 12 bolts a POS so I've gone nad purchased a 14bolt ff. Im still looking for a d60 front which seems to be a pain in the buttox. How hard is it going to be to swap the axles. I know the spring perches need to be moved cause 14 bolt is 42 inches I believe while 12 bolt is 40 or some wierdness like that.

I plan on running 33's with a 4 inch lift. I think im going to go 454 with a th400 with a np205. I plan to gear for 3.73 so the gas milage isnt terrible.

Any ideas would be great thanks

T71

Since it sounds like it will be mostly street-driven (the comment about gas milage) and if all you will be running is 33" tires, just grab a commonly available Dana 44 instead of shelling out close to a thousand dollars for a Dana 60.

[OLDCHEV4X4]

Is it going to be a street truck? Or a light trail rig? If so the D44 front and 12blolt rear will hold up fine with 33" tires. And some of them come with the gear ratio your looking for. If you move up to 35's now your pushin it.

If you must have the the other combo your talking about, buy a M1028 Army truck. It will have all the stuff you want except the gear ratio.

Ive been racin and beating the crap out of a 12bolt rear for 5 years. I did break some spider gears, but other than that it has held up fine with 33" tires.

[drunkbus]

A 14 bolt out of a 1 ton will have the spring perches at the right width and will only need the shock mounts relocated. The 3/4 tons have the wider perches.