Eaton vs. 14 Bolt vs. Dana 60

[EFI70Blazer]

Pretty much just a bolt on.

[earl87gta]

they just bolt on i took aset from my 14blt and used them on my eaton.
you eaton probly allready has 4:56 gear you can use a locker from a 14blt and save some money. I think I have a 3rd on the shelf here already set up Ill look for you.

[FormerMember]

Originally Posted by Ridin' High

ok so i found a shop in utah that rebuilds 14 Bolts. He will build me one with a detroit locker and 4.56 gears for about $850. I think thats what I am going to do.

Thank you for all your input!!

That's expensive.

Hell, find a 14B out of a CUCV if that's what you want to do. Should be less than 500. Last one I bought was 250.00 and it had less than 20K miles on it. Most have Detroits and 4.56's.

[Old Chevy Mech]

I did not know any of this...this is interesting....so let me get thie straight....if the R & P 3rd member in my Eaton dies, a GM 14 bolt will "bolt" right in? That seems almost too "simple" a fix.
Does anyone have any before (all eaton) & after (14 bolt installed) pics?

Thanks!

Frank

[FormerMember]

Originally Posted by Old Chevy Mech

I did not know any of this...this is interesting....so let me get thie straight....if the R & P 3rd member in my Eaton dies, a GM 14 bolt will "bolt" right in? That seems almost too "simple" a fix.
Does anyone have any before (all eaton) & after (14 bolt installed) pics?

Thanks!

Frank

Yes, for the most part.

A 1 Ton 14B has the same spring pad spacing as our 67-72 Chevy trucks. In my C to K conversion, I use a 1Ton Dually 14B in place of the Eaton that was in there. It's a bolt in. Granted, I don't know about the drive shaft length, because I am having one built for this particular and peculiar truck...

Some of the other talk is about taking the side gears and axle shafts from a 14B and added them to an Eaton.

[Old Chevy Mech]

A 1 Ton 14B has the same spring pad spacing as our 67-72 Chevy trucks. In my C to K conversion, I use a 1Ton Dually 14B in place of the Eaton that was in there. It's a bolt in. Granted, I don't know about the drive shaft length, because I am having one built for this particular and peculiar truck...

I see, that clarifies that

Some of the other talk is about taking the side gears and axle shafts from a 14B and added them to an Eaton.
Thats what I'm really curious about, swapping the guts


Frank

[kris's66lwb]

yea could i take the guts out of a 14b abd just bolt it in i think mine has 513s it it its fin low i got the motor at about 5k to get to 55 i know its a lil of topic what disks could i use for my d44 front

[earl87gta]

I think only the locker and axles will work you still have to use gears and a carrier from the eaton. I think I have a frew threads saved some were on this Ill try to find them.
Is your d44 drum break? If so cheapest thing to do is replace the hole front end out of a newer truck.

[~Shep~]

I am interested in this as well. I'm gonna need to do some work on mine soon, but I was convinced I would have to swap in a 14B. I'm about to do a search on Eatons, but I am assuming ya'll are talking about a BIG 10 bolt rear end that comes apart in the front like a 9inch ford...wich is what I have.

[shelby987]

The eaton is "a big 10 bolt with a 'ford like' center section" I was unaware that you could swap any parts from the 14b into the eaton.....I would imagine it would be somewhat limited to carriers and shortened shafts.

That being said, and getting back to the original question, I would say hunt around for a no-spin eaton third with 4.56 gears already on it. I bought mine (4.10 gears) for $200, it is a relatively simple swap....
-Pull the axles out
-remove the drive shaft
-Drain Diff.
-Unbolt third member (this is definately the hardest part....getting the 120lb sucker in and out while laying on your back under the truck)
-(as chiltons says) reverse steps to install.

The only parts I couldn't find was the gaskets for the axles, but I made some out of felt......with some hunting and shipping ($80 from WA to MI through DHL for me) you can have a locked, loaded, and bullet proof eaton rear. for half the price of a rebuild on your 14b (just my 2/100 of a dollar)

Mine will have disc. brakes when the time to replace the drums come due!

[earl87gta]

Randy's sells every thing you need to rebuild it as far as seals and barings go. I thought I had a thread saved on this but I cant finf it. to do the 14blt hybrid axle you need the axles spider gears and a detriot for a 14blt ff axle use the spider gears and locker in the eaton carrier. then replace the eaton axles with the 14blt axles. for the disk breaks when I didn my 72 I used an adaptor for a 14blt with no mods needed so say you have to shave some off the spacer but i didnt have this trouble. I used a bent style disk break convertion and had no problems. I have never had to do the hybrid Ive broke a eaton axle and all of my eatons have the factory lockers. I try to keep one or 2 around just in case I need one but havent needed one yet.

[earl87gta]

one last thing with the disk swap if you are using an older eaton pre 69 you will have to drill the hubs out and go to a larger lug stud other wize the rotor will be loose on the studs. I tihnk 69 and up had the same size wheel studs as the 14blt axles and will match the rotors. try to use a rotor from the same year front end as your eaton. for the guys with the drum break fronts you will need to drill yours out and go to bigger studs.
I have herd of guys using the 14blt hubs but it taks some extra work to do.

[~Shep~]

Just found this...
http://www.coloradok5.com/forums/sho...ybrid&t=144838

Anyone know this guy? He posted a pic...but will not come up.
JIMs70K25
New DD

Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Chesapeake, VA
Posts: 522

[earl87gta]

dont no him but the eaton with the mog convertion is crazy.

[shelby987]

earl87GTA, you are correct about the studs, but IIRC, 1970 was the last year of the small studs, I think (?????) the studs went from 1/2" to 9/16"