14b ff and HD 8 lug front diff swap on 1500

[Sampuppy1]

I have a 97 k1500 all stock. I saw an adult recently for 14b ff rear axle, front diff, and tcase. My 10 is making some noises I'm not a fan of and the whole setup this guy has is $500. I don't have a clue about swapping axles or gears and he says the rear needs some work.

I wouldn't plan to swap this stuff immediately as I would be getting any repairs needed taken care of before installing anything and I have a ton of questions.

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1. Is the front diff needed for the front of my truck to be converted to 8 lug? If so is the pig even compatible with the 1/2 ton front diff cross member? Am I looking at needing to convert the entire brake system here? What all am I looking at to get the front to 8 lug?

2. Is the tcase even a necessary item here? I have a 60e. I know all this **** is completely dependent upon what happens with the front end. Might be a matter of conversion u joints, maybe a drive shaft.....

3. The rear axle. The main reason for all this **** in the first place. Any chance I could just make this thing six lug and scrap the rest of the junk I don't want to mess with? I know they had six lug sf axles. If I can't go Six lug then the rest of the parts in this all come in to play. Will all my brake stuff be directly compatible with the ff? I know I will need a conversion u joint for it. Springs should line up width wise being it's from a 95 but will they sit properly on the perches? How difficult would it be (if possible) to put my 10 bolt brake stuff on the ff?

What else might I be over looking?

Thanks in advance. It's just an idea since I'm gonna be looking into lifting the truck in the next couple years.

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[BowtieBrody]

As far as I've ever seen the only way to successfully do this is either frame swap, or graft on section of 3/4 ton frame up front. I did see somewhere a while back some dude who did this with a section of frame from a 3/4 ton Suburban, but that was on Pirate4x4, but who knows, someone out there knows more than I do,

 

[Chewy1576]

The rear axle should swap over very easily. Major mods are needed to get the larger front diff to work in a 1/2 ton frame. I don't know if its possible to swap just the 8 lug hub assembly over to the 1/2 ton steering knuckles and use the existing front diff and CV shaft?

 

[thz71]

A SAS would be less work and a much better outcome. And more than likely cheaper.

 

[Sampuppy1]

Any way I could stay six lug with this stuff?

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[Sampuppy1]

Maybe get some stance and do adapters from 8 to 6 lug and not have narrower rear track width....

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[Sampuppy1]

Since the front diff is obviously too tall an order to do in my situation what about just making the front 8 lug. Knuckle swap?

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[thz71]

Maybe get some stance and do adapters from 8 to 6 lug and not have narrower rear track width....

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If you're set on a ff this is how I'd go

 

[Chewy1576]

Any way I could stay six lug with this stuff?

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There are 14 bolt semi float 6 lug axles out there, but I hear they are hard to come by. Not as strong as a full float axle but still stronger than your 10 bolt.


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[Sampuppy1]

If you're set on a ff this is how I'd go

I'm not set on anything at this point. I don't even know the difference between sf and ff

There are 14 bolt semi float 6 lug axles out there, but I hear they are hard to come by. Not as strong as a full float axle but still stronger than your 10 bolt.


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I'd be willing to look around. With my future plans for the truck I need to find something that can be beefed up.

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