8 lug, 14 bolt SF to 14 bolt FF

[brettf]

Sorry for what Im sure is asked too often.. Spent the last couple hours googling and just ended up more confused..

I have a '95 2wd 2500 with an 8 lug 14 bolt SF rear.

I have a line on a 14 bolt FF from a '98 *4wd* 3500.

Before I crawl around in the mud for a couple hours and somehow get the heavy ******* back to my shop..

Is the wheel mounting width different between the two because of the 4wd/2wd difference?

Are spring perch widths different? For that matter, Im assuming the 1 ton has a larger spring pack over the 8 lug 3/4 ton? Any reason I wouldn't swap r/e with springs complete in?

Im hoping to pick up this FF, give it a once over, some fresh fluid and maybe brakes, and then bolt it into my truck..

thanks for any info you can give..

brett

 

[df2x4]

Personally I would keep looking for a 2WD unit as they're a different width than the 4WD.

 

[BNielsen]

Personally I would keep looking for a 2WD unit as they're a different width than the 4WD.

I thought that the 8-lug rears were all the same width?

 

[df2x4]

I thought that the 8-lug rears were all the same width?

I believe the track width difference between 2WD and 4WD rears applies to all GMT400 rear ends. I could be wrong, though.

 

[brettf]

aaaaand now you can see why a couple hours of googling only left me more confused.

One yes, one no and one maybe, haha

The ff is a couple hours drive away or Id just measure it..

 

[Gibson]

This article explains all the diffs between the FF axles,, yes, there are diff widths between the wheel mounting surfaces, and the spring perches.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/14b_bible/index.html

 

[brettf]

Thanks, though I did read 'the bible' previously, and he doesnt mention 4wd/2wd at all.. he goes into the size differences between C&C, DRW and SRW..

Brett

 

[454cid]

I think the track width is different, but I don't recall which way. Spring pads, I think are the same for all the GMT-400s. I don't think you'd run into a problem unless you got one from a Squarebody or a GMT-800. There are lots of people that have swapped them in.

 

[Gibson]

IIRC, the spring pads are diff between the 3500 SRW, and the 3500 DRW, and the wheel mounting centers are diff also.
Wasn't there a change between the old-style, where the brake drum was behind the hub, and the newer style, where the drum slipped over the studs?
Also, IIRC, on the old style, the hubs can be "flipped" to change the wheel mounting distance.
The track width is diff in the front between the 2wd/4wd,, but I think the rears are the same,, its been awhile since I actually measured them,,.

 

[454cid]

Wasn't there a change between the old-style, where the brake drum was behind the hub, and the newer style, where the drum slipped over the studs?

Yes, I have slide off drums. I thought the change was made in 88 and effected all the 10.5" axles, but I've read of people having the old style drum behind the hub more recently. So now I think it must only be SRW 1-tons with the JB8 brakes that got the slide off drums.