9.5 14 bolt swap questions, beat to death I know............

[df2x4]

Also found these pictures of a 5 lug 454SS 9.5" 14 bolt and a regular old 6 lug 9.5" 14 bolt. Not the best pictures, but good enough that my thoughts on the flanges seem plausible.

454SS axle pic:

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Regular 2WD 6 lug 9.5" 14 bolt:

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Looks like the factory 10" drums from a 10 bolt probably won't fit a 6 lug 9.5" 14 bolt without some modifications after all. My next thought is, would the 5 lug 11" drum to disc conversion kit from Little Shop work for this swap?

EDIT - Link to the kit I'm talking about:

https://www.littleshopmfg.com/gm-88-00-c1500-rear-disc-brakes-5-lug-11-drum/

 

[Ben Barrow]

OK I looked, most of it is already posted but reference 4x4 trucks. I have a 94 single cab short bed truck with the 8.5. I want to change gears ratios again and figure I might as well go with the 9.5 built over time and not take my truck out of commission waiting on funds.

So, if I reading things correctly I can use a 9.5 out of any 88-98 2WD truck? Will the Tahoe and Suburban units also work? Will my brake backing plate bolt up and can I keep the drums as I have them now? Obviously I'll have to address axle lug issues.

It's kind of a causal thing for me. I'll buy stuff as I find a deal but I'd hate to have it wrong buy the wrong stuff. Any help is appreciated.

I just finished a 14 bolt 9.5” swap on my truck. The backing plates off the 10 bolt won’t mount up to the 14 bolt since the axle tube diameter on the 14 bolt is larger. I payed $300 for a parts truck with no bed, engine, or interior that had a 14 bolt. The biggest problem I had was getting the parking brake to adjust properly on the 14 bolt once I got it mounted under the truck. I got new cables and it works ok but I’m still working on a solution.

 

[df2x4]

I just fired an email off to Little Shop asking if their 11" drum five lug kit will work for this swap, we'll see what they have to say.

 

[df2x4]

Well now I found another thread that says the 9.5" 14 bolt tube diameter is 3.345" so it looks like they may have an entirely different flange even though it looks similar in the pictures I found.

 

[df2x4]

For what it's worth Little Shop just got back to me, they said that if the axle flange matches the picture in their listing and the distance between the outside of the flange and the outside of the axle shaft face is around 3.6" then it should work. I'm kind of doubting that it's the correct flange now though, plus that picture I found looks like the flange and axle face are way farther than 3.6" apart. If anyone can find any of those measurements for a six lug 9.5" 14 bolt it would be awesome to see them. I've been digging around but no luck so far.

 

[Ben Barrow]

For what it's worth Little Shop just got back to me, they said that if the axle flange matches the picture in their listing and the distance between the outside of the flange and the outside of the axle shaft face is around 3.6" then it should work. I'm kind of doubting that it's the correct flange now though, plus that picture I found looks like the flange and axle face are way farther than 3.6" apart. If anyone can find any of those measurements for a six lug 9.5" 14 bolt it would be awesome to see them. I've been digging around but no luck so far.

I'm a little confuse as to exactly what measurement you want. If you could post a pic of measuring your axle shaft so I can see, I'll try to measure mine when I get some time.

 

[DamHoodlum]

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The factory SS rear flange and axle face is shorter than the 6 lug 14 bolt flange and axle face. This is why it requires the spacer. A factory SS would not require the spacer. Everything else is the same

By the way my little shop brake setup performs excellent !!!

 

[df2x4]

I'm a little confuse as to exactly what measurement you want. If you could post a pic of measuring your axle shaft so I can see, I'll try to measure mine when I get some time.

The dimensions of the mounting flange itself and the axle offset as pictured here is what I was curious about.

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The factory SS rear flange and axle face is shorter than the 6 lug 14 bolt flange and axle face. This is why it requires the spacer. A factory SS would not require the spacer. Everything else is the same

By the way my little shop brake setup performs excellent !!!

I thought I remembered you posting about doing something similar to this... Turns out it was the exact thing and I'm just forgetful. Thank you for chiming in and reminding me about your thread! I'll link it here for others. Also would you happen to have the dimensions for the spacers that Little Shop made for you? Did they convert the flange to a different bolt pattern or just extend everything as it was?

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/14-bolt-sf-5-lug-disc-brake-conversion.44925/#post-1047414

 

[vdiaz133]

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The factory SS rear flange and axle face is shorter than the 6 lug 14 bolt flange and axle face. This is why it requires the spacer. A factory SS would not require the spacer. Everything else is the same

By the way my little shop brake setup performs excellent !!!

Where did you get the spacers? Did you have them made and if so, how thick are they?

 

[Schurkey]

^^^ This is some horrible brake engineering.

GM (whos engineers have actual college degrees, and who can think beyond "can we make this bolt together", and who might consider secondary forces acting on the structure) supports the caliper by having the caliper bracket take the caliper thrust centered between or inline-with the pads, so there's no net twisting of the caliper when the brakes are applied. These clowns take the thrust way off to the inside of the inboard pad. There's about a three-inch "lever" from outside pad to mounting bracket.

This creates a torque reaction that would tend to twist the caliper on the mounts. At best, it would lead to uneven pad wear. At worst, it's going to fatigue the caliper mounting ears, caliper bolts, and caliper bracket, leading to potential failure.

Pure junk. Nobody with an actual mechanical-engineering degree would build something like this.