GM 14 bolt rear axle in your Ford van?

P

philos

Explorer
Wondering if anyone has used the venerable GM 14 bolt in their Ford van?
Seems like an early 14 bolt with a disk brake conversion would be pretty cool, and would retain the 8 on 6.5" wheel pattern...
of course, I could just get a full float van axle and that seems easiest. But, I'm curious to see if it's been done.
 
Herbie

Herbie

Rendezvous Conspirator
Is there a GM 14-bolt with the proper width and side offset?

I've been coming at this from the other side, trying to find an axle to fit my Astro van, and as far as I can tell, very few might fit. A Ford van might, which is to say that it has a similar width and passenger-side offset of the housing. As far as I know, nothing else from GM matches up to my van, which means it might be a similar problem finding a match for a Ford...
 
Cummins_expo

Cummins_expo

Adventurer
Unless you give the 14 Bolt a serious shave you will be left with a center diff that is massive anchor and will not miss a single bump in the road. Crawlers get away with running 14 bolts because they generally run massive tires. However, you can score 14 bolts from so many donor vehicles that the price is pennies compared to any other 1 ton gear. Grab them from a CUCV and you might score 4.56 gearing with a gov locker. If you have the skills and resources to shave the diff it can be worth it. Many who have done this do complain the extra clearance wasn't worth the work.
 
Cummins_expo

Cummins_expo

Adventurer
Herbie said:
Is there a GM 14-bolt with the proper width and side offset?

I've been coming at this from the other side, trying to find an axle to fit my Astro van, and as far as I can tell, very few might fit. A Ford van might, which is to say that it has a similar width and passenger-side offset of the housing. As far as I know, nothing else from GM matches up to my van, which means it might be a similar problem finding a match for a Ford...
Click to expand...

Have you looked into the Ford 9" out of an f150/ Later model bronco? ? Potentially an 8.8 ?
 
Herbie

Herbie

Rendezvous Conspirator
Cummins_expo said:
Have you looked into the Ford 9" out of an f150/ Later model bronco? ? Potentially an 8.8 ?
Click to expand...

Borderline too narrow, and centered pumpkin, as far as all my searches reveal. I need ~68" wide and ~4" right-side offset on the driveshaft.
 
Cummins_expo

Cummins_expo

Adventurer
Hmmm.. A 70s jeep rear might work from the fullsize Cherokees

95 + Range rovers offset

Late 70s Ford ... Dana 60s.

Sorry OP realized I was dumping in your thread
 
Cummins_expo

Cummins_expo

Adventurer
What kind of budget are you trying to stay with in ? Or let me back this up.. What are you trying to achieve ? Stronger or ? You could score a junkyard 3rd or guts and purchase a semi custom housing like Ruffstuff specialties, custom shafts, lockers, disk breaks... Junkyard option can be a nice starting point as long as you dont end up spending a tom of money essentially building a new axle. I am not a Van guy ( just daydream of a Ujoint built 7.3 van) but have swapped more buggies and jeeps axles then most. Might be worth a trip to the pick and pull( bring your tape measure) You can add/ subtract axle width with custom offset wheels or spacers.. Get close with a junkyard axle and make it work.

philos said:
No, carry on please. I'm learning :)
Click to expand...

Just found your thread on ttb Dana 50 front end swap :ylsmoke:
 
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L

Lunchbox2

Explorer
How far apart are your spring perches? I messed up when I first bought axles for my 4x4 van build (shorty chevy).... I got a 14-bolt dually axle out of a truck, and the spring perches were 40" center to center, while my van's springs are 50" center to center. I didn't think it would be a big deal, I'd just move the perches. Well, the backing plates for the brakes were only 48" apart, so it was definitely not going to work. I had to hunt down a 14-bolt out of a chevy van. Once I brought one home, I did the disc brake swap, and used the original van hubs, and it all worked out perfect....

This was the truck rear end that wouldn't work...


Here is the van 14 bolt with the disc brakes, ready to go into my van...
 
BajaSportsmobile

BajaSportsmobile

Baja Ironman
Along with a D50 TTB, we put a 14BFF in this van. Remember, you have a VSS in your current axle.

image.jpg11_zpsspbawetc.jpg
 
justcuz

justcuz

Explorer
I would assume the VSS gets moved to the output shaft of the t-case? Sourced from a GM application of the Borg Warner t-case I suppose.
Looks like Chris' Van, what gears does that have in the differentials?
 
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