10 bolt to 14 Bolt, 9.5 sf swap

[randeez]

https://www.driveshaftpower.com/

used him a couple years ago to shorten a ds, had him check out the rear shaft last week... just glad he dont leave stuff sitting around a week before getting to it

 

[randeez]

 

[randeez]

We have axles, 8 bolt to diff, 33 spline to wheel hub

 

[randeez]

Its in... need some spacers for the cv axles

 

[randeez]

 

[randeez]

front driveshaft could be shortened another 1/2"-1", was a little tight getting it in but there shouldnt be any movement on it so not so worried about it.

cv axles: as it sits (full droop) driverside axle is about 1-1/2" away fully compressed, passenger side about an 1". at ride height may get back 1/4" or so. got a few emails out trying to locate some spacers. could chance driving it but i think they'd pop on full lock turning.

swapped out the motor mounts, i guess they sit the engine down lower so now headers sit on the front diff mount (unrelated to swapping 9.25ifs) but now ive gotta do something with them

edit: one more niche, the mounting bolts on the driverside - the front diff came with the bracket for a 3500 truck, i unbolted it and used those for attaching to the 1500 bracket. one of the bolts will thread thru, the other bottoms out before tightening up so it'll need to be shortened easy fix


if anyones keeping score....

front diff(with factory 4.10s) i think i paid $300/shipped for it
axles (had to buy 4 total lol , cheapy cardone axles not gm) about $225/shipped
spacers? probably another $100-150 ***$160 for spacers/harware
front driveshaft shortened $100

 

[randeez]

cognito coming thru with some spacers, they make 5/8", 1.2", 1.8". i grabbed a 5/8" and 1.2" should close up the gap pretty nicely.

hammered he hell out of the headers, flattened out a few runners and i got a little bit of clearance

 

[randeez]

And to finish it off....
Got it together and moved under it's own power, 1st time ina few weeks. Racing rain so didnt take many pics.
I need to set up the rear with the adjustable bars before I can do much driving tho

And again...many thanks to cognito they were awesome to deal with and no bs just wanted to get my junk back together. Couple lift companies I talked to couldnt/wouldn't help...very cookie cutter unless it was for this truck with this lift kit with blahblahblah they were just nope we got nothing, support was doing nothing more than searching online catalog also.

 

[randeez]

these have been kicking my ass for the past few days....

getting them on is relatively easy. been trying to set up the pinion angle, maintaining some clearance between the rear diff and the panhard bar, being as center as i can in the wheel wells, and of course keeping everything even so it would go the down the road straight.

tried to get it all set up with the springs in and just ended up fighting it to much so i ended up supporting by the frame rails, removing the rear springs/swaybar/shocks, put jack under diff on a dolly so it could go where ever. got everything all set up perfect, all i had to do was adjust the top bar a few turns to get the pinion angle good (few degrees negative the driveshaft) made about half a turn and bottomed out the front joint
had to lower it back down, remove top bar, shorten one end, put it back in, spend another hour or two getting it all set back in place perfect. locked it all down, made a little hammer adjustment to exhaust for panhard bar to clear (which i just threw on, after driving it the axle is kicked over to the passenger side pretty bad)

 

[kbuskill]

these have been kicking my ass for the past few days....

getting them on is relatively easy. been trying to set up the pinion angle, maintaining some clearance between the rear diff and the panhard bar, being as center as i can in the wheel wells, and of course keeping everything even so it would go the down the road straight.

tried to get it all set up with the springs in and just ended up fighting it to much so i ended up supporting by the frame rails, removing the rear springs/swaybar/shocks, put jack under diff on a dolly so it could go where ever. got everything all set up perfect, all i had to do was adjust the top bar a few turns to get the pinion angle good (few degrees negative the driveshaft) made about half a turn and bottomed out the front joint
had to lower it back down, remove top bar, shorten one end, put it back in, spend another hour or two getting it all set back in place perfect. locked it all down, made a little hammer adjustment to exhaust for panhard bar to clear (which i just threw on, after driving it the axle is kicked over to the passenger side pretty bad)

Sounds like tons of fun... I had thought about getting these to center my rear axle up in the wheel wells but haven't done it yet... may not now... lol