best D80 dually axle?

[Mark Nixon]

I just acquired a '97 3.54 Dually drum brake D-80 last night.
Not sure what I'm doing with it, though.
If I were keeping the DAMNCHARGER.....but that's just insane thinking there.

Mark.

[Awesome Bill]

thanks for the replies guys, I would go 14 bolt if i could find one with 3.54 gears, im sure I could buy those grears aftermarket but i dont really want to get into ripping the carrier out..but then again with the ability to buy a 14bolt for so cheep maybe I should...

Look around a little. Most people give away gears that low. Heck if I had another set of 3.54's I'd give them to you. As for setting up the gears, it's just about the easiest axle to set up IMHO. Do you know the wms your looking for? I only ask because a true dually width axle is kinda hard to find. At least it was for me anyway.

[ahale2772]

Mark any idea what the brake setup is on that axle? Drum/ shoe/ wheelcyl size?

[Fred_M1010]

I'm personally not a fan of the 14 bolt. We have killed 8 of them like they were nothing. 2 in a stock big block 97 GMC, 1 in a 95 Chevy 3500, 3 in my 81 crew can chevy with an 89 Cummins 727 combo & 2 in a 94 Chevy 3500 6.5. They do not like the abuse we have put then threw.

Huh, I thought they where at least as strong as the dana 70.
What part of it do you usually break?
Is it the ring and pinion or the axle shafts or something else?

[Mark Nixon]

IIRC there are 2 distinct versions of the Corporate 14 bolt, both have different ring gear diameters.
One is under some older Medium Duty trucks, as well as certain '70s and '80s 1 tons and has (IIRC) an 11.5" ring gear.
The other, purportedly more common, version is significantly smaller in ring gear diameter.

The one I had was definitely not the wimp of the pair, so I was told.

Mark.

[dazedandconfused]

I'm personally not a fan of the 14 bolt. We have killed 8 of them like they were nothing. 2 in a stock big block 97 GMC, 1 in a 95 Chevy 3500, 3 in my 81 crew can chevy with an 89 Cummins 727 combo & 2 in a 94 Chevy 3500 6.5. They do not like the abuse we have put then threw.

Huh, I thought they where at least as strong as the dana 70.
What part of it do you usually break?
Is it the ring and pinion or the axle shafts or something else?

Always ate the pinion and ring gear. Pinion support bearing would fail and munch the pinion gear and ring gear.

[Fred_M1010]

IIRC there are 2 distinct versions of the Corporate 14 bolt, both have different ring gear diameters.
One is under some older Medium Duty trucks, as well as certain '70s and '80s 1 tons and has (IIRC) an 11.5" ring gear.
The other, purportedly more common, version is significantly smaller in ring gear diameter.

The one I had was definitely not the wimp of the pair, so I was told.

Mark.

There's actually three, a 9.5" semi floater, a 10.5" full floater, and a 11.5" full floater (2001 and newer only).
But considering the trucks he mentioned, I reckoned he meant the 10.5" FF.
Both the later are considered pretty bullit proof in the Chevy community,
but I guess they don't use cummins engines as often on the other hand

Always ate the pinion and ring gear. Pinion support bearing would fail and munch the pinion gear and ring gear.

Wouldn't that be more due to poor maintenance?
I can't see how the support bearing would fail due to too much load.

[dazedandconfused]

if you shock load them at all they break the pinion support bearings. They don't like heavy trucks and really being worked. Every year plowing snow we break them. I usually get 30,000 miles out of them before they are junk. The dana 70 is stronger. I have a buddy that pulls a chevy BB 4x4 and he couldn't make a 10.5 ff 14 bolt with all the goodies last a pass or 2 on the track. In a light rig they are good but our trucks are over 11,000 pounds we are eating them in.

[Mark Nixon]

Eating up the pinion bearings is one thing, you may have already seen what sled pullers do to Dana 70s.
Pulltilbroke probably has photo evidence of his 70's demise around somewhere.

I've no doubt that the 14 bolt has had issues, in that it, like most axles of it's design, is technically "light duty" to "light medium duty" in weight rating.

Mark.

[dazedandconfused]

I've killed some Dana 70s as well. You can't find either rear around here though in junkyards or anywhere else. If you do find a FF 14bolt they want stupid money for them. I'd personally run a 80 or an AAM 11.5. I'm hoping I can keep my 70 alive in the duck. I tend to be hard on parts anyway.

[Fred_M1010]

Ok, I understand.
I'm more of an off-road guy, so the rigs I'm used to are never that heavy,
and rarely sees long time abuse like plow trucks.

[CAJUN 93]

back in my gm parts days (mid to late 90's) we used to rebuild 14 bolts regularly. bellsouth service trucks would eat them like candy. the rear pinion support bearing woudl fail and usually lead to ring and pinion failure and occasional carrier failure. the housing itself held up well and hardly ever failed. made good money back then on them. i didn't see anything impressive enough to make want to have one.

daryl

[collegekid]

Dumb Question: how can you tell if your axle is full float or semi float

[dazedandconfused]

FF the axle bolts on the outside to the drum. Semi floater with have a c clip usually holding them in depending on the axle.

[collegekid]

So were most of our trucks bought with FF