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14bolt in an XJ? Yay or Nay?

Stallacrew

Stallacrew

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cullman, Alabama
OK, take this question as if you are talking to a retarded 12 year old girl who doesnt know what a rearend is.

A friend of mine has a few 14bolts from a military auction. They are from the '70's and were never installed, they are still in crates with the yellow paint on the gears. They have a detroit locker (which I couldn't tell you the difference between a detroit and any other locker ) and 4.56 gears. I can get one pretty cheap.

Would you run it? What would be the advantage/disadvantage with that option? Would I have clearance issues?

I don't do too much offroading YET since I'm a college student and have limited funding. But a deal like this might be adventageous for the future. It's geared a little deep for me right now on a stock sized XJ.

I know one of you fellas argued with another guy about 14bolts vs. 60's on Pirate and claims 14bolts suck. I just wanted to hear from other people and see.

Anything to do to it if I do get the thing?



--Alex
 
depends on how much cheap is. You will want to shave the bottom, and it is still pretty heavy, also gonna be wideer than stock by a good bit. Either need custom axles or new wheels. Personally I chose a 9" to start building.
 
Phil said:
5x4.5 Dana 30 front + 8x6.5 14 bolt rear = best rig evar.
Click to expand...


:roflmao::laugh2::yelclap:


sorry, just had to use some different icons for a change.

if you can get a hellofa deal on it, do it and go find a d60 for the front and then put a 6.5" Long arm kit on it, a SYE, 1 ton OTK steering, armor and some 37" tires and you sir, will have a nice wheeling rig. You ALSO will have NO $$ left over, haha

so if you dont plan on wheeling it hard anytime soon, i would say pass. BUT if it is a good enough deal and you DO plan on wheelin it later on pretty hard, get it and keep it and build it/use it later.

good deals are hard to find and shouldnt be passed up.
 
He said he could do $450 on it. It seems like a purty good deal. I don't need it immediately and the junkyard has them for about $115. I think I will pass. Having a good new one that is clean and about as flawless as they come seems nice but I could spend $300 somewhere else. Good to know that a 14 bolt is in fact a viable option.
 
Phil said:
5x4.5 Dana 30 front + 8x6.5 14 bolt rear = best rig evar.
Click to expand...
X3. I pointed this out in another similar thread a fews days back. I don't understand why this doesn't cross people's mind as the first thought? :dunno:
Stallacrew said:
He said he could do $450 on it. It seems like a purty good deal. I don't need it immediately and the junkyard has them for about $115. I think I will pass. Having a good new one that is clean and about as flawless as they come seems nice but I could spend $300 somewhere else. Good to know that a 14 bolt is in fact a viable option.
Click to expand...
$450 is a good deal.
You had another thread where I responded asking if it had Discs or Drums and got no response. Being as it has never been run/installed I'll assume drums which means you'll need about $200-250 more to swap out to discs. While it may not seem nessesary, the drums on 14b and D60s are HUGE and are going to take a lot to drive them with the stock XJ gear. Swapping out the drums for some mid-80 Chevy calipers and rotors will help out a lot.

Like I mentioned above we just had a very similar discussion, yet with a D60. Some things apply only to the D60, but most of it will be relevant: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=971668
 
Yeah, sorry about not responding, I suppose I didnt see it. I honestly don't know but I would guess drums.

Thanks for all the help guys.
 
14 bolts are pretty good rear ends, with a few drawbacks. Track width and lug pattern are a given, shaving the bottom properly gains you about an inch in clearance, also a given IMO. The weight and lack of ground clearance (even shaved) are tough to get around. You'd need to run 38" or bigger tires to warrant a 14b IMO. I have a work buddy who did the ex-military axle route for his rig, a r 14b and (open) f D60 w/ 4.56" gears and a Detroit in the rear, $2K. A very nice deal if you want fullsize axles.
 
14s are a dime a dozen. $450 is a rip off. You can find the same axle in any junk yard for right around $200 at full price. I paid $150 for my new model 14 bolt w/ factory disc brakes.

14 bolts are a great axle and once installed and dialed in it will never give you any problems.
What are you planning to run for a front axle? The 14 bolt rear is eight lug, so thats your first problem. The 14 bolt is also much wider than your front axle, so theres your second.
What size tires are you wanting to run? 14 bolt is way over kill unless you are running a minimum of 37" tires.

Because you are asking these questions you have to be a newb, so the simple answer is NO do not waste your money on the axle. :twak:
 
IMO $450 isn't to bad if you can live with 4.56's. The detroit goes for 3-400 IIRC. So as long as the gear set works you don't have to pay for a locker and gear setup.

I have a 14 bolt and like it, but it is matched to a 60 front.
 
99xj4x4x, There are several things wrong with what you typed, IMO.
99xj4x4 said:
14s are a dime a dozen. $450 is a rip off. You can find the same axle in any junk yard for right around $200 at full price. I paid $150 for my new model 14 bolt w/ factory disc brakes.
Click to expand...
$450 is NOT a rip off if you consider the 4.56s and the Detroit and the fresh axle(if thats what the buyer wants). Otherwise it could be if you are going to spend money on gears, install kit, different locker, etc.
99xj4x4 said:
14 bolts are a great axle and once installed and dialed in it will never give you any problems.
Click to expand...
Don't jinx yourself.:shhh:
99xj4x4 said:
The 14 bolt rear is eight lug, so thats your first problem. The 14 bolt is also much wider than your front axle, so theres your second.
Click to expand...
Not all 14b are 8lug, they can be had in 6 lug stock or other if done up custom.
Also, a C&C 14b is only 63" wms to wms with SRW hubs, not to far off of the stock dimensions.
99xj4x4 said:
Because you are asking these questions you have to be a newb, so the simple answer is NO do not waste your money on the axle. :twak:
Click to expand...
Personal opinion but, given that logic wouldn't we all be on stock XJs? Got to learn somewhere...
 
Last edited:
RCman said:
99xj4x4x, There are several things wrong with what you typed, IMO.

$450 is NOT a rip off if you consider the 4.56s and the Detroit and the fresh axle(if thats what the buyer wants). Otherwise it could be if you are going to spend money on gears, install kit, different locker, etc.

Don't jinx yourself.:shhh:

Not all 14b are 8lug, they can be had in 6 lug stock or other if done up custom.
Also, a C&C 14b is only 63" wms to wms with SRW hubs, not to far off of the stock dimensions.

Personal opinion but, given that logic wouldn't we all be on stock XJs? Got to learn somewhere...
Click to expand...

x2, at least its not a "what size tire can I fit with x amount of lift" question.
 
Wish I knew where this buddy of his lives, when i get tax refund I'd pick one up in a heartbeat. Keep the locker change gears and sell old ones, but disc's on it and go.
 
He does have 2 of them for sale, but they may cost more, I asked him for a price if I were to buy it. May have a friend discount in there. If anyone wants one I can get in touch with him. Dave92 has expressed interest so I will ask about the other one for someone until Dave92 decides he does or doesnt want one.
 
I argued for them...if you shave them the clearence aint that bad compared to a dana 60. they come stock with 35spline shafts IIRC. i would run nothing smalle than a 38" tire with it though and you would also need to get a full width fron dana 60. It is ALOT of money to do the conversion. They are bomb proof.
 
chris...that you from FJOA?
well said. it depends on what you want. if you mall crawl or light trail ride, a 14b is way too much. if you have a big rig, bash rocks with HP, turning big tires, this is what you want. a dana 60 is a 30 spline axle (rear) stock. adapting for 35 spline is a big deal. the tubes have to be drilled. rear 60's are lead anchors. 14b is true 1 ton.

lighter cheaper stronger alternatives are the 9" ford, and surprise! the corp 12 bolt. 34 spline. stronger and lighter. but, this is all JMHO!
 
ChrisRFewell said:
I argued for them...if you shave them the clearence aint that bad compared to a dana 60. they come stock with 35spline shafts IIRC. i would run nothing smalle than a 38" tire with it though and you would also need to get a full width fron dana 60. It is ALOT of money to do the conversion. They are bomb proof.
Click to expand...


:thumbup:

Best axle ever. Great for those super hard trails in Florida too.

Just look at my signature. Chris really does know his stuff.
 
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