First off, I am trying to build a bullet-proof rear for my 94' Chevy 1500 P/U w/ blown 383. I've selected a GM 14 bolt to keep it "all chevy".

Now from what I hear these rears are hard to come-by, or you'll have to pay big for a good one.

I did a search on "14 bolt" and came up with about 5 threads w/ questions different from mines.

What I want to know is
1. Whats the difference between semi-floating and full floating axles?
2. I know most 14 bolts are 8-lug, but if Im not mistaken there arnt many rim choices for 8-lugs. So I want something 6-lug, do they sell 6-lug axles for 14 bolt rears?
3. Will the 14 bolt share the same leafspring perches and shock mounts as a 94' 10 bolt?
4. The 01-04 Silverado HD P/U's have a 14 bolt rear. Is this rear the same as those from previous years? If yes then I have something I can use as a reference for measurements.

Im sure theres more information Im forgetting but thats all I can think of now.

There are basically only two 14-bolt axles, as I don't have any info on the newer versions of it I cannot answer accurately and include these.

The 9.5 inch ring gear was made with semi floating axles ONLY, and I believe these had an option of 6 bolt flanges, if not these would be the ones to make the change to if you want to do it easy.

The 10.5 inch ring gear was made with full floating axles ONLY, and if you checked out the wheel choices for this, you would find everything from 15 inch wheels to 20 inch wheels, I have one with a set of 15X8 8-bolt wheels on the black truck in my photo album.

Both of these axles are limited in the gear ratio, you can't find lower than 3.42 or higher than 4.56 unless you REALLY luck out.

If you want a real world opinion of which is considered "bulletproof" the 10.5 is the winner with a couple minor changes. I own both, and would rather give the 9.5 inch away than give up running the 10.5.

I have several of the 10.5's sitting in the storage area behind the shop, and plan on swapping one into my Suburban with 3.73 gears, a locker, and disc brakes.

A good website I use for reference and info is : http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billa...ible/index.html

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The light-duty 3/4 tons and optioned Z-71's had the 9.5" semi-floating 14 bolt. The 10.5" full-floating 14 bolts are much easier to find and are super strong as built from the factory and pretty cheap to buy. You can convert the 10.5" to 6 lugs axles (http://4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/37058/) but it will not be cheap. I have a 9.5" 6-lug in my truck and have less than $800 in it including 4.11 gears and a Detroit and has held up for me just fine for close to 3 years while the original 10 bolt lasted 2 months with a much weaker motor.

They even made the 9.5" 14-bolt in 5-lug. They only came in the back of 454SS trucks and are Very Rare.

I have heard of people converting a 9.5" from 8-lug to 6-lug but you will need to figure out the brakes because they aren't quite the same as a 10-bolt. I think the axle flange sticks out from the backing plate flange a bit more on the 9.5".

As for the 01-up trucks I think the 9.5" that they use is still the same as the old ones but the HD trucks use a 11.5" American Axle Manufacturing rear end that has also been called a "14-bolt" because it also has 14 bolts on the diff cover.

okay so now I know that I want a full floater axle which is 8-lug. Im not too familiar with the front end but how would I go about making the front 8-lug as well. Would a company such as Strange make a 8-lug splindle?

I believe that there is something like 3 different widths flange to flange on the 14 bolts...dont know anything about the ones put into anything under 1 ton trucks, but I have a few of those sitting out back, and they have different width axles in them.

I have been doing a lot of research on the 14 bolt axles lately.

There are 3 different 14 bolt axles; the 9.5" semi floater (5, 6 and 8 lug), the 10.5" full floater (8 lug only, 6 lug conversion axles available), the 11.5" full floater found in 2001 up 2500HD and up (8 lug only)

I have a 8-lug 9.5" I am converting over to 6 lug by changing the axles. This will be going into my 99 2-door Tahoe. I am skirting the brake issue by putting on disc brakes at the same time.


There are several different widths of the 10.5" housings, because it was used in vans, duallys and single rear wheel 3500s.

For your 94 you want one from a 88-98 not a new body style truck. The spring perches would be different on the newer rear.

they do offer 6 lug 10.5 full floaters out of 90-91 silverado ss trucks that came with a 454 but are hard to find, i dunno if that helps you any, but i know they fit under a 99 tahoe without changing anything... im not completely sure about the gear ratio in them... but i believe they come with 3.73

welcome to Hotrodders. Please read the dates on the threads. The thread is over 3 years old.

thanks for the added information.

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