Corportate and AAM 10.5" 14 bolt hybrid. Thoughts and advise please

I have two complete axles, a GM AAM 10.5" 14 bolt from a 2001 Silverado 2500 with 4.10 gears open carrier. And Corporate 10.5" 14 bolt from my 1984 CUCV M1008 with 4.56 gears and Detroit Locker.

Mission is, what does it take to swap the Corporate gears and Detroit into the AAM so I can have disk brakes and parking brake. The tech guy at Randys Ring and Gear told me the only two things interchangable on the two axles are the crush sleeve and pinion seal, I don't believe this to be true. I haven't torn into either axle yet so trail and error hasn't been an option yet. Has anybody succesfully done this? From reading forums it seems the only difference should be the pinion support bearing, but also read mixed thoughts on this.

Before yall say just get a disk brake conversion kit and go with 3/4 ton calipers or elderado calipers and call it done, I would rather not. I already have the AAM axle with factory rear disk and parking brake thats already had all the mounts removed so I can weld on new spring pads and shock mounts.

Honestly I hate to see your wanting to strip a perfectly good axle. Why don't you just order the 4.56 ring and pinion and a Detroit locker for your axle that already has the disk brakes? You could sell the cucv axle to pay for most of it

brett

Another thought, add a Detroit to the AAM, drop it in as is and swap 4.10 gears in the front and pick up a few MPH or MPG.

I'd honestly not have an answer for your question. But I'd suggest ditching the Detroit for a few reasons. You would have a super easy install and same or better performance and quieter more consistent engagement/disengagement by looking at an Aussie locker or Yukon locker. All those are centrifical activation and are very inexspensive. Also not sure what ring and pinion gears run where you are but I see Yukon sets for $100.00 on sale at my local shop. Yukon gears are solid, just a thought. That way you save the hassle on disc brakes. Also you might want to consider shaving the pumpkin/diff in order to get your clearance back. Those 14 bolts hang so low. You do the shave while you got it all apart and gain two inches in clearance. That will give you the strength of the 14 bolt/DANA 70 and the clearance of the DANA 44/Corp 10 bolt.

Little extra work but simple stuff that will pay major divedends on the trails. Just a thought.

grantpo, have you performed the conversion?

Jozseph said:

grantpo, have you performed the conversion?

Click to expand...

No not yet, I'm waiting on trying to find a used Clamshell bearing puller on ebay since they cost $300 new, a dial indicator w/ base, and inch torque wrench. I posted this same question on pirate4x4 and got some great info from them with out getting flamed to bad. LOL those guys are ruthless over there.

What I decided is to pull the gears, carrier, and locker from the Corporate axle and swap them into the AAM axle. If you look up the part numbers for these parts on Randys ring and gears Diff Wizard they are the same.

Thanks for yalls responses to keep the 4.10 carrier but I should've stated originally that I want to keep the 4.56 carrier so I have the opinion for lower gears in the future if I need them. If I keep the 4.10 thats as low as I can go.

FWIW Have you researched tool rental?

I saw online a company that rent special tools such as http://www.automotivespecialtytools.com/2013/05/15/rent-specialty-automotive-tools/

Never used them, just found them looking.

Or tool loan program from company's like Pep Boys, AutoZone Loan-A-Tool[SUP]®[/SUP].

The AutoZone Loan-A-Tool I have used, you purchase parts and they will loan you the special tools they have available.