TURBHOE

iTrader: (4)

if you wanted an rear axle for hard core off roading which would be a good one. whats so good about the full float i guess the 10.5" is a full float. any ideas??

SBChevrolet

It depends on what type of "hard core off roading" you plan on doing a 14bolt 10.5" FF is a good all around rear end but still has limitation on some offroading its HUGE(ground clearance) not many differential options and you cant go any lower then 5.13 I have one in my '84 and love it though a full floating rear end is great for off roading there REALLY strong and if you ever did blow it out you dont have c-clips to worry about so you can drive it home in 4wd with out your axles sliding out

white1

iTrader: (5)

Factory 10 bolts are NOT full floating. The dana 60 is hard to beat for serious off-roading, but the Chevy 12 bolt is good and a lot easier to find. A dana 44 is a good one imo, but it depents on how you define serious off roading.
Full floating has a hub at the out side of the axle shaft holding the axle together if anything goes boom, a c-clip axle only has the clip holding the axles in, so if one goes bye bye your axle may leave the axle tube.

black4x4

iTrader: (2)

like stated above depends on your definition. to me when i swap axles it will be a fullfloat 14 bolt out back and a dana 60 up front with all aftermarket chromoly 35 spline shafts in it should soot my needs. now to me if you want crazy strength and run 53s all day and beat the snot out of it you could run a 416 mog axle. and in trucks the differance between a 10 and 12 bolt is so little that there not even worth swaping for one another.

mzoomora

iTrader: (31)

Dana 60 is a very good choice and easy to find, you can even get them in 35 spline factory stock. 10.5" FF is also a good choice, but not quite as stong in the center asthe Dana.
Me personally, I would do a Dana 80 rear and Danan 60 front for a serious off raod truck. After that you would have to consider Military axles or Mack axles.

SBChevrolet

yea a 12bolt swap isent worth the time(unless you can find a old warn 12bolt FF kit) but there not the right width for these trucks. Ive done alot more "hard core off-roading" with older truck and had better luck with 14Bolt FF's then D60's for the rear, IMO the 14Bolt is stronger a D70 isent a bad option though

TURBHOE

iTrader: (4)

its not like all the time just if i want to off road hard i can with out breaking it. i heard that lowering the gears to like 4.56 or 4.88 the stock diff gets pretty weak. and i plan on a good amount of power also. just trying to do stuff the right way first strong as possible without going retarded on it.

mzoomora

iTrader: (31)

If thats the case, maybe a 14bolt 10.5 rear and a 9-1/4" IFS front. You should have no problem swaping in those. If you wanted to get away from the IFS, you could go with a D60 front.