Wonder how big of a bitch it would be to get an 8.8 to work? I know it's narrower than the 10 but it would be much more budget oriented though.

 

If you know where to look and know what to do, a 14 bolt 9.5 can be done on a budget.

 

The 14 bolt's down fall is the amount of power it robs and it's shear size. Mother ****** is stupid heavy.

If on a major budget, you could find a real Ford housing at a swap meet or racingjunk.com. Cut all the brackets/pads/ends off of it. Get a jig and set it up for your truck. At this point you could be in for around a grand or less including the price of the jig. You don't need to do a ***** out aluminum center from Strange. Get you a nodular iron center and have a local shop set it up with a spool and some gears. Get you some axles and ends and a brake kit........I'd think you could do it for under 3000 if you shopped right.

If you want to get a little carried away, the rear in my truck was around 6500, but it is near the best of the best parts you could buy from Strange.

If you decide to go this route, i have the jig and could help you out with all the fab work needed to get it in the truck with the stock leafs. Let me know bud.

 

So the 14 bolt robs power? Is that like the 4L80E Robs power over the 4L60E?

Your looking at 3K to do a 9 inch any way you look at it.

A 14 bolt can be done for 1K or less. You won't have to change bolt patterns or wheels either.

 

Stupid heavy cause it's built like a tank....

Blown06, your setup is not something that most of us regular guys will ever even need so there is no point in going in that deep and dropping 3+ grand on a rear end. So unless you are going in building a straight up track/race truck then I can't justify spending that much when there is a proven axle out there to be had for a third of the price.

 

The 14b FF is a big ol bitch, the 14b SF is significantly lighter, and is 6lug.

I have about $1500 in my 14b 9.5 SF, and most of that is the eaton LSD and I paid a shop to weld on new perches and do the locker install. Reused 10b brakes as well. Never had a single issues with it. I think I paid $400 for the axle with drums. Mine is an older one though, from a 92 2500.

 

I agree with everything you said..........but have you seen the truck this dude is building? It'll probably make more power than mine.