73-87 14 bolt hubs

[DoubleDingo]

I recently discovered that 14 bolt brakes can be swapped on to the old HO52/HO72 rear axles, with a little creative engineering. If I read everything correctly from those threads on the 67-72 website, the 14 bolt hub needs to be machined to accept the HO52/HO72 inner bearing. The outer bearing and seal I think are the same. Then all I need to do is get the correct brake drums, lug studs, and lug nuts, and the HO52 has more modern brakes.

Craigslist doesn't have anything within a few hundred mile radius of here. I have looked on ebay and the hubs are not cheap for being used parts. Only one seller had two available including the bearings, and they were $165/each. To me, that seems too pricey, but seeing that people are price-gouging everything nowadays, it may be okay. I am stuck on moving forward with this swap until I can get the 14 Bolt Hubs.

I ordered the backing plates for each side, figured that was a good place start, not realizing the hubs are hard to find. The backing plates had to come from different sellers, and one came with the shoes, fasteners, wheel cylinder, etc, whereas the ad showed just backing plate. I'm waiting on the other side to arrive, and that ad showed everything I got on the other backing plate. When I bought them, I didn't see what size brakes they were for, but the one I received already has 13 inch brakes. Hoping this other one does too.

So, if anyone has a junk 14 Bolt laying around that they are willing to part with the hubs, or have some 14 Bolt Hubs they are willing to part with, let me know.

Thanks.

 

[Mr Clean]

Brother wish you lived closer, I have a 14 bolt you can have for 150.00 that's what I have in it. That way you can have all the parts you need.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Dang Shawn, that's a great deal! By the time I make it to Texas, Crusty will have 14 Bolt brakes.

 

[Bextreme04]

Where are you at? I have a newer '97 14BFF with the 13inch drums. It has the benefit of being the newer design that doesn't need to remove the hub to remove the drum.

 

[Bextreme04]

Just so you know, my 1980 K25 had the 14BFF with 13" drums from the factory and they are F-in massive. I'm pretty sure each drum/hub weighed about 70lbs each and that isn't including the backing plate and brake hardware. There are actually a few different breaks in backing plates and hub design between years and types, so you need to be careful when buying parts. There are three different brake sizes and at least two different hub designs without even going into the newer removable drum design and the 2001-up disk brake setup.

 

[DoubleDingo]

From what I've read it has to be the 73-87 GM 14 Bolt. The AAM 14 Bolt doesn't work for some reason. Yeah, I discovered that after doing more research on the subject, that there are different brakes. I should have known this owning an '81 C20, but I didn't put 2 and 2 together...lol... Both backing plates I bought said 10.5 in the ad. If this second one matches the first one I got lucky. If it doesn't, I'll have to send each one back and start over. It's not a rush, as the current brakes are good, but it is a modification I will do so replacing brakes will be much easier. Not easier labor-wise, easier finding parts.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Where are you at? ....

As @82sbshortbed says it, Califuckya...lol...

 

[Bextreme04]

From what I've read it has to be the 73-87 GM 14 Bolt. The AAM 14 Bolt doesn't work for some reason. Yeah, I discovered that after doing more research on the subject, that there are different brakes. I should have known this owning an '81 C20, but I didn't put 2 and 2 together...lol... Both backing plates I bought said 10.5 in the ad. If this second one matches the first one I got lucky. If it doesn't, I'll have to send each one back and start over. It's not a rush, as the current brakes are good, but it is a modification I will do so replacing brakes will be much easier. Not easier labor-wise, easier finding parts.

The 97 is not the AAM 10.5". The corporate 14-bolt ran through 2000. The one I have is from a 97 K2500 Suburban. http://www.billavista.com/tech/Articles/14-Bolt_Bible/index.html

It uses all the same wheel bearing and axle part numbers as my 1980, apparently the only difference is the cooling fins on the housing, wheel studs are metric, and the hub being able to accept the removable drum.

 

[Bextreme04]

As @82sbshortbed says it, Califuckya...lol...

Well, I'm not that far away I guess. I'm actually headed down to so-cal for a camping/vacation and to attend a wedding in the first week in June. I don't have any room to put the whole axle, but if you decide this could work for you we might be able t owork something out to just get everything from the backing plates out

 

[DoubleDingo]

That's an informative article! I appreciate it, but all the threads on the conversion state 73-87 hubs for the old HO52/HO72 axles. I am not a tinkerer, and don't find messing around with different setups until one works as something fun to do. I can only go off of what others have posted and the parts they say will work from their time spent tinkering. I don't mind doing the work, but I hate doing things over and over, and I'd hate to say yes to the AAM hubs, only to find out they won't work because I really do need GM hubs.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I have 2 14 bolt axles that do t sit under my truck but the one is a trailer axle. If I had a way to have a lug pattern of 5x5.5 or 8 as it has no, I have no need for either axles brakes.

but I am not expert on this matter but something tells me there’s no bolting a replacement on, it’s welding?

the one axle is just sitting with tires but you don’t want to pay shipping considering I’m across the country minus half.

I can show you the drums tho if you want one is a 77 and the other is a 79 I believe. That’s the date on the frame but it could be technically from something else.