Making my 1990 Suburban bullet proof. What do I need to do?

[Salty Crusty]

Prairie Drifter, when you show a pic of a snapped 33-spline semi-floater axle, I'll quit using them.
If you'll pull an axle out of one and one out of a full floater, you'll see that the thinnest part of a full floater is a good bit smaller than that of a semi-floater. Weaker.
And you can have all that extra weight. I don't need it on a trail rig that won't see the need.

Underkill with a 10-bolt or Dana 44 front and overkill with a full floater on the rearend.

I agree that the big Dana 60 fronts are waaay overpriced, but unless you're hard-core wheeling, so is the full floater.
And the semi-floater 9.5" rearends are tough to find, but they're out there, just gotta know where to go.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Prairie Drifter, when you show a pic of a snapped 33-spline semi-floater axle, I'll quit using them.
If you'll pull an axle out of one and one out of a full floater, you'll see that the thinnest part of a full floater is a good bit smaller than that of a semi-floater. Weaker.
And you can have all that extra weight. I don't need it on a trail rig that won't see the need.

Underkill with a 10-bolt or Dana 44 front and overkill with a full floater on the rearend.

I agree that the big Dana 60 fronts are waaay overpriced, but unless you're hard-core wheeling, so is the full floater.
And the semi-floater 9.5" rearends are tough to find, but they're out there, just gotta know where to go.

I'm not saying a semi float isn't tough, but with full floats being superior and easier to find and just as cheap, it's no comparison. My main thing is no c-clips, no wheels with axle shafts attached falling out. Also if you're breaking full float axles, you're already doing things it wasn't designed to do, so you already needed to upgrade axle shafts at least.

Bought a 3/4 ton set for 200 bucks full float rear... Cab and chassis truck with a full float rear for 400 for the whole truck.

My 438,000 mile Dana 44 says otherwise to your underkill... as well as 90% of 4x4 squares on the road. Otherwise paying some butt boy 1500 bucks for an "ok" condition axle is not happening, I'll just order one from Currie or someplace like that before buying a used one.

 

[Salty Crusty]

Just sayin' that a full floating and a Dana 44 or Chevy 10-bolt are a mismatch.

 

[IndianCountry]

Buying an overpriced Dana 60 front is a waste of money. I'm not spending 1000 dollars on an axle that would need a 1500+ dollar rebuild. Don't get me wrong, I want a Dana 60 front, but I ain't paying some asshat 1000 bucks for an axle that needs rebuilt. We aren't building monster trucks here, if you've got a gasser there ain't no reason a good 8 lug Dana 44 front won't hold up with quality parts.

Availability? Well how many full float rear ends vs semi floats are out there? A **** ton. Of course buying a semi float rear is a waste of money when you can find a full float, under 60% of these trucks, for cheap. Now tell me how many 4wd k30's are/were rolling around? Not many. So not many front 60's.

I don't mess with semi float rears. front ends I don't have much of a choice, because I refuse to pay the trash prices people ask for a non rebuilt front 60. And I don't have the weight of a Cummins over the front axle yet so.

so are you saying you've already wasted the time and money on a front axle swap thinking a 3/4 ton axle is different than a 1/2 ton axle? got it

 

[PrairieDrifter]

so are you saying you've already wasted the time and money on a front axle swap thinking a 3/4 ton axle is different than a 1/2 ton axle? got it

Haha you're dense. No time or money wasted as i paid 100 bucks an axle for a set of 3/4's... and already knew there's only one true one ton axle... You haven't given me a slice of new information yet son. With only 15 posts you'd think you'd have something more to contribute, other than your opinion.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Just sayin' that a full floating and a Dana 44 or Chevy 10-bolt are a mismatch.

How's it a mismatch if they came from the factory that way?

 

[Salty Crusty]

Because Chevy didn't always do everything the smart or right way.

Hell, they put 305's in Corvettes!!!

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Because Chevy didn't always do everything the smart or right way.

Hell, they put 305's in Corvettes!!!

Name another manufacturer that did it different or better.

 

[IndianCountry]

Haha you're dense. No time or money wasted as i paid 100 bucks an axle for a set of 3/4's... and already knew there's only one true one ton axle... You haven't given me a slice of new information yet son. With only 15 posts you'd think you'd have something more to contribute, other than your opinion.

did you recommend OP buy a 20 or 2500 axle even though it is the exact same thing a 10 or 1500? yes or no. did you recommend OP to swap to a 20 or 2500 axle even though it is the exact same thing as what he has under his suburban now?

 

[PrairieDrifter]

did you recommend OP buy a 20 or 2500 axle even though it is the exact same thing a 10 or 1500? yes or no. did you recommend OP to swap to a 20 or 2500 axle even though it is the exact same thing as what he has under his suburban now?

I sure as hell did, to compliment the full float rear that should be swapped.

It's not the same thing though...An 8 lug hub is different than a 6 lug... lol

 

[rjohn]

I tell ya what ain't gonna help ops truck be bullet proof, tears cause she won't run so good on that.I had to read all that garbage grown men crying back and forth. Op check that rear end oil if she good,check the rest slam hood down turn that key and drive the thing. She'll outlast all that other **** on the road and drive over some ****** rocks too

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Just gave my opinion..and one person was kind enough to banter with valid points(which creates discussion) which is a good thing. the other was a soy boy... eVerYtHinG BuT A DanA 60 iS tRAsh... oh well. My feelings weren't hurt so I'm good lol

Apologies to the op for the derail. Nobody can debate without getting feelings hurt anymore lol

 

[IndianCountry]

I sure as hell did, to compliment the full float rear that should be swapped.

It's not the same thing though...An 8 lug hub is different than a 6 lug... lol

k10s use the 10 bolt and the dana44, k20s use the 10 bolt and the dana44. they are the same thing, and a waste of time and money to swap

 

[Salty Crusty]

Name another manufacturer that did it different or better.

I didn't think this was as comparison thread...I'm a die-hard Chevy guy but have learned over the years that GM did a bunch of stupid crap, mostly to satisfy the bean counters instead of the people who were end users. Same with the other manufacturers.
I'm sure as hell not going to overspend on a heavy-ass Dana 60 for the front of any of my rigs. I actually considered it until I started checking prices and the cost to upgrade them to as close to bulletproof as I could get them. Cheaper to carry a fold-up helicopter and fly my ass out than bulletproof a D60.

Just saying that the torque capacity of a 10-bolt or Dana 44 is not in the same ballpark as a full or semi-floating 9.5" rearend.

I'm never going to hardcore wheel or mud race or anything like that, I just want parts that I can count on to get me home from wherever I manage to roam.

 

[Raider L]

@Curt,

I know this is a dated thread but I have fun reading them anyway. I did buy that book, just now off Amazon, you recommended. Looking forward to reading it. I have learned the hard way that from time to time you need to go back to basics in whatever you are doing just to make sure you're doing things right. I'm a highly experienced welder with progressive training and jobs, always moving toward more technical. I am a qualified aircraft welder in power plant and airframe, and a certified pressure vessel welder qualified in sub-arc, and all rods in all positions, and even in high pressure brazing both aluminum and steels. But with all that I had in my tool box a very simply written and illustrated with cartoon pictures book for beginner welders. It had a lot of very good advice and instruction that covered such things as how to identify different steels by the shape and color of the sparks a piece made ground on a bench grinder. It was published back in the fifties and looked it. I would go back and check it every few years just to make sure I wasn't developing any bad habits.

You can go far with preparing for being out in the wilds as technology and all will make you to be ready for as much as you can, but there is never a substitute for basic survival needs and equipment. Carry all the spare parts you might need, but forget the water and you're dead. Before anything is loaded in the truck for an outing start with all the survival equipment you think you will need first. Then all the alternators and hoses, etc.. I would even suggest a set of flares you shoot into the sky. Those red stars can be seen for many miles away. Carry spare flashlight batteries, and any for emergency radios you may be carrying. Put a new set in everything before you leave. Stuff like that. Those silver space blankets, one for everyone. The best grade water purification items, pills, straws, liquids. If there's a stream nearby, you can stay alive for a long time and not be doubled up with some bad organism. Stuff like that. Just some ideas to think about.