I have a 1990 chevy k1500 single cab short bed that currently has a newer 350 with a rebuilt transmission with a shift kit, headers, flowmaster, cold air intake, all of the normal stuff. 6 inch suspension 3 inch body. right now i have a 10 bolt in the rear and the stock IFS front and everything.

I've been kicking around which direction I want to go with this truck. I have already blown my rear spiders and sides.

I have a couple of directions i'm thinking about.

1. swap the 10 bolt for a 12 bolt and call it good. I have a friend who is going to go 14 bolt and just give me his 12 bolt so it's free :)

2. find a 6 lug 14 bolt and swap the ten bolt out with that and pretty much have a bullet proof rear end and my IFS front end will still suck. total cost will be about $200 or so tho. (if i can find one that is 6 lug and has 373 gearing which i'm actually not 100% sure i even have 373 gearing)

3. Go balls out and just do 14 bolt rear and dana 60 straight axle swap in the front which the ending cost would be somewhere around 3-5 K i'm guessing just from researching what it would take.

obviously option 3 gets everyone excited and would be my for sure choice but i don't have that kind of money to play with and maybe someday in the future would be something i would do but until then.....

i'm using my truck for mud races, hauling firewood around, hauling stuff to my cabin, minor rock crawling (nothing intense obviously), and just mobbing around. I am taking it to Moyie next month so i still run it hard.

It's not my daily driver but i do want it to still drive semi comfortable on the free way to my cabin.

Also if i go with the free 12 bolt what are my options for getting some kind of lockers for it if any? I don't know to much about that or even if it is possible and how much does it cost?

any input helps thanks alot guys!

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs449.snc3/25718_115244791838514_100000589824403_165925_22348 8_s.jpg

the 12bolt is stronger then the 10 bolt but not by that much and it wont bolt in to your truck with out moving the spring perches i wouldn't bother with it go with the 14bolt if i where you id just get an 8 lug there much easier to find and you can get one that will bolt in. if i where you id sas it with junk yard parts if you do the work you shouldn't have to spend 1k to 2k tops or even less depending

i'm just worried that once i get started doing the sas i'm going to get in way over my head. i'll have to really research it alot more and get a grocery list going.

so is there any kind of rear locker i can get into looking at for a rear 10 or 12 bolt or is it not really something anyone does?

theres all kinds of posi's and lockers for those rear ends

12bolts
http://www.summitracing.com/search/Department/Drivetrain/Section/Differential-Rear-End-Components/Make/CHEVROLET/Model/K10-PICKUP/Year/1975/?Ns=Rank|Asc

10bolts
http://www.summitracing.com/search/Department/Drivetrain/Section/Differential-Rear-End-Components/Make/CHEVROLET/Model/K10-PICKUP/Year/1985/?Ns=Rank|Asc

thats just some youll just have to look around

as far as the sas just grab a dana 44 from a full size ford / dodge / jeep with driver side drop and buy this kit

http://www.sky-manufacturing.com/new/detaproduct.php?id=64

a buddy of mine did it in his drive way said it was easy took him a few days but he used a pass drop full size chevy axle so he swaped to a sm465 and np205 and i got his nv3500/np241 for my sas s10 swap =)

that kit looks good! what kind of leaf springs should i look for? what kind of welding does it involve? I don't have any welding equipment i would have to find a friend who can help out.

I disagree with NastyS10 on the Dana 44 sas idea.

If you are going to SAS that truck, Dana 44 is in no way any better than swapping a 10 bolt axle in, or any other 1/2 ton junk.

The idea here is to increase strength, since its obvious that is what you are going after.

A 12 bolt is marginally better, if you can even use those those words, than a 10 bolt. Its not worth the time for swapping it in. (there is a reason your buddy went to a 14 bolt)

If rear axle strength is your goal right now, a SF14 is going to be your best option.

If a SAS and 1 ton strength is what you really want to do, go with it. You can source parts for cheap, 14 bolt FF axles are a dime a dozen anywhere, Craigslist, Ebay, local classifieds, junkyards. You should never pay more than $250 ANYWHERE for a 14FF. A Dana 60 front can be found for $500-$1200, it all depends on where you look and who is selling. A little homework goes a long way in cost savings.

If you have any sort of fab skills, you can build all your spring brackets for pennies on the dollar, instead of spending $$$$ on pre-made stuff. Junkyard springs that flex and offer a nice ride can be sourced almost anywhere, and for less than $80 a set.

I disagree with NastyS10 on the Dana 44 sas idea..

i agree with you on going with a dana 60 but for the money and what hes doing with the truck he will be fine with a 44 and not be out an asston of cash he can allways upgrade later

If he is going to go to the trouble of modding his truck to accept a solid front axle, he might as well spend the extra coin and do it right with the 60.

Thanks for the input guys! If I do the swap I'm definately going d60 so I'll start off by finding one and go from there anything I should know to look for when getting one? Certain type or year or anything?

Its to bad you live so far away I have a d60 and a ff14 out of my c3500 and was thinking of selling them I also have a welder and all tools needed for a sas me and a buddy did a sas on his toyota took us a weekend to do it

look at the notes on the bottom of the sky link it shows the axles u want u can go with a chevy but will ahve to get a np241 t-case because of the passanger drop the older chevys used a for d60 from 77-79 will work with your t-case tho