Full Floater...thinking of going back to one for convenience, flat towing but need..

[nvrstuk]

I tow a LOT and when camping around the West hauling the Bronco on a trailer is tough IF you want to really go anywhere but an RV park or Nat'l Forest campground... more secluded the spots, the less space you have. Easy to disconnect if flat towing and drive both up some nasty road if needed.

Anyway, I run serious torque & HP and wondering if anybody has every adapted a 14 bolt FF rear setup onto a 9" housing -since I run a TruHi9 and a RuffStuff housing?

Currie makes a FF for 9" housing with 5x5 1/2 but it's well over 2K plus axles... ouch $$.

Thanks!

Sure- toss in all the disadvantages of flat towing also
-axle wheel bearing goes out makes tough towing
- tire wear in wheeling tires , $$
-Steering or front end problems , make tough towing

What else

 

[SteveL]

Google 9" floater or floating axles... . When I was putting together another rear there were some hot rod shops that make em much cheaper than 2k. When you talk to em make sure they know it's for a bronco with big tires. They recommended a beefier housing they make to handle the heavier tires. Maybe somebody will recall the site. Might've been 9"floater.com

 

[Broncobowsher]

Full floating doesn't get you much unless you have locking hubs. Otherwise it tows just like a semifloater. What are your thoughts on the lockouts? What can take your power?

 

[SteveL]

I know the warn rear lockouts suck. I think they're modified d-60 hubs. Basically dź60 hubs with a locking Allen screw. If you try it you might be able to modify dynotrak or Yukon hubs and have better luck.

 

[Yeller]

Yep done that a lot. Use either 14 bolt spindles and machine and weld to the housing or use GM dana 60 front spindles and buy the adapter plates from Rough Stuff weld to the housing to bolt them to. with either spindle you can use a standard 14 bolt hub or a GM dana 60 front hub. The front hub makes 5x5.5 an option if you choose and also gives you lockouts as an option. I don't see why a set of yukon lockouts wouldn't work just fine and be trouble free. For me personally I've never had good luck with semifloat so everything I do for myself or my more challenged customers is full float.

as for the flat towing, I'm sure you know the drill do a diligent walk around with wrenches in hand checking to make sure stuff is tight and you don't have a leaky tire and go for it. I'd even flat tow it behind a 5th wheel or gooseneck but then I remember you're in Cali..... not sure what a can of worms that would bring about.

 

[nvrstuk]

I'd go with slugs as I think I'd grenade anything else...just don't think there's a hub on the market that could take the abuse day in and out...and when a locking hub explodes often they damage the wheel hub...
thinking electric impact, quick removal and then slap a cover on to keep the oil in for towing. For a quick disconnect as in parking at a campground or in town for a short errand I could disconnect the tow bar and light connection, put it in 4 wheel and move it out of the way in about 2 minutes.

Yup, driving with just the front engaged is interesting ...

Spent some time on the phone with RuffSruff and they stresses the 60 over the 14 bolt as parts are more readily available for it. Makes sense...

 

[Yeller]

I've got a lot of them out there and some of them with some very abusive drivers and they are all very happy. Just remember when you buy slugs to get ones that have a separate ring to hold the cap other wise you'll have continuos leaks, and not be able to put the cap on without the slug in.

If it wasn't for the fact that my 14b isn't broken I'd build this very axle with the Dana 60 parts for mine for a lot of the same reasons your looking at it