Ok, I think this is more of an opinion thing, but i wanna hear some people's 2 cents. Right now I have my D44 upfront that's 61" WMS-WMS. I'm going to be getting a GM 10 bolt for the rear soon from a 90's 1500. How much wide should the rear be? I know i want it wider than the front. Minimum of 63". I could also just leave it stock chevy width w/e that is...

rear axle width? single choice
	63 inches
	don't cut it. leave it stock chevy width
	somewhere between 63 & stock GM
Votes accepted starting: 01/08/05 06:00 AM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

Why do you want it to be wider than the front? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> I think that will look silly, particularly if you keep it full width. I would make them the same width, it will track better that way and look better in my opinion.

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He couldn't find a Toy front axle in Florida for his SAS so he used a Dana 44 with 5.38 gears. He wants to match the front and rear gears, thus the 10 Bolt. There have been many posts about this in the past.

I have heard the above quoted info from several people, and I find it humorous, as there is a Dana 60 front axle sitting in my garage right now. The hubs, brakes, diff, ring and pinion, axle tubes, and everything else about this axle dwarf even the most built Toyota front axle. Yes Toy front axles can be built strong and there are some great products available these days, but to say that they can be built as strong as a front 60 (even stock) is a bit misleading.

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If your front axle is 61, your rear should be 58-61"... it should not be wider than the front. A lot vehicles on the road have a wider front track than rear - this is especially true on Chevy trucks.

Given that... I'd go ~60". And as much as you want matching gears, I'd consider skipping a 10-bolt and looking for a D44 or holding out for a 60.



Oh - and Harry... uh... are you upgrading your front axle already????

5.29 to 5.38 is less than 2% difference. I can't imagine it would make a difference.

But what I am saying is that it CANNOT be as strong. Maybe you can get aftermarket Toyota shafts now that are comparable to the stock Dana 60 stubs, but otherwise they are nowhere near as strong. The 60 I have is going under my dad's Land Cruiser, I too like to keep things light on my Toyota truck, that is why I stuck with the Toyota drivetrain.

J94 doesn't want to run 5.29s and 5.38s, this has been covered in past posts. I realize that lots of people do it but his mind is already made up. I have friends that do it but I am not personally comfortable with it on high traction surfaces like the slabs on the Rubicon. Plus, if anything you would want taller gears in the front, not the rear, to minimize binding in the drivetrain.

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Sorry I was not trying to start a debate either, I see what you are saying and agree that Toyota axles can be beefed to live under nearly any pickup or 4Runner.

J94 has had a lot of posts during the progress of his buildup regarding his axles. I still say that he should narrow the rear to match the front though...