3/4 v 1 ton 4x4 Keystone Montana

therink wrote:


All I can say is that I compared side by side at my dealer a brand new 2012 2500HD gasser to my 2012 3500hd gasser. The drive shaft was approx 1" greater diameter and the axle was noticably larger. I wasn't seeing things. Duramax equipped they are both the same 14 bolt.

What engines? A 2500HD 8.1 has the same axle as a 3500 6.0, but a 2500HD 6.0 has a different axle the 3500 6.0.

A Duramax has never been OEM equipped with a 14 bolt axle, they use a AAM 11.5" axle. All of them. You keep saying a Duramax has a 14 bolt, it's not true. The 14 bolt and AAM 11.5 are different axles. The AAM is noticeably larger.

The 14 bolt has 2 variants, a semi float with a 9.5" ring gear and a full float with a 10.5" ring gear.

If you have a 2500HD there are 2 axle options I am aware of, the 6.0 gets a 14 bolt full float axle and the 8.1/D'max get a AAM 11.5" axle. AFIK all 3500s get the AAM 11.5".

2500 burbs with the 6.0 get the 14 bolt semi float, and 8.1's get the 14 bolt full float.

I am not sure if any 2500 pickup still uses the 14 bolt semi float, but small block 2500's used the 14 bolt semi float in the 90's and early 00's for sure. There are 6 and 8 lug versions of the 14 bolt semi float, and. 5 on 5.5 that was used in the 454SS 1/2 ton.

Our 93 2500LD had a 5.7 and a 14 bolt semi float
Our 92 1500 5.7 burb had a 10 bolt
Dads 97 2500 7.4 burb has a 14 bolt full float

If you ordered a 88-98 1500 with 4.10's it got a 14 bolt semi float, or a Z71 with 3.73s.

ah64id wrote:

therink wrote:

ah64id wrote:

therink wrote:
The GM 6.0 gasser 3/4 ton has 11 bolt axle.

Every 3/4 6.0 that have seen has the 14B FF axle, the 1/2 tons have a 14B SF axle or a 10B.

Take a look at a HD2500 gasser. They are 10 or 11 bolt, can't remember which (I owned one). The Dmax 3/4 and one tons both have 14 bolt, but not the gasser. 14 bolt on are only on one ton gassers.

All duramax have the AAM 11.5" axle, I do believe you have it confused for the 14 bolt. The 10 bolt is, and always has been, a 1/2 ton axle. The 14 bolt semi float is used in some 1/2 and LD 3/4 applications. But the 6.0 has a 14 bolt full float, saw one down the street today.

All I can say is that I compared side by side at my dealer a brand new 2012 2500HD gasser to my 2012 3500hd gasser. The drive shaft was approx 1" greater diameter and the axle was noticably larger. I wasn't seeing things. Duramax equipped they are both the same 14 bolt.

therink wrote:

ah64id wrote:

therink wrote:
The GM 6.0 gasser 3/4 ton has 11 bolt axle.

Every 3/4 6.0 that have seen has the 14B FF axle, the 1/2 tons have a 14B SF axle or a 10B.

Take a look at a HD2500 gasser. They are 10 or 11 bolt, can't remember which (I owned one). The Dmax 3/4 and one tons both have 14 bolt, but not the gasser. 14 bolt on are only on one ton gassers.

All duramax have the AAM 11.5" axle, I do believe you have it confused for the 14 bolt. The 10 bolt is, and always has been, a 1/2 ton axle. The 14 bolt semi float is used in some 1/2 and LD 3/4 applications. But the 6.0 has a 14 bolt full float, saw one down the street today.

ah64id wrote:

therink wrote:
The GM 6.0 gasser 3/4 ton has 11 bolt axle.

Every 3/4 6.0 that have seen has the 14B FF axle, the 1/2 tons have a 14B SF axle or a 10B.

Take a look at a HD2500 gasser. They are 10 or 11 bolt, can't remember which (I owned one). The Dmax 3/4 and one tons both have 14 bolt, but not the gasser. 14 bolt on are only on one ton gassers.

RedAce wrote:
We pull our 15,500 GVW Montana with a 3500 DRW. I know some pull with a 2500, but that's not for me. You will be a lot happier with a heavier truck.

Remember you can never get to small a pickup.

kzspree320 wrote:

Atom Ant wrote:
or, instead of educating yourself to be a forensic axle scientist, just buy the truck with the right pedigree and paperwork and let the engineers worry about how they got there :)

I can't argue with that logic if you are shopping for a new truck.

What gets me on the forums at times is the advice to dump the 2500 you own and buy a 3500 SRW. You could do that and potentially lose many thousands of $$$, ioioor you could do as suggested above and find out what the differences are so you can make your existing truck work and save serious $$$. Sometimes the differences between the 2500 and 3500 SRW are very minor, but there are times when there are substantial differences.

A little bit of study can sometimes save a lot of cash. In a world where everyone has resources to do whatever is suggested and desired, then a new truck is great. When resources are more limited, like in the real world for most people, then study and proper modifications are often the best way. JMHO.

I completely agree. The most appropriate solution doesn't always require a bigger hammer.

therink wrote:
The GM 6.0 gasser 3/4 ton has 11 bolt axle.

Every 3/4 6.0 that I have seen has the 14B FF axle, the 1/2 tons have a 14B SF axle or a 10B.

The GM 6.0 gasser 3/4 ton has 11 bolt axle. The 1 ton 6.0 gasser has 14 bolt axle. There is a difference in my case, not just the sticker.

We pull our 15,500 GVW Montana with a 3500 DRW. I know some pull with a 2500, but that's not for me. You will be a lot happier with a heavier truck.

Atom Ant wrote:
or, instead of educating yourself to be a forensic axle scientist, just buy the truck with the right pedigree and paperwork and let the engineers worry about how they got there :)

Then it will be DRW 90% of the time.. based on my trucks "pedigree" I need a DRW for my 8.5K lb TT, based on reality I don't. Any 5er with a GVW of 7500lbs with proper pin weight would also put me into DRW status. Tell me how realistic that is.

I have a 1 Ton SRW, my empty weight is 8500lbs with me in it, if it where a 3/4 ton I would have less than 500lbs of pedigree payload. I do have a bit of stuff in the tool box, but nothing crazy.

I would agree if the ratings where based on engineering, but they aren't.