14 bolt clearance

DinkDavis · 01-26-2008, 01:07 AM

does anyone know any tricks for clearanceing a 14 bolt or is it a grinder and hope for the best

carwash · 01-26-2008, 01:41 AM

well, you can grind off quite a bit and still utilize a stock cover, or you can go extreme, and cut off the whole bottom chunk of it and have a cover custom made....

Kargomaster has a seriously shaved one... maybe he will pipe up here and show us some pics...

carwash · 01-26-2008, 01:42 AM

here is a nicely shaved one...

JeffK5 · 01-26-2008, 08:28 AM

I'm sure Kargo will post some info but I might be able to give a little knowledge on this as I was the dude that machined his ring gear.

Common technique is to machine around 7/8" off the ring dia. then do all your fitting with modified ring gear in place ... fit your bottom plate as close as you care to make it.

Weld in bottom plate with the correct rod/pre-heating and blend cover rail into housing. You'll need to modify your diff cover and add some new bolting points.

I can tell you that machining the ring gear is a pain in the ass, it's some tuff stuff!

Jeff

DinkDavis · 01-26-2008, 06:59 PM

WOW thanx alot that is pretty impresive

KargoMaster · 01-27-2008, 10:28 AM

Yep, mine is a 13 bolt now... Jeff brought the dia of the ring gear down from 10.5 to 10.125 (there's still a little sliver of the orginal bevel left)

Sean (4ward) machined off the bottom and machined a groove into the new 1/2" bottom plate for the flat ring gear to sit in... (Quite tight in there)

I don't have any pics, but have seen lots of great ones on pirate... iirc, even a comparison thread? for 14 bolt shaves.

sarge · 01-28-2008, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carwash

here is a nicely shaved one...

This really was not what I was expecting to see from Carwash !!!!!

blazerbrad · 01-28-2008, 01:23 PM

As already mentioned it really depends on if you want "mild or wild".

You can gain a lot just be shaving off the "lip" (mild) that hangs down on the bottom of the stock housing...not only a little extra ground clearance, but the fact that you can make the bottom of the housing smooth so it will slide over objects much easier versus the grappling hook effect of the stock setup. This is what I did on mine. No measurements but I probably gained around 3/4" between removing the lip and grinding down into the housing some, basically I have just enough material left that I can put a regular bolt (no washer) in the bottom hole and have the head of the bolt just about flush with the bottom of the housing. I went from a rear 10-bolt to the mildly shaved 14-bolt with the same tires and did not notice any difference in regards to getting hung up on ruts. I did go back and look at a few places and the 14-bolt was obviously rubbing the ground, but it slid over it so easy I didn't even notice it while driving.

carwash · 01-28-2008, 02:14 PM

all of this being said, i never shaved mine, and never even put a grinder to it. i ran 39.5" tires and never had an issue with it hanging up on anything.

but then again, i'm a bad ass.

01-26-2008, 01:07 AM	#1
DinkDavis Dodge Truggy Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Small town, West Virginia Posts: 83	14 bolt clearance does anyone know any tricks for clearanceing a 14 bolt or is it a grinder and hope for the best

01-26-2008, 01:41 AM	#2
carwash pimpin' IS easy Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Union, KY Posts: 3,344 Images: 605	well, you can grind off quite a bit and still utilize a stock cover, or you can go extreme, and cut off the whole bottom chunk of it and have a cover custom made.... Kargomaster has a seriously shaved one... maybe he will pipe up here and show us some pics... __________________

01-26-2008, 01:42 AM	#3
carwash pimpin' IS easy Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Union, KY Posts: 3,344 Images: 605	here is a nicely shaved one... __________________

01-27-2008, 10:28 AM	#6
KargoMaster Cleaning off the rust... Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,009	Yep, mine is a 13 bolt now... Jeff brought the dia of the ring gear down from 10.5 to 10.125 (there's still a little sliver of the orginal bevel left) Sean (4ward) machined off the bottom and machined a groove into the new 1/2" bottom plate for the flat ring gear to sit in... (Quite tight in there) I don't have any pics, but have seen lots of great ones on pirate... iirc, even a comparison thread? for 14 bolt shaves. __________________ brad 5.0L \| 435 \| 203 \| 300 \| 4.10 \| 39.5 Buildup BACK underway...

01-28-2008, 02:14 PM	#9
carwash pimpin' IS easy Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Union, KY Posts: 3,344 Images: 605	all of this being said, i never shaved mine, and never even put a grinder to it. i ran 39.5" tires and never had an issue with it hanging up on anything. but then again, i'm a bad ass. __________________

01-26-2008, 08:28 AM	#4
JeffK5 Tiny Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Colerain Posts: 798	I'm sure Kargo will post some info but I might be able to give a little knowledge on this as I was the dude that machined his ring gear. Common technique is to machine around 7/8" off the ring dia. then do all your fitting with modified ring gear in place ... fit your bottom plate as close as you care to make it. Weld in bottom plate with the correct rod/pre-heating and blend cover rail into housing. You'll need to modify your diff cover and add some new bolting points. I can tell you that machining the ring gear is a pain in the ass, it's some tuff stuff! Jeff

01-26-2008, 06:59 PM	#5
DinkDavis Dodge Truggy Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Small town, West Virginia Posts: 83	WOW thanx alot that is pretty impresive

01-28-2008, 01:23 PM	#8
blazerbrad - CORE Member - Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 831 Images: 6	As already mentioned it really depends on if you want "mild or wild". You can gain a lot just be shaving off the "lip" (mild) that hangs down on the bottom of the stock housing...not only a little extra ground clearance, but the fact that you can make the bottom of the housing smooth so it will slide over objects much easier versus the grappling hook effect of the stock setup. This is what I did on mine. No measurements but I probably gained around 3/4" between removing the lip and grinding down into the housing some, basically I have just enough material left that I can put a regular bolt (no washer) in the bottom hole and have the head of the bolt just about flush with the bottom of the housing. I went from a rear 10-bolt to the mildly shaved 14-bolt with the same tires and did not notice any difference in regards to getting hung up on ruts. I did go back and look at a few places and the 14-bolt was obviously rubbing the ground, but it slid over it so easy I didn't even notice it while driving.