Can you widen a 14 bolt sf?

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

My cousin has a Suburban rolling chassis he likely will give me after his dad, and him use it to fix their Suburban. Plus convert to to 4x4 at the same time.

It looks to have everything I want in a project base from the pics I have sent. Which namely is a 3/4 ton, and the 14 bolt sf.

My last square body 14 bolt sf was 2" per side to narrow to match the front axle, and this being a 4x4 is probably 1" per side to narrow. Part of my project is to have the rear wheels out to the edge of the sheet metal, and then fronts tucked in a bit. So I can have full travel, and a lower ride height for bombing dirt roads, and or rally cross events. Which is a future goal.

So has anyone widened a rear axle? Is there a limit to what a sf axle width should be?

Also what are the longest leaf springs that I can purchase used? Preferably 3" wide. The gmt400 has 63", but 2.5 inches wide. Any other maybe better options?

[mongocanfly]

Anything's possible...if I was gonna widen it I would find another housing to cut the ends off of to use on the other housing...then you would only have one weld seam...if you want to just add a 1in spacer on each side, then I would do a axle truss....either way your talking custom axles..which is no big deal...just dollars...
But when narrowing be sure to use a jig to keep it straight....
My sf 14b is exactly 2in narrower than the Corp 10b front

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Didn't think of using another axle to make to process fast and easy.

I am not sure all what I will do, but I want it to be crazy. Especially when parked next to a stock one. Not so much if you see it on its own.

[sweetk30]

narrow from factory to help cut down the turning circle dia required for the vehicle .

if you want wider easy go get a van width axle . there wider than trucks by 2-3" range .

i have a van full floater 14 bolt under a k30 and its .5" per side wider than the dana 60 1ton front .

ford used a lot of 3" wide leafs in the rear of trucks .

[mongocanfly]

Didnt know van axles were wider...that's good info even if I dont have one...

[b454rat]

Van rears are roughly 70" wide I think, or close. I put one in a truck I built, with the HP60 front and 40s, the tire track width was the same. Might be a pic on the web somewhere. Thanks Photobucket. :flipoff: