03 Silverado axle swap

[CHEVY THUNDER 90]

Hello all! I am an active duty soldier just returning from Iraq to my baby I left for a year. My 2003 Chevy silverado SCSB z71 4x4 lifted 4inches on 35s (With carefully cranked t-bars and added leafs) Does anyone have any suggestions for fairly easy axle upgrades? It currently has the 8.6 posi 10 bolts with 3.73s. I know I need to address gear ratios and hoping to do that also. I am a tank mechanic with mechanical knowlege..just need ideas. Thanks for the help!

[usmcchevy]

Its always good to be home!

Can't help much on the axle, maybe a 6 lug 14-bolt.

[CHEVY THUNDER 90]

Thanks man its good to be home. Do you know what trucks the 6 lug 14 bolt came on?

[usmcchevy]

Application I had in mind would be out of a 04+ Vortec High Output(VHO) or V-Max truck. Pretty sure they only came with drum brake though.

[CHEVY THUNDER 90]

I wonder if the make adapters from the 8 lug 14 bolts to convert them to 6lug? I know the 03 2500HDs are disc which would make life easier for me.

[1978steven]

You could do a 14 bolt SF swap out of a OBS 4X4, that would swap right in after some minor mods. Depending on what you use the truck for you could just re-gear front and rear for the added tire size and rolling mass. If you are mainly street, and don't get too crazy off road the 10 bolt will hold up just fine. My Z has 6 inch pro comp, 3 inch body lift, and running 37X13.5 R20 Nitto Mud Grapplers with the 10 bolt re-geared to 4.88 with a detroit true trac. My truck is my daily driver and off road toy, been running just fine with no issues for going on 4 years. The main thing is to ditch the g-80 limited slip, g-80 failures are pretty common in the 10 bolts....