Sterling 10.25 rear diff build

[crazy4ink]

Well, the time has come to replace my faithful Ford 9" with something a little beefier. I had a friend drop a Sterling 10.25 in front of the shop about 2 years ago. He said that I could have it for free just so that he could have some space back in his garage.

This thing is standard issue in F350s, so to say that this thing is beefy would be an understatement! This thing comes with 1.5" thick axleshafts and 35 splines. We had to use our cherry picker to get this thing in the shop!

Before I get to posting the Jeep porn; here is what we've done so far:
- stripped all the stock drum brake hardware off
- stripped out the stock carrier to be prepped for re-gear
- machined the outside diameter of the Ford hubs to slip into a Chevy 3/4 ton front rotor
- designed a caliper bracket to mount the Chevy 3/4 ton front calipers to the Ford axle
- Found Dodge 1 ton wheelstuds that will work through the Chevy rotor and Ford hub and actually give me a good, solid pressed fit.

Anyway, enough babbling, here are some pics so far:

What we started with minus the brake drums
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/crazy4ink/Jeep%20Surgery/sterling.jpg

Machining the outsides of the Ford hubs so that they would fit into the Chevy rotors
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/crazy4ink/Jeep%20Surgery/P1010050.jpg

Ford hub and Chevy rotor back on the axle. We are still finishing the calipers mount brackets
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/crazy4ink/Jeep%20Surgery/P1010049.jpg

I'll post more pics as I make more progress...

[korisu56]

Awesome Rob. Thanks for pics and build up of what seems to be a huge axle.

[crazy4ink]

This thing is a monster! Once I get the caliper brackets done, I will post pics but they are going to be made out of 1" plate steel if that tells you anything.

[crazy4ink]

Well, we made some more progress on the 10.25. I won't babble, I'll just get to the Jeep related porn:

Here is a broad overall pic:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/crazy4ink/P1010061.jpg

Here is the backside of the wheel with the 1" plate steel caliper bracket mocked into place:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/crazy4ink/P1010063.jpg

Diff cover that Damien made. It will have plexi over the cut out letters with LEDs set in it to cast a glow
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/crazy4ink/P1010062.jpg

[notarubicon]

all i can say is damn that is one hell of an axle

[USMCHarleyJeepGuy]

Sweet...looks good Rob.

[Themistaken]

Why not just a 60 or a 14B FF? The aftermarket availability of those items is better, they are 35 spline, tougher then most people will ever need, and easy to upgrade to disks as well. Why not have taken your current rear and just made a Hybrid 609?

Either way, good project. Good luck with it.

[korisu56]

Beast. Awesome.

[CJ2aChad]

looks awesome, can't wait to see it under the rig

[crazy4ink]

Why not just a 60 or a 14B FF? The aftermarket availability of those items is better, they are 35 spline, tougher then most people will ever need, and easy to upgrade to disks as well. Why not have taken your current rear and just made a Hybrid 609?

Either way, good project. Good luck with it.

While there is a lot more support for 60s and 14b axles, there are a couple of reasons that I went with the Sterling 10.25:
- I already had this complete axle laying in the corner of the shop
- A Sterling 10.25 is actually stronger than a 60 or 14 bolt and almost as strong as a Dana 70
- Full Float
- 35 spline
- 1.5" axle shafts that don't neck down like 60 axles do
- With the bottom of the housing shaved there is more clearance than a shaved 60 or 14b
- Wanted to run it because everyone says that they are junk and not worth a damn.

[USMCHarleyJeepGuy]

While there is a lot more support for 60s and 14b axles, there are a couple of reasons that I went with the Sterling 10.25:
- I already had this complete axle laying in the corner of the shop
- A Sterling 10.25 is actually stronger than a 60 or 14 bolt and almost as strong as a Dana 70
- Full Float
- 35 spline
- 1.5" axle shafts that don't neck down like 60 axles do
- With the bottom of the housing shaved there is more clearance than a shaved 60 or 14b
- Wanted to run it because everyone says that they are junk and not worth a damn.


Hell yeah Brother...prove 'em wrong!!!

[crazy4ink]

Hell yeah! Mousee has been running 10 bolts under his YJ with 36s for over 5 years with no issues. Everyone says they are junk and never last to the abuse of wheeling but he keeps proving that wrong.

[mousee]

And because there IS NO support for a bastard axle. If people can pick them up for a dime a dozen (as apposed to the more popular ones, supply and demand) and we can provide support for them, then...
Right now, I took enough off of the bottom of the housing to have a half inch more clearance than his current nine.
I am so tired of "set in stone" thinking, Noone ever wants to try anything new. All the webwheelers told me that I couldn't/shouldn't run ten bolts, I have been beating the crap outta them for a while now with no complaints. And thats spooled front and rear.
We figured out the weight issue, after the diet we gave it, itll be like 50lbs or so heavier...

[akxj]

While there is a lot more support for 60s and 14b axles, there are a couple of reasons that I went with the Sterling 10.25:
- I already had this complete axle laying in the corner of the shop
- A Sterling 10.25 is actually stronger than a 60 or 14 bolt and almost as strong as a Dana 70
- Full Float
- 35 spline
- 1.5" axle shafts that don't neck down like 60 axles do
- With the bottom of the housing shaved there is more clearance than a shaved 60 or 14b
- Wanted to run it because everyone says that they are junk and not worth a damn.

sounds like a good enough reason to run one....were you stationed up in AK?? maybe wheeled with the A/O guys a little...

[crazy4ink]

sounds like a good enough reason to run one....were you stationed up in AK?? maybe wheeled with the A/O guys a little...

Yes I was in Alaska from '04-'06. My Jeep looked a little different then; had a factory hardtop for a while then a factory softtop. Tire tread flares...