We have a few friends who would argue that the 14-bolt rear end is the most badass axle ever built. "How can you say this?!" we ask. "The 14-bolt wasn't even made in a front-axle application! On top of that, it's heavy and it hangs low!" Our friends did have some good points: the 14-bolt houses a 10.5-inch ring gear, it is easy to set up the gears on it, stock axleshafts are good enough (even for hardcore use), and they only cost about $200 used. On top of that, they're readily available everywhere and parts are cheap and plentiful. But the 10.5-inch ring gear 14-bolt axle does have some downfalls. First of all, it's heavy-heavier than a Dana 60. It also has a low ground clearance due to an overly large centersection casing. Even if you did get over these two downfalls, you better not want one for your front end because they've only been made in rear applications.
But what if someone made something that would solve all these dillemas? And what if it could be done at a price that would still come in cheaper than almost any other custom axle made? Well, someone finally has done it.
Thanks to Portal-Tek, we can now opt for one of their new beefed up Super-14 axle assemblies that use 14-bolt guts, packaged in a lightweight, high-clearance, fabricated steel housing with a dropout third member. A Super-14 is similar to a fabricated 9-inch in that they both feature solid steel housings with dropout third members, and the Super-14 is only about an inch bigger than a 9-inch housing. The Super-14 was designed with brutal use in mind, built with either a chromoly or mild steel housing as well as a one-piece main bearing cap held by four 1/2-inch bolts on each side. The Super-14 features a symmetrical bolt pattern (surrounding the third member) allowing it to operate in either high or low pinion setups. Portal-Tek will also be offering the Super-14 in front axle applications and has partnered with Superior Axle and Gear to distribute the Super-14 assemblies.
 The Super-14 features an aluminum...  The Super-14 features an aluminum third member case that utilizes off the shelf Corporate-14-bolt gear sets and is compatible with ARB and Detroit lockers. The third member is about an inch taller and wider than a standard 9-inch but still has more ground clearance than a Dana 60. The beefed up Super-14 is stronger and more compact than a traditional Corporate 14-bolt and still weighs 120 pounds less than a standard full floating Corporate 14-bolt. As if the obvious strengths of this revolutionary axle weren't enough, Portal-Tek engineered the third member's symmetrical bolt pattern to allow the Super-14 to operate in either high or low pinion applications to take advantage of Portal-Tek's new Fourth Generation Portal Box |  The Performance Series kit...  The Performance Series kit uses a mild steel housing with an aluminum drop-out third member featuring a fully trussed backbone bearing cap with four-bolt main caps for each carrier bearing. The Super-14 housing uses 3.5-inch mild steel axle tubes and comes with the pinion support and shims. The inside of the case will house positive feed oiling shelves for both normal and mid engine/portal applications. The Super-14 also uses OEM 14-bolt ring and pinion gear sets, carriers and bearings. It is pre-drilled and tapped for ARB lines for both high- and low-pinion applications. The Performance Series builder's kit retails for $1,950. |  Just in case you plan on building...  Just in case you plan on building a Baja-blasting truck that requires something beefy, something that won't leave you picking up parts and pieces in the middle of nowhere, Portal-Tek has a stouter version of the Super-14. The Trophy Series Kit offers several different housing options including mild steel and chrome moly, or a 4.4-inch carrier bearing in a special third member to accept 2.375-inch shafts..... |
 ......The Trophy Series case...  ......The Trophy Series case features 4-inch chromoly axle tubes as well as dual load bolts in the case and a set of bolt bosses on the backbone brace that can be used to bolt the differential to the backside of the housing for additional ring-and-pinion gearset strength. The Trophy Series builder's kit sells for just under $2,700. | | |