Offroad Forum Glossary

[1Down5Up]

I noticed we used a lot of terms freely, so I thought I'd make a list and try to get some definitions together.

• OBS - Old Body Style (88-98)
  
• NBS - New Body Style (99+)
  
• CBS - Classic Body Style (pre 87 1\2 and 3\4 ton pickups and pre 91 1 ton pickups, suburbans, or K5 blazers.
  
• IFS - Independent Front Suspension, started on all Chevy and GMC 1\2 tons in 88 and followed up with 3\4 tons and 1 tons in later years.
  
• SFA - Solid Front Axle, front suspension on 4x4 trucks prior to '88.
  
• SAS - Solid Axle Swap. Replacing the IFS suspension on a newer truck with much stronger and durable strait axle. Articulates far more as well.
  
• Open end - aka 1 legger. Type of axle carrier where power is transfered to 1 wheel all the time.
  
• LSD - Limited Slip Differiential, aka posi. Acts as an open end until slip is detected, then both wheels will recieve power.
  
• Locker - Carrier in axle where both wheels recieve equal amounts of power all the time.
  
• G80 - Posi unit available to GM trucks from the factory. Manufactured by Eaton.
  
• Bars - Refers to the torison bars that control ride height \ level on GM built IFS trucks. Turning the bolt that regulates the bar can increase height, but decrease ride quality, and vice versa. Increasing height significantly creates poor front driveline angles and wears suspension parts faster.
  
• Suspension Lift - Increasing height of a vehicle by dropping suspension components down from stock location. IFS lifts typically go to 12"-14" max.
  
• Body Lift - Putting spacers between the body and the frame. Typical max height gains are 2"-3".
  
• Leafs - Leaf springs are a method of suspension for a solid axle. Still used in the rear of current GM pickups. Long pieces of thing metal that can flex. Built in packs with a stretched U shape.
  
• 4 link - Typically using a type of coil with links attached to the frame and axle. 4 link setups are used in the place of a leaf spring for greater articulation and ride quality.
  
• 10 bolt - Referring to the strait axle found under all 88+ 1\2 ton GM pickups (with the exception of the 14SF appearing under some heavy duty 1\2 tons). 88+ 4x4 versions came in 6 lug only. Semifloating axle with C-Clips holding in the axle shafts. Commonly 8.5" ring gear. *edit* 1977-1991 Full Floating 10 bolts were made. These came in 6 or 8 lug versions.
  
• 14SF - Found in light duty 3\4 ton 88+ trucks. SF stands for semifloating axle. Essientially a beefed up 10 bolt. Can be found as 5 lug (454SS's), 6 lug (88-98 OBS), or 8 lug (99+ NBS). Commonly 9.5" ring gear.
  
• 14FF - Strongest axle manufactured by GM, period. Found in heavy duty 3\4 tons and 1 ton pickups. Does not use C clips to hold axle shafts, instead it uses 8 bolts at the end of the hub. Only found in 8 lug. Typically 10.5" ring gear. All drum brakes until 2000, then it was converted to disc brakes by GM.
  
• CV Joint \ Angles - Refers to front suspension of an IFS truck. CV stands for Constant Velocity I believe. Method of moving power from differiential to the wheel. Common break point for an IFS truck. Cranking the bars greatly creates bad CV angles, and can cause premature failure.

I think thats it for now. I'm sure its not all correct, but thats what you all are for. Maybe we can get it stickied?

Steve

[Yukoneer]

i've seen some people use CBS - Classic Body Style, pre '87 pickups, pre '91 K5's Suburbans

otherwise, its a phat post

[1Down5Up]

Adding it.

[Yukoneer]

classic

[The_Researcher]

Shouldn't we make this a sticky.

[ibthumpin]

Wow Sr20003 used some of his never ending spare time and did something useful for us.


Ima gonna note that right now.......










good job man

[1Down5Up]

I was sitting in my data communcations class trying not to fall asleep .

Steve

[K5Chris]

Originally posted by Sr2003

CBS - Classic Body Style (pre 87 1\2 ton pickups and pre 91 3\4 - 1 ton pickups, suburbans, or K5 blazers.

just to clarify..... only Blazers, Suburbans, and 1 ton crew cabs retained the classic body style SFA until 1991. everything else went to obs ifs in 1988. (88-91 3/4 tons are obs ifs)...... it has to do with the cab, not the gvwr. basically GM coulen't figure out how to make anything bigger than extended cab in the ifs bodystyle until 1992.

Originally posted by Sr2003
10 bolt - Referring to the strait axle found under all 88+ 1\2 ton GM pickups. 88+ 4x4 versions came in 6 lug only. Semifloating axle with C-Clips holding in the axle shafts. Commonly 8.5" ring gear.

10 bolt front axle..... 1977-1991 1/2 & 3/4 tons... 6 & 8 lug; All Full-Floating, exterior hub axles

10 bolt rear axle...... 1981+ 1/2 tons*; 6 lug only; C-clip axle
*note: some 1/2 tons came with 14bSF rear axle

both 8.5" r.g.

[1Down5Up]

Did not know they made a full floating 10 bolt, that surprises me, off to edit I go.

[K5Chris]

because it's a FRONT axle..... only the front 10 bolts are full floating.

[danez71]

G80 = LS

Not so...... but I'm not even going to go there.....

[1Down5Up]

The G80 is not a posi \ limited slip differiential? Maybe I'm lost.

[danez71]

Its a hybrid LS/locker

[J to the izA]

since the factory calls it a locker i would just use locker becuase thats what the window sticker says and newer users that dont know what it is will call it a locker

even though i think it is but no we aint giong there

[Chuggernaut]

Good post. I just edited it to add the bullet points and separate the definitions so that it's a bit easier to read.

[wolf10851]

looks real good

[c30]

Hmmm, I thought an "Open End" diff delivered power to both wheels as long as there's traction and when traction is lost, power is transferred to the wheel with least traction.

It's just that the description seems like it's saying that power is transferred to only one wheel all the time.

Am I wrong?


Oh yea, I got an aka suggestion for body lift, BL is used a lot.

What about BFH, it is used quite a bit! (Big Friggen Hammer) You gotta put in this one, Pleeeease

AAL , (add a leaf) is used quite a bit also...

I also think another good add for an aka is TB for torsion bars


Great idea for the list, took me a bit to get used to the slangs.


__________________

[K5Chris]

hmmmm........ let's see.....

Originally posted by Sr2003
[*]IFS - Independent Front Suspension, started on all Chevy and GMC 1\2 tons in 88 and followed up with 3\4 tons and 1 tons in later years.
[*]SFA - Solid Front Axle, front suspension on 4x4 trucks prior to '88.

1/2 , 3/4, and non-crew cab 1 tons got ifs in 88+. blazers, suburbans, and crew cab 1 tons stayed SFA through 1991.

[*]SAS - Solid Axle Swap. Replacing the IFS suspension on a newer truck with much stronger and durable strait axle. Articulates far more as well.

straight

[*]Open end - aka 1 legger. Type of axle carrier where power is transfered to 1 wheel all the time.

never heard open end before..... but, and open carrier sends torque to the path of least resistance. if both wheels have equal traction aka resistance, torque will be sent to both wheels.

[*]LSD - Limited Slip Differiential, aka posi. Acts as an open end until slip is detected, then both wheels will recieve power.

an LSD never acts like an open. limited slips have clutches with springs forcing the clutches to provide friction between the spider gears. this friction helps spread the torque to both wheels.

[*]Locker - Carrier in axle where both wheels recieve equal amounts of power all the time.

this is correct for a spool, mini spool, and welded spiders (aka lincoln locked), but, there are different types of lockers. automatic lockers such as the detroit act as an open differential until torque is applied, or if one wheel starts spinng significantly faster, then, it will lock both axles together. there is also selectable lockers which will act like an open diff, or an LSD when deactivated, but, will completely lock together when activated. they can be activated via electronics or compressed air.

[*]G80 - Posi unit available to GM trucks from the factory. Manufactured by Eaton.

the G80 is a crude locker. true LSD's (posi's) use clutches and springs, the G80 does not. it's a locker, just not a very good one.

[*]Leafs - Leaf springs are a method of suspension for a solid axle. Still used in the rear of current GM pickups. Long pieces of thing metal that can flex. Built in packs with a stretched U shape.

thin

[*]4 link - Typically using a type of coil with links attached to the frame and axle. 4 link setups are used in the place of a leaf spring for greater articulation and ride quality.

what about 3 link and 5 link??

[*]10 bolt - Referring to the strait axle found under all 88+ 1\2 ton GM pickups (with the exception of the 14SF appearing under some heavy duty 1\2 tons). 88+ 4x4 versions came in 6 lug only. Semifloating axle with C-Clips holding in the axle shafts. Commonly 8.5" ring gear. *edit* 1977-1991 Full Floating 10 bolts were made. These came in 6 or 8 lug versions.

GM has been putting rear 10 bolts on trucks since 1981. fullsizes got the 8.5" ring gear, while mini trucks got a 7.5" ring gear. the 77-91 axle i was talking about is a FRONT solid axle. all non-CAD front solid axles are full floating. there has never been a 10 bolt rear full floating axle.

p.s..... straight

[*]14SF - Found in light duty 3\4 ton 88+ trucks. SF stands for semifloating axle. Essientially a beefed up 10 bolt. Can be found as 5 lug (454SS's), 6 lug (88-98 OBS), or 8 lug (99+ NBS). Commonly 9.5" ring gear.

it's not a beefed up 10 bolt.... it's a completely different axle. same design? yes. uses c-clips to hold axle in. they did make them before 1988.... not sure exactly when though.

[*]14FF - Strongest axle manufactured by GM, period. Found in heavy duty 3\4 tons and 1 ton pickups. Does not use C clips to hold axle shafts, instead it uses 8 bolts at the end of the hub. Only found in 8 lug. Typically 10.5" ring gear. All drum brakes until 2000, then it was converted to disc brakes by GM.

GM has never manufactured this axle. AAM manufacturers it. strongest axle GM has offered on a truck? no. that would be made by the fine folks at Rockwell. might want to add that all the weight of the vehicle is supported by the axle housing, and wheel bearings, leaving the axle shaft to "float" inside the tubes. '01+ 2500HD's and 3500's get an 11.5" ring gear.... everything else since 1973 was 10.5"

[c30]

Originally posted by K5Chris
[b]hmmmm........ let's see.....

an LSD never acts like an open. limited slips have clutches with springs forcing the clutches to provide friction between the spider gears. this friction helps spread the torque to both wheels.

Gotcha A clutch type of LSD does in fact act like an open diff, the main difference is that when one wheel slips, the clutches will attempt to send power to the "gripping" wheel. There's also different types of LSD's which we won't get into.

this is correct for a spool, mini spool, and welded spiders (aka lincoln locked), but, there are different types of lockers. automatic lockers such as the detroit act as an open differential until torque is applied, or if one wheel starts spinng significantly faster, then, it will lock both axles together. there is also selectable lockers which will act like an open diff, or an LSD when deactivated, but, will completely lock together when activated. they can be activated via electronics or compressed air.

Gotcha again A locker never acts like an open diff, an open diff is able to differentiate power between both wheels, an auto locker is only able to provide power to one wheel or both, nothing in between and it doesn't engage when one wheel spins significantly faster, it engages either when you're going straight and/or as soon as one wheel starts to slip at all, for example, you're making a turn, the outside wheel will disengage but if you gave it enough gas to break traction to the inside wheel, the outside wheel will imediately engage providing equal power to both wheels.

[JB]

How about adding:

LCA = lower control arm

UCA = upper control arm

AAL = add-a-leaf