rear end swap

[abadoobi]

i have a 1/2 ton 86 suburban for parts that i am wondering if i can swap the axle into my girlfriends 89 1/2 ton chevy truck. what im wondering is the axle width the same. or how off is it. are the spring perches the same distance apart? will the shock mounts line up? thanks in advance

 

[bucket]

It won't bolt in. The width may be OK, you would have to measure because the later axles came in different widths. The perches would need cut off and welded back on in the correct location.

 

[Swims350]

perches are different, but I was told my 88 has perches for both new model and old model setups, it's got 4 perches instead of just 2.

 

[abadoobi]

i figured it would not bolt in. thanks for the replies

 

[marks86]

dont 88-98 1/2 tons have 14bolts out back? why would you want to swap it for a 10bolt

 

[bucket]

perches are different, but I was told my 88 has perches for both new model and old model setups, it's got 4 perches instead of just 2.

Those second perches are just pads for the bump stops. The square body positions slightly overlap the new body positions, so there's no way to have both.

dont 88-98 1/2 tons have 14bolts out back? why would you want to swap it for a 10bolt

Only a few did, comparatively speaking.

 

[Swims350]

hmmm hrpc is the one who said they were for the other trucks I thought it was.

But nope as he said only some had 14 bolts not to mention they were 6 lug, I think the only ones in 5 lug were the ss trucks.

 

[bucket]

hmmm hrpc is the one who said they were for the other trucks I thought it was.

But nope as he said only some had 14 bolts not to mention they were 6 lug, I think the only ones in 5 lug were the ss trucks.

You're right. And HRPC did say that... then I corrected him

The 6 lug 14 bolts were found in some half tons (but there were FAR more 10 bolts), and in light duty 3/4 ton trucks. There were also two different widths, a narrower axle for the 2wd's and a wider axle for the 4x4's. The 4x4 version is good to use in the 4x4 square bodies because the axle is almost as wide as our front axles.

I think it would be easy to convert one to 5 lug for the 2wd guys. Just have the axles and drums redrilled for the 5-lug pattern, and while your at it, have the holes drilled the correct size for the stock 1/2 inch wheel studs. The 14b 6-lug axle uses giant wheel studs.

 

[abadoobi]

my axle is a 10 bolt. not a 14. if it was a 14 bolt im sure it would not have broke. but i think its pretty rare to fine the 14 bolt in a half ton. i have never seen one anyway.

 

[abadoobi]

my spider gears in the 89 are destroyed. i guess im just gonna replace those. the local junkyard wants way way way to much for a weak 10 bolt so ill just reaplace the spiders for a fraction of the cost. anybody know where to get a set cheap? could even be used for all i care if they are in good shape. its an old truck not lookin to put a ton of money into it

 

[bucket]

my spider gears in the 89 are destroyed. i guess im just gonna replace those. the local junkyard wants way way way to much for a weak 10 bolt so ill just reaplace the spiders for a fraction of the cost. anybody know where to get a set cheap? could even be used for all i care if they are in good shape. its an old truck not lookin to put a ton of money into it

I'd be happy to send you some spiders, but you need them from mid-'88 and newer, for the 30 spline axle shafts... mine are all from older axles.. I do have an '88 rear axle, but I would have to pull it apart to see if it's 30 spline, and I won't be home until Sunday evening and probably wouldn't have time to mess with it until the next weekend. I doubt you want to wait that long.

 

[abadoobi]

i can wait. the truck does not to be on the road at the moment. the sooner the better though. so if you could do that for me id appreciate it.

 

[abadoobi]

were you able to check on the gears yet by change?

 

[bucket]

were you able to check on the gears yet by change?

I won't have a chance to do it until this weekend. If you can, it would be good to remind me at the end of the week

 

[abadoobi]

were you able to get a chance to look at the gears? i know i forgot to remind you lol.