found an S-10 rear axle
 

Actually found the whole truck. It's a nice looking 2002 4 dr 2WD. The guy thinks it has a blown haed gasket but it looks to me like it has a leaky oil cooler in the radiator. Anyway, has a rear disc brake axle. It's a one owner with 150K miles.

How can I tell if it's a 8.5"? It's a low option truck, it would probably have a 7&5/8?

This thing has nice sheetmetal, dirty but decent interior. What's it worth? I could sell a bunch of stuff off it, couldn't I?

I need a rear axle for my 57.

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

measure it up before dropping the cash. 2WD rears seem to be too narrow and 4X4 rears are a shade narrow.

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

This is a picture of an 88 2WD vs a 98 ZR2 4wd, 55" WMS(wheel mounting surface) to 63" WMS
if you notice the axle tubes on the ZR2 are different it is the 8.5 ring gear.

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

I've got a 1999 4x4 4 dr rear with discs on my 59.
I put 2.5" spacers to move the rim away from the box with about 3/4" from the fender lip.

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

Wow, that's the first I've heard of those things being that narrow. I'm not into wheel spacers.

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

I wouldn't use spacers in the front but other guys have.Could have gotten away with 2".
The rear carries not much weight ( except the time I had the truck loaded with sweet corn) and the two years I ran them I never had any troubles.

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

Yep, you need spacers on the ADs, not sure about the TFs but would think the same issue since the '54 bed is pretty much the same bed up to '87.

You can tell if it has the bigger rear end if it has bulged axle tubes where it goes into the pig. The other thing is that these were pretty much on the ZR2 trucks unless someone optioned it. I used to know the glove box code but can't remember it.

The other thing I've always heard is the ZR2 rear axle is 2" wider (as Root Beer lists 63 vs 61) so you can get away from the spacers that way as well.

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

ADs, TFs what do these mean?

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

AD Advance Design (47-55S1) and TF Task Force (55S2-59) Chevy trucks!

Re: found an S-10 rear axle
 

Spacers aren't necessarily a bad thing, and good one's don't impact the load carrying capacity. Ford duallys had spacers from the factory in the font and people don't hesitate to load them down.