The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - 1950 3100 rear shock mount with Explorer rear end

dsraven · 01-22-2018, 03:16 AM

if you are having trouble fitting the tires under the truck is it because the tires are too wide or because of the wheel placement due to axle width? if it is because of the axle width, and you have lots of room on the outside of the tire to fender clearance, then you could easily remedy that with a set of wheel spacers and possibly some longer wheel studs. that would save you tubbing the box, unless you plan to do that anyway.
the ford 8.8 has larger studs (at least mine did) but I drilled the flanges for a chevy pattern to match the front so I just installed the same size of stud to keep the lugs nuts the same size. if you were doing that anyway then a set of longer studs wouldn't be that much more cash outlay than a stock length set. then just some spacers of the correct width to get the tires back where you need them.
when I drilled my axle flanges for the chevy pattern I simply used an old stock ford rotor that fit the axle and zip disced the brake surface off so I ended up with just the wheel mounting flange area (I grabbed that spare rotor at pick n pull with the axle assembly from the explorer). I had a machinist buddy mark the new pattern on the wheel mounting flange of the rotor so the 5 new chevy pattern holes are in the clear space between the 5 ford pattern holes, then drilled those spots with a 1/4" drill. you could also do this yourself if you first make a pattern on a poster board template but a machinist is the better option. after that I installed that rotor onto the bare ford axle and tightened the lug nuts. this centers the pattern on the axle flange because the rotor is hub centric to the axle.it was then easy to mark the axle by inserting a drill through the 1/4" holes and making a mark deep enough in the flange so it can be marked with a center punch after the pattern is removed. this way the chance of wrecking the pattern by drilling too much in the same hole is less. then all thats left is to remove the pattern, center punch the new holes and drill the holes through the axle to the correct size for your new wheel stud. you also need to drill the rotors to match but you can use the pattern for that as well by bolting the pattern to the new rotor with the ford studs removed from the axle-they will fit the rotor's wheel stud holes. keep the pattern in the vehicle in case of a roadside brake issue later.
just a thought.

01-22-2018, 03:16 AM	#7
dsraven Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: calgary alberta Posts: 8,501	Re: 1950 3100 rear shock mount with Explorer rear end if you are having trouble fitting the tires under the truck is it because the tires are too wide or because of the wheel placement due to axle width? if it is because of the axle width, and you have lots of room on the outside of the tire to fender clearance, then you could easily remedy that with a set of wheel spacers and possibly some longer wheel studs. that would save you tubbing the box, unless you plan to do that anyway. the ford 8.8 has larger studs (at least mine did) but I drilled the flanges for a chevy pattern to match the front so I just installed the same size of stud to keep the lugs nuts the same size. if you were doing that anyway then a set of longer studs wouldn't be that much more cash outlay than a stock length set. then just some spacers of the correct width to get the tires back where you need them. when I drilled my axle flanges for the chevy pattern I simply used an old stock ford rotor that fit the axle and zip disced the brake surface off so I ended up with just the wheel mounting flange area (I grabbed that spare rotor at pick n pull with the axle assembly from the explorer). I had a machinist buddy mark the new pattern on the wheel mounting flange of the rotor so the 5 new chevy pattern holes are in the clear space between the 5 ford pattern holes, then drilled those spots with a 1/4" drill. you could also do this yourself if you first make a pattern on a poster board template but a machinist is the better option. after that I installed that rotor onto the bare ford axle and tightened the lug nuts. this centers the pattern on the axle flange because the rotor is hub centric to the axle.it was then easy to mark the axle by inserting a drill through the 1/4" holes and making a mark deep enough in the flange so it can be marked with a center punch after the pattern is removed. this way the chance of wrecking the pattern by drilling too much in the same hole is less. then all thats left is to remove the pattern, center punch the new holes and drill the holes through the axle to the correct size for your new wheel stud. you also need to drill the rotors to match but you can use the pattern for that as well by bolting the pattern to the new rotor with the ford studs removed from the axle-they will fit the rotor's wheel stud holes. keep the pattern in the vehicle in case of a roadside brake issue later. just a thought.