55.2-59 Rear axle width

[8man]

I've found 2 rear axles near me, and either is very reasonably priced.

I need to know whether there is a preference between the two:

1995 Camaro positraction with disc brakes

2009 Colorado with disc brakes, but they weren't sure about the posi, I'll have to go check.

Both appear to be about 61" wms to wms. I believe that is about the width of the 57 axle.

The truck will be a driver for fun only, no racing, probably running a 5.3L with automatic transmission.

I know others have gone with the Ford rear axle, but I want to go Chevy.

So what do you think?

[leegreen]

some reports have the colorado spring perch width matching the 42-ish inches the older trucks had. Most colorado except the newest are a strange bolt center for the wheels

the camaro is coil spring so at minimum you need to weld spring pads on. The camaro is 5x4 3/4 which is common but might not match your fronts

Any c10 with leafs prior to 71 (or 73?) will have a 10 or 12 bolt that will drop right onto the '57 springs and match the 6x5.5 wheels

[8man]

Thanks for that. I have a C10 rear I was going to use, but it is wider than the old axle at least 3.5" That said, I'll look for an earlier one and compare them.

The new rear drop leaf spring system from TCI will need all of the old hangers and brackets cut off the axle, as it has it's own mounting system. I don't know if that changes your opinion on the Camaro.

Again, thanks for helping me figure out what I want to do.

[leegreen]

so the camaro posi is probably nicer for performance than the g80 style low speed locker the colorado will have. -if the non rebuildable camaro posi still works.

rear disk camaro ebrakes kinda suck. Setup involves feeler gauges to get the tolerances and the adjustment is a little wee bolt in an aluminum casting that will be corroded solid on any junk yard rear around these parts.

Colorado rear disk....never touched one, but they look like the integral drum used on 1/2 ton rear disk. Works, kinda spendy, likely to be toast on any older truck since they get neglected. The colorado rear axles came in different widths 2x vs 4x4 and all versions are wider than a s10, so they are at least probably not too narrow for a '57

c10 rear drum is simple and works. from your described use sounds more than adequate.

What front suspension? that might influence what bolt pattern you want on rears

What sort of rear gear ratio do you want to end up with?

the rear leaf setup does not appear to come with any leaf wrap prevention? maybe it is not an issue. The camaro torque arm mounted to sliding rubber bushing at trans would probably work fine with leaf springs as long as you set it up at ride height

[8man]

Thanks again Lee.

I'm running the TCI Mustang II front end, with the 5 - 4.75 Chevy style bolt pattern. So, I'd like to have the same on the rear.

I think that may narrow my choices down to the Camaro rear.

[mr48chev]

You would be better off looking for a late 70's Camaro rear. 62-1/2 wms to wms but you don't have the offset wheels we have to run with a 60 inch rear.

Looking on a Camaro board the mid 90's guys say that a 95 has 65-1/8 wms to wms. That is the same width as 73 87 C10 and too wide for early trucks.

The 60/68 C-10 rears are the right width if you need 6 lug but are coil spring rears and most have a huge heavy bracket for the panhard bar. Plus some of those brackets are cast into the center section in some years.

[8man]

Thanks Mr48. I'm back on the search again.