Need help with my rear end...

[jeffrow62]

Hi everyone!
I'm relativly new here. I have a 1949 Chevy 3600, 4 speed, 3/4 ton pick up. I want to basically leave the truck stock, but I heard that if I leave my truck stock I can only go about 40 MPH..

I have a question in regards to swaping my rear end. I found reading articles to use a chevy s10 pick up.

1. what gear ratio?

2. 4 wheel drive or standard?

3. I found a 2002 chevy S10 (non) 4WD, would that work? He wants to sell the whole frame for $300.00
Thanks everyone !!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Before you decide to swap rearends, contact Patrick's in Arizona. He supplies lower (numerically) ring & pinion sets to let you cruise at freeway speeds. Not sure about a 3600 truck but for sure on lighter duty trucks.
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[jeffrow62]

Thanks Dan !

Something just kills me to cut or replace anything on this beauty at all... I want to leave it stock and really dont want the expense... Thx !

[Dan in Pasadena]

You're welcome

IF your intent is to no longer use it as a heavy duty hauler, AND if Patrick's doesn't sell new R&P sets for your rearend, maybe a 3100 rearend could be installed(??). I'm no A.D. expert but others are and will chime in. If you can do that you'll be keeping the original closed driveline and just improve your highway speed. But remember, if you have an old 216 in it, it doesn't have full pressure oiling like the later 235's. that is another speed limiting factor.
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[jeffrow62]

Thx Dan..

Going slow doest bother me.. They got around somehow back in the day.. By the time I get it geared to go faster that little engine with rattle apart!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Actually, a well maintained & not abused stovebolt- whether 216 or 235, will run practically forever. That's why there are still so many left. They last made them in the early 60's so the newest ones are over 50 years old!

So anyway, what IS your intended use of the truck? Just curious. If my '55 had been stock and complete I think I'd have left the 235 in it and just dolled it up some.
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[Coach529]

Henry has a 2007 Chevy Blazer 4 x 4 Rear end installed. 3:43 gearing.

It is a little narrow so I added 2" wheel spacers on each side. It is perfect with the wheels I am running.

[jeffrow62]

I would like to keep it stock inside and out.. Getting the rust controled and primered for now. I'm not planning on hauling anything other than a bed our a couch.

I originally wanted to lower it, put some white walls on it, some moon rims and keep it simple. Sometime get it repainted a nice color of the time perioid. It's got 60000 miles on it. Engine turns, has oil. Starter has been removed it was sitting in front seat. No battery, radiator leaks, fuel pump removed..

So far I've removed the rear bed,It was a rusted mess.. I removed the seats and gas tank started to sand the interior. The rest of the truck is workable.

[mr48chev]

If keeping it stock means keeping the 8 lug wheels (the other suggestions all include 6 or 5 lug wheels) you might want to hunt down a later 8 lug rear axle or center section with the right gear ratio. Somewhere between 3.5 and 3.7 would make a world of difference to that engine unless you are going to haul or tow heavy loads. I think that same basic axle was used up into the mid/late 60's and you might be able to find the center section that has a lot better gear ratio or find the gears themselves and swap or have them swapped into your center section.

[jeffrow62]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all the input.
Jeff
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[mr48chev]

Here is some very interesting reading for you Jeffrow62 I think you will enjoy it and may be able to come up with a setup that will work great in your truck and not kill the truck kitty. http://jons49chevyresto.blogspot.com/ Scroll down the page a ways to Thursday July 7.

[Zach B]

Another thing is with that 216 you can have it converted to a 235 type of oiling system and it actualy workes better for the engine. Problem is finding somebody who won't mess up the engine in the machine work. As for the axle though I would just change the ring grade and pinion. An s10 is often to much for a 216.
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[coralhead]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Before you decide to swap rearends, contact Patrick's in Arizona. He supplies lower (numerically) ring & pinion sets to let you cruise at freeway speeds. Not sure about a 3600 truck but for sure on lighter duty trucks.
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There are no dropins for the rearend from patricks. 3600's can go possibly down to 4:11 but they are hard to find.

[Coach529]

Here is what I found when I was researching rear ends for my 1949 3600.

Gearing taller than 4:11 is impossible to find for the stock housing. Stock 1949 Huck brake parts are expensive and sometimes not available.

That is what steered me towards a 5 bolt rear end.

[jeffrow62]

thank you everyone! i think im going down with coach529's ideas. I followed his building tread .. his truck was in the same shape as mine and same model...

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by coralhead

There are no dropins for the rearend from patricks. 3600's can go possibly down to 4:11 but they are hard to find.

Yeap, I haven't seen any 4:11s I think it is an urban myth. but there are tons of 4:56 and 5:? I can't remember I want to say 5:13s If you are dead set on keeping it I would check the gear ratio I bet it is the 5:13. I would look for a 4:56 set.

GM quit using that rear end around 1970 and went to the Dana 60
The Dana 60 would be a good swap and parts are easy to find. There are gears available for it down to 3:73.

[lmdangerous]

I have a set of 4:11s in mine- came from a 69 3/4 ton truck. HO 72 rearends were even used in some suburbans ( 3/4 ton up to 1972 I think.)look on the pirate 4x4 web site - there is usually on set on there for sale. I have even seen them on E bay - i know -i know- as for brakes I put disc brakes on my 1951 3800 - yep on all 4 corners for about 150$ a wheel less time ( as always thats free cause we know we aint gonna pay ourselves what the shops would ask - took me 2 months -lol) blackbird interprises actually makes brakets to bolt the calipers on that rear end - its still a favorite amoung the rock crawling seen - I had to build the front ones though .I posted this about a year ago- I can send the photos via email or text - I like having the original I beam and rear- restrip the springs, make sure your shackles are all greased and tight , andgood shocks - i run the interstate , memphis area, no its not air ride - but its nice enough .

[lmdangerous]

Another note - I know the drums are a pain ( at least to find some not worn out - but as for the shoes etc- we havea guy here in the grenada ms area that builds clutches for big trucks and farm tractors- before i went disc - he actually relined my shoes - and they were as god as drums were ever going to be.-and all my brakes stuff actualy fit when i put them back on - not some universal crap that fits everythig - then I went disc - and Ill never go back -If you have a person in your area that actually build the clutches and stuff - not reships them - they have all the stuff to do it - THe question is will they - God smiled on me he did all 4 wheels for about 150$ if i remember right- if you got a big -truck tractor clutch service man in the are you might check.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by lmdangerous

....I posted this about a year ago- I can send the photos via email or text - I like having the original I beam and rear- restrip the springs, make sure your shackles are all greased and tight , andgood shocks - i run the interstate , memphis area, no its not air ride - but its nice enough .

Whew, now THAT'S hard to read.
How about some punctuation, man?....but in the right places this time!

[lmdangerous]

Sorry! I was in a big hurry - I happened to look at my I phone while cleaning up some welding. I screwed that up also -lol! Anyway hope this helps . The ring and pinion that you are looking for can be found. Mine was literally across town under a 69 3/4 ton that had been cut in half and made into a trailer. Cost- going to get it . I did weld the whole up with a flate plate-lol. Several of the 4 wheel drive sites use that rear end so you might look there .LMD

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by lmdangerous

I have a set of 4:11s in mine- came from a 69 3/4 ton truck. HO 72 rearends were even used in some suburbans ( 3/4 ton up to 1972 I think.)look on the pirate 4x4 web site - there is usually on set on there for sale. I have even seen them on E bay - i know -i know- as for brakes I put disc brakes on my 1951 3800 - yep on all 4 corners for about 150$ a wheel less time ( as always thats free cause we know we aint gonna pay ourselves what the shops would ask - took me 2 months -lol) blackbird interprises actually makes brakets to bolt the calipers on that rear end - its still a favorite amoung the rock crawling seen - I had to build the front ones though .I posted this about a year ago- I can send the photos via email or text - I like having the original I beam and rear- restrip the springs, make sure your shackles are all greased and tight , andgood shocks - i run the interstate , memphis area, no its not air ride - but its nice enough .

that proves they do exist. up until now all I had heard/read was people that Heard or read about them.