Rear end and e-brake question on my '57

[roger55]

The whole rear end has been swapped in my '57 from a previous owner. I don't know what it came out of but probably a newer pickup. (You can see the brackets for torque arms.) It's a Dana 44 with a 3.54 ratio. It's a good ratio and I want to keep it.

First, does anybody recognize what it did come out of?



Here's a few photos of the e-brake cable setup:







This setup works at is but looks a little like a hack job that I would like to correct. (I question why whoever did this swap didn't use the cables off of original rear end instead of using these which were too short and required that welded-on frame bracket extension.)
Anyway, my question here is if I order new e-brake cables for this '57 truck, will they fit OK back where they bolt on to the backing plate?

[mknittle]

May be a jeep J10 pickup. or a 1/2 ton GMC.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=409513

[roger55]

Originally Posted by mknittle

May be a jeep J10 pickup. or a 1/2 ton GMC.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=409513

Thanks.
It's a 6-lug so according to that thread, it must be a GMC. Must be from a different generation of truck though to use the torque arms.

Also, the spring perches weren't the exact same width. The hacker who installed this clearanced one side of the perch to the clear the U-bolts and tack welded a spacer on the other side. The springs hang over one side of the perches some. So, I will need to correct that by cutting the perches off the axle, repair or replace them and weld them back on at the proper width.

[roger55]

Did some googling.

I found the following statement:

"Most 60s GMC trucks, and some Chevys, had Dana 44 or Dana 60 rear ends, and leaf springs. These rear ends are 6 lug, about 60" wide, and will bolt into a Task Force truck (with some fudging, the perches are about 1/2" too far apart). The brakes use different parking brake cables, which is a problem, and the drums have a different offset."

On this site:
http://www.chevytrucks.org/tech/rear_ends.htm

So if this is correct, the e-brake cables are different. It says this is a problem but doesn't say what to do about it.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by roger55

Thanks.
It's a 6-lug so according to that thread, it must be a GMC. Must be from a different generation of truck though to use the torque arms.

Also, the spring perches weren't the exact same width. The hacker who installed this clearanced one side of the perch to the clear the U-bolts and tack welded a spacer on the other side. The springs hang over one side of the perches some. So, I will need to correct that by cutting the perches off the axle, repair or replace them and weld them back on at the proper width.

I don't bother trying to save spring perches anymore in less there are cast into a front pumpkin on four wheel drives.
at the price this is the way to go.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/p...spring-perches

[roger55]

Originally Posted by mknittle

I don't bother trying to save spring perches anymore in less there are cast into a front pumpkin on four wheel drives.at the price this is the way to go.
http://www.summitracing.com/search/p...spring-perches

Thanks. I'll measure the axle diameter and spring width tomorrow and see if they have the right size.

[solidaxel]

Send those pics to Control Cables Inc, they can make you a new set

[Katrina/10]

I say the axle is from a Jeep, those brackets look like the shock mounts.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by Katrina/10

I say the axle is from a Jeep, those brackets look like the shock mounts.

I think you are correct that the brackets are shock mounts. Torque arm brackets wouldn't be straight like that. Plus they would be coil springs and this axle has leaf spring perches.
But since it's a 6 lug, it must be from GMC truck.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Send those pics to Control Cables Inc, they can make you a new set

I looked at their website and didn't see that they make custom cables. Do you happen to have a contact name there? If they can do it, I'd like to get a quote.

[Rude Dude]

If you can clean the area around the passenger side axle tube. GM usually stamp the I.D. numbers in this area once you get the numbers it is easy as doing a search on the web for the year and axle ratio.

[Katrina/10]

No, big Jeep J10 and Grand Wagoneers were Dana 44 6 lug with leaf springs. That's why I think that's what it is.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by roger55

I looked at their website and didn't see that they make custom cables. Do you happen to have a contact name there? If they can do it, I'd like to get a quote.

They can make them. They made these for me. Just call them

[roger55]

Mystery solved on what the axle came out of.

I removed it today and caught a glimpse of white paint. I cleaned the grease off and you can make out '65 GMC. Obviously a wrecking yard marking.



Look at the ugly hack job they did on the spring perches:



Summit doesn't carry size spring perches I need to replace these. It's a 2.75" axle tube with 2" inch wide springs.