'71 C10 Diff swap

[C10aussie]

Hi - Call for help from Australia!

My '71 Stepside has a 12 bolt disc brake rear end and I want to swap it back to a standard 10 bolt drum setup.

I have found a diff in the US I can import here, but it's from a '67, which apparently is 1in shorter than the '71 at each end?

I was going to fit it and use spacers on the rear wheels. The rear end has 10in 5 slots and 275 BFGs.

Does anyone have experience on this one please?

What other parts will I need to restore the rear end to original, the upper/central control arm etc, and I cant seem to find the part number for it on the Classic Industies website.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks a lot

[LongBox]

Just for info, my 69 has a 12 bolt rear, but, of course, it has drum brakes.

[stomper]

The stock '67 rear end will be a 6 lug if it hasn't been changed to 5 lug. Is your truck coil spring or leaf spring rear? There are those two styles on our trucks. The narrower axle width on early 6 lug trucks is just aesthetic unless your tires are close to hitting the wheel tubs now. Do you know exactly what your rear axle width is currently? Being that it's rear discs no telling what you have for sure unless you measure. The brake line distribution block has different threads depending on the rear. Everything else should bolt up if you get the correct 2wd/4wd, coil/leaf, 5lug/6lug rear axle.

[GASoline71]

The only "10 bolt" offered in these trucks was an Eaton or a Dana. A GM 10-bolt did not come from the factory.

You can keep your 12 bolt and just get drum backing plates and an entire drum setup. Backing plates are held on by 4 bolts to the axle tube.

Gary