Changing rear end. Whats needed?

[skokie]

I am going to be changing out my entire 373 rearend to a 307 and I need to know what parts I am going to need when I install the new one. I cant remember all of the names of the parts.

Thanks

[Tx Firefighter]

brake fluid and maybe rear end lube.

The rest is just nuts and bolts. Use penetrating oil to make the u-bolts easier to remove.

[Blue Beard]

What is the 307 rear out of....?

Been looking for one with no luck so far..

[lukecp]

Yup, what Tx Firefigher said. I would get new U-bolts proably (they are expensive though, i paid like $12 each). I had to cut the U-bolts off on mine with an angle grinder and a cutoff wheel b/c i couldn't hammer them back out through the trailing arms. Then, i just lifted the rearend off of the trailing arms with a floor jack and slid it back off, and hammered the U-bolt shanks back down through the trailing arms.

Its a pretty easy swap. Shouldn't take more than a day. I would recruit a buddy to help you remove and reposition the new rearend though, being that it is pretty bulky. You can do it yourself but it would be alot easier with someone else.

Soak the U-bolts (at the nuts, and where they go through the trailing arms) for a good day or two continuioulsy before you do the swap. I like PB Blaster for this. Also soak the nut where the tracking arm bolts on to the rearend.

For holding up the truck, i put 2 jackstands on the frame infront of the rearend, where it first gets flat, and blocked the front wheels securely. Seemed very strudy.

Let us know if you have any more questions

[skokie]

The 307 is out of a 70 chevy 1/2 ton. with coils. I have 2 brother n laws that said that they would help out. What about the bushing on the bar on the drivers side to the pumpkin (cant think of the name of that bar) should I change that out to?
Thanks

[blazerholic]

That's the track arm, and I would change the bushing if it were me. Of course, thats how my projects get all drawn out. I figure, "well since I've got this apart, I might as well replace this and that,but then I need to fix that, which requires replacing the other..." and before long you reach the inevitable conclusion that it's the dreaded snowball effect.

[skokie]

Track arm thats it. I looked at the bushing last night and it looked a little cracked. May as well replace it since I am taking that off anyway.
Thanks

[Blue Beard]

I had new ubolts made up for under $35....set of 4

[Longhorn Man]

Bein in cali, you may not need the new U-bolts, but you should chainge them anyways. I would drain the oil out of that rear and refill it...synthetic if you have the cash. Inspect everything real good, and be ready to swap parts (like your brakes for example) to the new rear if needed.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally posted by Blue Beard
I had new ubolts made up for under $35....set of 4

Coil spring trucks only use 2 u-bolts