Rear Axle Recognition

[DavidButler]

Does anybody recognise this rear end.
It is fitted to my 1952 3100 pick up but I'm sure its not standard.
I have jacked one wheel up and calculated a final drive ratio of about 3.08 ( I believe standard is 4.11). The bolt (Lug?) pattern appears to be 5 on 5" PCD.
The only markings I can see on the outside are cast in the main housing and are "Z" and underneath "E14".
Any help pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated. I need to order brake parts and possibly half shaft oil seals and its a long way to sunny Yorkshire if they are wrong.

[mongocanfly]

definitely not standard...10 bolt car rear end...found on a b and g body cars

[joedoh]

5 on 5 pattern and being an 8.5 and the upper mount ears makes me think its a caprice or other B body.

[1project2many]

Buick, Olds, and Pontiac full-size have a double Cardan joint like that. The D shaped flange is a little unique though. One option might be a 1974 Buick Electra 225.

[DavidButler]

Thanks for the 3 replies so far. For a Brit who's only exposure to American cars was the purchase of this Chevy Pick up 6 months ago then B and C bodies doesn't mean a lot. So I started googling, holy stink there's a lot of GM models of cars out there. After an hour I realised I would need to spend more time than I probably have left on this mortal coil to know 1/2 an ounce of American Automobile history. However, there are some brilliant designs in that lot. Tips my old Reliant Robin into a cocked hat.
Hopefully, a lot of the brake parts I need will be generic across the range. I think I'll start stripping and check for numbers on the parts, where possible.

Cheers

DB

[mr48chev]

The guys hit it right, full size GM Car Depending on the width it will be 76 or earlier or 77/mid 80's.

There is a stamped number on the front side of the passenger side axle housing that can help figure out what it was built for originally.

[1project2many]

Hopefully, a lot of the brake parts I need will be generic across the range. I think I'll start stripping and check for numbers on the parts, where possible.

That is the best approach to make this easier. Measure the brakes including the inside diameter of the drum and the width of the shoes to help order the correct brakes. Measure the inside diameter of the wheel cylinder and it might help narrow down the possible makes and models. Take pictures of the brake shoe webs and the hardware and compare them to parts you find online. And if you remove one axle and look carefully at the visible edges of the wheel seal you might find a seal number.

[DavidButler]

Underneath a coating of rust I found the following stamped code on the axle tube:
"KC G130 2"

I think the "D" shaped flanges mean its a DANA / MOPAR (whatever that means)

if I have this correct the G in the code relates to Detroit Gear and Axle.
130 is the production week of the year.
2 implies the night shift.

KC is the ratio code, however I can't find anything relating to a KC code and 10 bolt 8.5" GM axles.
How would you relate this to a vehicle or year?

Any more advice appreciated.

[1project2many]

That axle truly appears to be a GM part. Can you take the rear cover off and get numbers off of the ring gear?

Also, on which axle tube was the number previously posted found?

The closest I have found to that backing plate so far has been this:



Listed as a '65 - '70 Olds Delmont backing plate (Delmont is actually part of the 88 line), the differential matching this backing plate most likely would _not_ have been a Chevrolet 8.2" or a GM 8.5" unit.

Oldcarmanualproject.com has a 1970 Buick shop manual. This page shows a very similar backing plate to what is on your truck. But the 10 bolt, 8.5 inch differential that appears to be in your truck is not likely to have been used in a Buick prior to 1971. The clue we are all using to guess about what differential is in your truck is the rear differential cover:


The 4900 series axle has the special double cardan joint on the driveshaft:
http://buick.oldcarmanualproject.com...n/image49.html

Unfortunately the 4900 series axle uses a cover with 12 bolts.

So what type of axle have you got?

One way to narrow the options is to see if you have C-clip axles or if the axles are held in by plates covering the axle bearings. Here's a picture of the C-clip being removed:


Here's a video showing C-clip removal. The relevent video begins around 1:19.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3v2FSOiXjs

Here's a video of the bolt in axle bearings being removed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNLePvUoM3A

You should have plenty to investigate at this point.

[mr48chev]

You can be sure that it is a GM big car with the 5 on 5 and 1/2 inch lugs.

So far I haven't found the codes for the bigger cars only finding truck and Camaro codes.

That narrows it down to big Chev meaning Caprice, or an Olds 98 or bigger Pontiac or Buick. Cadillacs had a real funky looking center section in most of them.

As I said a few posts back the wheel mount to wheel mount width should tell you if it is 76 or earler or 77 or later.

If the truck has a Chev V8 and matching trans I'd place a serous bet that the same donor car gave up all three pieces, engine, trans and rear end with the driveshaft thrown in to boot.

This link is mostly Chevelle but it does have info on identifying when the rear was bult
http://chevellestuff.net/qd/rear_axle_info.htm

From that it looks like the code KC G130 2 means that it was made in 1971 or later. The KCG is the gear ratio the 130 is the day of the year it was assembled a the 2 should be the shift. There should be a casting date on the third member housing that will give you a year.

[DavidButler]

Thanks for the work so far.
The code from the axle was taken from the passenger side of the axle tube about 150mm ( 3") in from the flange on the differential housing. The code was on the face of the tube facing the front of the truck.

Unfortunately I won't be able to get to the diff this Easter weekend ( familys!). But, will remove the cover the following weekend and then post back. Hopefully getting more good info from you guys.

Thanks for the help.
Have a good Easter.

DB

[mr48chev]

Scroll way down the page. By this the axle is from a 1974 Big Pontiac with 3.08 gears. http://www.wallaceracing.com/axledata2.htm

Made in the Detroit axle and gear plant on the 130th day of the year on the second shift.

Looks like your axle was made on Friday May 10, 1974.

[DavidButler]

Holy Stink,
What colour were the eyes of the guy that stamped it?
Fantastic, thanks very much.
Now I just need to google "Big Pontiac"

Thanks everybody for your help.

[Divine 59]

The orientation of the ribs will also indicate Olds, Buick Pontiac or Chevy casting. I agree that it appears to be a full size GM car. The stamping will also indicate rear axle ratio and posi, non-posi

http://www.drivinithome.com/rear-axle-identification/