1950 Chevy 3100 Rear End Width?

[Jamesbb]

I just purchased an Art Morrison frame for my 3100. The truck I purchased had several issues where the previous owner had modified the truck and didn't know what they were doing. The rear end I had measured 62 inches from axle face to axle face. I am going to order a 9 inch ford rear end from Art Morrison also and am having issues with correct dimensions. The frame measures approximately 44 1/4" at the rear end center line. The spec for the rear end housing they sale is 53 1/8" housing only and the axle offset and brake hat thickness adds another 5.375 to make it 58 1/2". That's a 3.5" difference from what i measured. I wish i had measured the outer fender and inner fender widths so I could have an idea if this is going to work. Does anyone know if this rear end is correct or do i need the 62 inch wide rear end? Thanks ahead for the help!

[Nordic]

Hopefully this chart will help
http://www.hemmings.com/partslocator/axles.html

[oldman3]

This would be a hard one to answer. Would need to know what size wheel and tire YOU want to use. Do YOU want a tub in the bed or not? The rear axle size they gave you can work, using a tub, or very small back spacing on the wheel.

These are close numbers to help you decide. Bed outside width to outside width is approx. 50". Bed side to inside edge of rear fender is approx 12" per side.

I run a 60" wide rear axle (nova), with 17X8" wheels with a 3-1/2" backspace and a 235/55/17 tire. Have clearance between both and nothing rubs.

Hope this helps...Jim

[Jamesbb]

Originally Posted by oldman3

This would be a hard one to answer. Would need to know what size wheel and tire YOU want to use. Do YOU want a tub in the bed or not? The rear axle size they gave you can work, using a tub, or very small back spacing on the wheel.

These are close numbers to help you decide. Bed outside width to outside width is approx. 50". Bed side to inside edge of rear fender is approx 12" per side.

I run a 60" wide rear axle (nova), with 17X8" wheels with a 3-1/2" backspace and a 235/55/17 tire. Have clearance between both and nothing rubs.

Hope this helps...Jim

I would like to use a 18x9 or x10 inch wheel, but I don't want any rubbing so I may have to go smaller. I will go with the small tub that pushes the tub to the rail. I was originally going to go with a 20 inch wheel, but I knew rubbing would be an issue and I didn't want to ride on a rubber band tire. Since I plan on driving my vehicle alot, I want a decent ride.

[MIKESAD50]

Jamesbb,

I can get some measurements for you if needed, or check out my build using an Art Morrison chassis and their rear housing also.
I have the sport chassis.
Let me know if I can help with something.
Mike

[MIKESAD50]

as far as my frame and housing measure the same as what you listed.
I'm not including axles and shafts

[Donaldo]

My '51 came to me with a '73 1/2 ton 12 bolt rear end in it - and it was way too wide !!
Best info I could find showed widest measurement, rim to rim width over rear tires should be 67 3/4". this rear end was 74 3/8" wide total. With rims made with 4 3/4" back spacing it was still 7 1/2" too wide to get the tires under the fenders - I cut 3 5/8" off each side and had Moser make a pr of axles to fit. Tires are 16"x7" 235/75/16 XL and they seem to fit and look right in mock up -

So - you need to know the fender to fender inside clearance width, your outer rim to outer rim width, the axles overall width with your rims on and figure if it will fit under the fenders. And maybe cut to fit -

If not, have someone fabricate one that fits or some folks like the dune buggy look.

[mr48chev]

I think the 53" they mention is the flange to flange on the axle tubes of the rear end housing and no way near wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface which if you added 3-1/2 inches on each side would come out at 60 inches.

Still, if you are dead set on one particular set of wheels and tires you need the measurements for those wheels and tires to calculate the final mounting surface to mounting surface on the complete rear end.

You have to come up with the inside the fender lips measurements from one side to the other. Here look at page 59 I think you will like it. Everyone on here needs the GM Herritage page for his truck saved on his computer for reference. https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf
From what I read there you want the final outside to outside of the tire side walls right at 68 inches to have the outside sidewall at the stock spot. That is where a 700-16 tire on a stone stock truck would be in relation to the fender that has an outside to outside width of 74-7/16 inches. Minus about 3/4 inch on each side for the lip of the fender would give the inside width but you still have to have room to pull a tire off without causing the folks watching you have a laughing fit for your troubles. It's not fun to jack up the truck, block up frame and then unbolt the rear shock and let the axle down so you can pull the oversize rim and tire off because the truck is too low or the tire won't clear the fender with just the axle dropping down as far as the shock allows..

[Jamesbb]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I think the 53" they mention is the flange to flange on the axle tubes of the rear end housing and no way near wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface which if you added 3-1/2 inches on each side would come out at 60 inches.

Still, if you are dead set on one particular set of wheels and tires you need the measurements for those wheels and tires to calculate the final mounting surface to mounting surface on the complete rear end.

You have to come up with the inside the fender lips measurements from one side to the other. Here look at page 59 I think you will like it. Everyone on here needs the GM Herritage page for his truck saved on his computer for reference. https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf
From what I read there you want the final outside to outside of the tire side walls right at 68 inches to have the outside sidewall at the stock spot. That is where a 700-16 tire on a stone stock truck would be in relation to the fender that has an outside to outside width of 74-7/16 inches. Minus about 3/4 inch on each side for the lip of the fender would give the inside width but you still have to have room to pull a tire off without causing the folks watching you have a laughing fit for your troubles. It's not fun to jack up the truck, block up frame and then unbolt the rear shock and let the axle down so you can pull the oversize rim and tire off because the truck is too low or the tire won't clear the fender with just the axle dropping down as far as the shock allows..

Yes you are correct that is the housing dimension not the axle face to axle face. According to them it is 58.5" face to face which is 3.5" shorter then what i have heard in the past.Don't have my mind set on a specific wheel, just want at least a 18x9/255 wheel/tire that doesn't rub front or rear.

[dwcsr]

a rear 61 to 63 will fit nicely. I used a 2003 S10 4x4 that was 63 wide
Use this form to figure out your wheels. 63 inches with stock S10 wheels leaves you like the below picture on a 47-53

http://www.stocktonwheel.com/pdfs/customize_wheel.pdf

[mr48chev]

I don't have a stock rear end out here to measure but think they are pretty close to my front end that measures 58-3/8 with 54 car front hubs.


That makes the 58=1/2 measurement real close to stock width but doesn't give any clearance for fat tires unless you have some real deep rims. the 60 or so with the mid 70's Nova rear I have doesn't allow for tire to fender clearance with stock 5 lug wheels and I have to have a reverse offset to clear the bed side and then not buy much.

It still comes down to:

A. Buy the exact wheels and tires of choice and have the axle cut to get them fit where you want them to sit. Mini tubs or no depends on tire width.

B. Get the standard issue width of axle that the seller recommends and buy your rims with the needed offset to fit correctly and build mini tubs to match.

The only rub I see with cutting the axle to be able to run a specific offset is that from then on who ever has that truck is stuck with that offset or one close to it for the truck to look proper and if the next owner doesn't like the mod rod rims and wants more traditional rims he is stuck with changing the rear axle.

With the "standard width" axle your choice of offset on the rims you want now may be a bit limited but later on down the road if you or the next owner decides to change rims to a different size it won't be too much of an issue except rim offset.

With that, we do change our minds and attitudes on what we want for rims and tires on our rigs. I'm going back to steelies, full hubcaps and wide whites because I got dead sick and tired of the rims I had only made one payment on being "oblolete and dated" when I made it to the first rod trot I took the truck to. A look into some of the garages of the guys over on the 67/72 side shows that sometimes your rims are out of style before your truck ever rolls out of the garage when they show their stack of 18 inch Coys and tires beside the stack of 20 inch Coys and tires that are beside of the 22 inch Coys and tires that all have the little nubbies on the tires because they have never left the garage on the truck that now packs 24 inch Coys. I dropped out of the car hobby for several years because I was tired of the "you have to have the latest and trickest pieces or you are outdated" syndrome that tends to prevail in some segments of the hobby.



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[OrrieG]

This might help, from the factory spec manual at the site in my link:

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...resto/5059.htm

[PDW HOTRODS]

Just measure the width of your truck bed, decide what wheel/tire you want, and figure what size you need to make it work. The stock size may not be what you want. A Chevy Nova or Camaro rear work very good in these trucks, but if you want wider tires you need a narrower rear or wider fenders.

[solidaxel]

Take a look at the wheels you want to run start there

The back space on the wheels will be your biggest problem, center them in your fender and measure the wheel mounting surface then order your axle to fit your wheels.
We had a hard time finding wheels with the right backspace, offset in 17 or 18 " wheels and I did not want to go with a longer axle stud and spacer

[lower50's]

Wheel base 116" short box
Box 50" wide
Box 78" long short box
Width outside rear fenders 74 1/2"

[Jamesbb]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Take a look at the wheels you want to run start there

The back space on the wheels will be your biggest problem, center them in your fender and measure the wheel mounting surface then order your axle to fit your wheels.
We had a hard time finding wheels with the right backspace, offset in 17 or 18 " wheels and I did not want to go with a longer axle stud and spacer

I know most people are wondering why this is so hard, but thats the catch, all i have currently is the Art Morrison frame and the cab. The other truck i had was really mangled and got a bad buy. I did the major no no and bought it sight unseen from 5 states away and couldn't go see it. After it got here was when i realized i had been taken. Everything was trash except for very few parts, the front fenders had been brazed on and body filled over, and the truck had been wrecked with the frame bent to one side 4". This has been one of those you live and you learn deals. If I had the bed and fenders this would be 10 times easier, but i dont, so im having to do alot of research to figure this out. From what I am seeing is one of the wheels i am looking at can be bought with a 3.75" backspace -32mm offset and 6" backspace +25mm offsetfor the 18x9 wheel. I just need to figure out the correct width cause i have one shot at getting the right housing. Also I want to thank everyone for the help they have given. It has given me alot of think about.

[lower50's]

I don't have a box, I just have fenders and a tailgate. To figure out how much to get my axle shortened I just put the fender over my tire and measured knowing the box is 50" wide. Maybe that might help?

[fisherman420]

I am also determining my rear width which leads me to another question related...Has anyone stuffed an 18x11 or 12" wide wheel under their truck with the stock frame? Mini tubs will be needed for sure but I want to stick the biggest wheel under mine without rubbing or removal issues in case of a flat. I will be narrowing my rear as required.

[fisherman420]

Anyone?, Stock frame, will be mini tubbed, whats the widest tire your able to squeeze in there?

[lower50's]

Sorry I can't help much, but my duallys measure 18 1/4" from outside to outside. You can see in a previous pic I posted here where the fender comes to on the inner tire and they are a 205/55/16 approx 8" wide. Hope that helps a bit till someone else posts.

[itstheshu]

10" rim with a 12" section width tire.