axle shaft question

[kgmunro]

Are there any stock junkyard axle shafts that will bolt into my 66 suburban rear diff? I want to go from 6 bolt to 5 bolt.

[Captainfab]

I believe I answered this question in your other thread asking basically the same question

[kgmunro]

Actually...no. What I want to know is if any axles will fit the existing diff to make it a 5 bolt pattern. I got a private message telling me what will work, so its ok captain...thanks .

[fleetsidelarry]

Originally Posted by kgmunro

Actually...no. What I want to know is if any axles will fit the existing diff to make it a 5 bolt pattern. I got a private message telling me what will work, so its ok captain...thanks .

IF the pm said that '71-'72 axles fit, it is misleading. they will work but they won't be right, the bearing surface will move inboard on the newer axles and the newer brake drums will hide the mismatch of the narrower '66 brake shoes. It's been done, there was a thread in the past about this.

If it's some other "secret", there are probably hundreds of us who would truly appreciate being enlightened-please share the info

[kgmunro]

ya you are right about the 71-72 axles thing... I guess the easiest and least expensive for me is to take the rear diff from my 85 and mount it in.. But has anyone done this on a suburban body and been able to use the stock 8 inch gm truck rally wheels? The fact that the diff is 1.5 inch wider has me nervous...is there lots of room back there for the extra width and wider rim??

[fleetsidelarry]

double posted-don't know what happened

[raycow]

If overall width is a concern, have a machine shop redrill your 65 shafts to the 5 lug pattern. This should cost less than buying the aftermarket 5 lug shafts.

Ray

[kgmunro]

Well that was my original idea but they won't do that here because they say it will take the integrity away from the axle hub area

[fleetsidelarry]

Originally Posted by kgmunro

ya you are right about the 71-72 axles thing... I guess the easiest and least expensive for me is to take the rear diff from my 85 and mount it in.. But has anyone done this on a suburban body and been able to use the stock 8 inch gm truck rally wheels? The fact that the diff is 1.5 inch wider has me nervous...is there lots of room back there for the extra width and wider rim??

you should be OK with standard backspacing (which I think is 3.25"). Do you have a current 6-lug rim you can measure for width and backspacing? and can you measure your current clearance to the fender lip? it shouldn't matter that it is a suburban, it should be the same as a fleetside. remember, we're only wider by 3/4" each side

sorry about the earlier double post, I must have pushed a wrong button

[tapeworm]

Originally Posted by kgmunro

Well that was my original idea but they won't do that here because they say it will take the integrity away from the axle hub area

Give Moser a call

http://www.moserengineering.com/moser/shop-services/

I've never done this myself, but have heard great things about them with this service.

[kgmunro]

I have my 85 chevy coming home soon so i will be able to measure the width of the diff with rims installed, this should help to figure this out. Thanks for the knowledge guys. This is one cool website!