65 C10 Rear End

[themouth1]

I have a howling in my rear end. Not sure if it is a bearing or ring and pinion lash...I am wondering if I should have this one rebuilt (I want to change the gearing if I go this route for better highway manners) or should I swap another one in from the junkyard. If I go that route, what rear end should I be looking for...Then comes the whole five lug, six lug thing...I plan to swap to disks in the front in the near future and it would be nice to be able to put some Cragar Classic five spokes on there...Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Captainfab]

Rebuilding a rear end can be a little spendy, especially if you have to pay someone to set it up. However, you will know exactly what you have and it should give you many miles of good use. While you may be able to find the gear ratio you want in another rear end, what condition will it be in? How many miles are on it? The only direct bolt in 5 lug 12 bolts for your '65 will be the '71-'72 C10 12 bolt. So that narrows down the selection. The '73-'82 C10 12 bolts will work, but there is cutting and welding involved to install one under your truck. Also the '71-'82 C10 12 bolts are 1.5" wider than the 12 bolt you currently have. This may or may not be an issue depending on what tires and wheels you have or plan to.

[themouth1]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Rebuilding a rear end can be a little spendy, especially if you have to pay someone to set it up. However, you will know exactly what you have and it should give you many miles of good use. While you may be able to find the gear ratio you want in another rear end, what condition will it be in? How many miles are on it? The only direct bolt in 5 lug 12 bolts for your '65 will be the '71-'72 C10 12 bolt. So that narrows down the selection. The '73-'82 C10 12 bolts will work, but there is cutting and welding involved to install one under your truck. Also the '71-'82 C10 12 bolts are 1.5" wider than the 12 bolt you currently have. This may or may not be an issue depending on what tires and wheels you have or plan to.

Do I have to go with a 12 bolt? Any other options out there or is that it? I don't have a welder anymore so I would have to pay someone to do the fab work if it won't bolt straight in...Thanks,

[Captainfab]

All of the '63-'72 C10's came with 12 bolts if they had the coil springs and trailing arms. You could go with a '80-'87 8.5" 10 bolt, but there again they are 1.5" wider and there will be cutting and welding involved. Of course I am assuming your truck does have coils and trailing arms, and not the optional leaf springs. Is this correct?

Originally Posted by themouth1

Do I have to go with a 12 bolt? Any other options out there or is that it? I don't have a welder anymore so I would have to pay someone to do the fab work if it won't bolt straight in...Thanks,

[Clyde65]

it cost me about $350 for the rebuild plus $400 for parts without posi. i did it in stages.

[Captainfab]

I guess I should have mentioned a couple of other rear ends that will work. The '94-'96 Impala/Caprice. The SS and 9C1 versions have disc brakes. Also the newer Colorado/Canyon mid size trucks have a 6 lug rear end that is 1" narrower. But there again, there is cutting and welding involved. I learned about these here on the forum.