axle mounting advice

[MidLifer]

I'm modernizing the driveline in my 1950 3100, I sourced an axle from a 1980 Z28 (3.42 posi) and am matching that to a T5. Up front I'm just doing a Speedways Disc kit and keeping the straight axle. I want a near-stock drive height, and will be running 15's and smoothies from Wheelsmith.

I have been looking through build threads and did a couple of searches on the forum but can't find this answer. Forgive me if this is one of the things that's been covered a million times. Can I merely cut the spring perches off the Camaro axle and fab up a plate and use U-bolts to attach it to the leaf springs, as the original axle is mounted? or is there another method of fitting the axle?

Thanks -
Jim

[nvrdone]

I've got a 12 bolt out of a c10 in my 49. I cut off all the mounting hardware and fabed new mounts out of 2 x 3" tube and used u bolts with a plate under the spring to mount the axle.
By fabing the mounts I was able to center the axle in the wheel wells. It's been mounted that way for over 30 years & still works good

[mr48chev]

You can use Moroso or other mounts that you can usually get locally though a parts house that sells speed parts or one that handles Moroso parts but if you are up to fabricating your own I'd say go for it.

If you want it to sit as close to the stock height that it did before measure from the spring to the center line of the original axle and use that height to figure out where to set the cut out for your axle housing in the pad you fab up.
Remember you need to drill the hole for the spring bolt aproximately 1-3/4 inches in front of the center line of the axle in the pad to center the axle in the wheel opening but you may want to make sure of that before doing the drilling.

[klutz51]

CPP makes a kit I used it on my 51, worked perfect.

[MARTINSR]

When I put a Camaro rear in mine I was using lowering blocks. It worked perfect, just put a bolt in the lowering block that went up into hole on the rear axle mount and drilled the hole for the spring center bolt further forward. You maybe can do the same thing with your spring mount on the rear, drill a new hole further forward on it instead of the center where it's at now.

Just a thought.

Brian

[MidLifer]

Thanks for all the good ideas and advice. I went out and looked and measured - could it really be this easy? The distance between the inside of the leaf springs on my truck is 42". That is exactly the distance between the inside edges of the existing spring perches on the axle. Could I fab up a spacer to compensate for the narrower leaf springs and just lay this axle on them, then fab up a plate at the bottom with shock mounts? Or is that just too easy?

[klutz51]

Yup that easy if you are using the sock springs. I did with lowering blocks.

[NEWFISHER]

Whats your wheel mount surface to wheel mount surface? Aka WMS

[jremig]

I put a 76 nova rear end under my 52 3100. Kept the original springs and the rear end fit perfect except for a 1/2 inch gap on both sides. Put new u bolts and tightend them up, should be no problem.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by MidLifer

Thanks for all the good ideas and advice. I went out and looked and measured - could it really be this easy? The distance between the inside of the leaf springs on my truck is 42". That is exactly the distance between the inside edges of the existing spring perches on the axle. Could I fab up a spacer to compensate for the narrower leaf springs and just lay this axle on them, then fab up a plate at the bottom with shock mounts? Or is that just too easy?

That is going to leave some really ugly spring perches hanging out past the springs on the outside of the spring and you will have to figure out how to get U bolts through them to hold the axle in place. If you are good with having other truck guys and rodders look under the back of the truck and then shake their head after seeing that you short cutted it rather than doing a nice clean job of it go for it.

One of the main reuasons I am starting completely over from a bare frame on my truck that I have owned since 1973 when I was 25 years old is n that I was very impatient when I was young and took several somewhat similar shortcuts over the years that stick out like sore thumbs. Things that I should have spent a couple of more hours on to do right but I thought I was in too big of a hurry or that it would get me by until I could do it right.

Think about it for a minute or an hour, while doing it that way might possibly get you by, will it be right and look right when you are done?

[OrrieG]

My 74 axle has 2.5 inch perch mounted on stock 2 inch springs with lift blocks. 15 yests as a daily driver with no problems, make sure it is centered or it will pull to one side.p

[MidLifer]

Mr48chev, I am pouring a lot of dough into this reto and I want it to look right and work right. I'm not much of a fab guy so I will look at those Moroso mounts you mentioned. LMC sells an axle mount kit as well, which looks like the easy way to go for someone like me w/o a lot of experience.

Thanks all for the advice.

[mr48chev]

Good, You lmay need a thin lowering block to get it at stock height as

The Moroso 85090 spring pads are 2-1/2 i\nches wide though and too wide for your springs.

I'll do some hunting and see what i can dig up.

These are two inches wide http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-0-Wide-Lea...14ca19&vxp=mtr

I don't think a guy will find any 1-3/4 inches wide.

[solidaxel]

Look in your area for a Trailer repair shop or a spring shop, they will have what you need

[xaircav]

Originally Posted by klutz51

CPP makes a kit I used it on my 51, worked perfect.

Thats the one I used to put a 10 bolt in my '53

[spreader]

http://diy4x.com/ (Do It Youself 4X4) will make you any kind of spring perch you need/want. I've used them for my scout II and they made some for a buddies old International KB pick-up with 1&3/4" rear springs. Reasonably priced too.

[1958Warrior]

Got my whole kit for $25 at southwest wheel, but any trailer store should set you up for close to the same price.
I know getting started fabbing can be a little overwhelming , but you have to start somewhere. But be careful it can be very addictive...

http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/...xle-seats.aspx

http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/...bolt-kits.aspx

[MidLifer]

FWIW, I've decided to buy the kit. There seem to be 2 versions out there - there is a $89 version sold by Jim Carters and others, and another version that POL has for $119 and LMC sells the same thing for $40 more. The difference is that the POL kit has more parts, including upper and lower shock mounts. Also the POL kit has indexed holes drilled to center the axle in the wheel opening, and the cheaper one doesn't. Little differences, but I'm keenly aware of the value of time on projects like this and the $30 to me is money well spent on a more "bolt-in" solution. I'm going to mock up the axle, mark the mount locations and pay a pro welder to weld it for me. My skills and little MIG box aren't up for a job like that.

[wolffcub]

I got a buch of stuff for the truck on the road now from POL. It should be here this week and I can post any info you might want after I get my parts in. I got the lowering leaf kit with swaybars, rear axle kit, front shock mount kit and other bits for the suspension.