[mr48chev]

Swapping in a 3/4 ton rear or even center section won't do him any good as the gear ratio in those is usually lower than what his wife has now. He needs somewhere close to a 3.5 gear ratio to make her happy. Plus I have never read where someone pulled the center section out of a 3/4 ton and put it in a 1/2 ton housing and made it work or if it will even work. My guess is that it won't work and is bad advise. 3/4 ton axles are held in by the bolts on the axle flange to the hub while 1/2 ton axles are held in by C clips.

Yes the shift arms will be a challenge but not one that can't be met. As in anything else you do on these trucks when you change something you have to do some adjusting on things to get them to work the way you want them to.