The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - Rear axle (not rear end) swap

raycow · 06-21-2010, 03:35 AM

I know you said your replacement rear was a bolt-in. Please look at where the panhard bar attaches to the axle housng. Does it attach to a bracket welded onto the axle tube, or does it attach to a lug that is part of the center casting? The first is stock for 63-64 and the second is the 65-up design.

The reason this is important is that the shaft splines also changed in 65, from 17 to 30 splines. AFAIK, the aftermarket shafts are not available with 17 splines. You can use the 30 spline shafts, but those require that you replace the differential side gears. This is not at all difficult to do, but just be aware that you must order the gears if you have the 17 spline shafts in there now.

Ray

06-21-2010, 03:35 AM	#5
raycow Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA USA Posts: 2,454	Re: Rear axle (not rear end) swap - 6 lug to 5 lug I know you said your replacement rear was a bolt-in. Please look at where the panhard bar attaches to the axle housng. Does it attach to a bracket welded onto the axle tube, or does it attach to a lug that is part of the center casting? The first is stock for 63-64 and the second is the 65-up design. The reason this is important is that the shaft splines also changed in 65, from 17 to 30 splines. AFAIK, the aftermarket shafts are not available with 17 splines. You can use the 30 spline shafts, but those require that you replace the differential side gears. This is not at all difficult to do, but just be aware that you must order the gears if you have the 17 spline shafts in there now. Ray