55 2nd series Rear End swap

[Guyz55]

In a previous post titled wheels, I should have asked the following question which is

if I decide to swap out the read end in my 55 3100 sb which used read end would be a good replacement . C10 ,Tahoe,camaro

As I indicated , I put out a previous post about swapping out my front brakes to disc and wanting to keep my 6 lug hubs ///im not so sure that's the right way to go given the limited supply of custom 6 lug wheels ....so if I can pick up a used rear end that has 5 lugs would it be that simple to find matching wheels for all for corners ...I'd rather not incur the cost and aggravation of swapping in a rear end and then having to try to find wheels to match different bolt patterns ...

Just not sure which way would be the right way to proceed

Thanx for the help ....

[yossarian19]

If you are swapping rear ends AND doing front brakes, yes, it's totally simple to go 5 lug. You can find front brake + hub kits in 5 x 4.75 pretty easily and of course that's what most GM rear ends are going to be.

I kept it 6-lug so I could defer the cost of wheels / tires and because I just thought a 6x5.5 truck was cooler than a 5x4.75 truck but that's just me.

I think anything "Tahoe" or, really, model year 1988+ is going to be a bit wide. You could do it with the right wheels I think but then you're back to limiting options.

A good six lug donor is the Jeep Wagoneer Dana 44. The AMC 20 is also a good axle, again from a Wagoneer, but the Dana is your first choice. Easily available positraction parts, disc brake setups can be done, strong enough to fill the bed with sheet rock or tow something with it. Upgradeable to just-plain-silly degrees.
Another six lug option is any 4wd C10 or early enough I think the C10s came 2wd 6 lug, 12 bolt axles. I know less about them but they are a good axle.

Also, be aware, you can't get a posi for the stock 55.2 rear end but you can get everything else to rebuild it and even put disc brakes on it now.

In 5x5 pattern a Jeep Grand Cherokee from 99-04 is the right width, has good solid brakes on it, comes mostly in 3.73 ratio. Some came with a hydraulically driven limited slip. It's a red-headed stepchild of a Dana 44 with an aluminum center section, steel tubes, and IIRC a Dana 60 pinion diameter / bearing set. Not as easy to upgrade as a regular Dana but it's the right width, right ratio, it's available and it's got OEM discs.

You might also look at Isuzu Rodeo / honda passport rear ends. I think they may be a little narrower, like around 58", but they are a disc brake 6 lug Dana 44.

As for five lug options outside the Grand Cherokee... I think a Gen II Camaro fits, but somebody else will know a lot more. I kept it to 6 lug so that's what I know.

[Mac the Yankee]

If you want to use the 6 lugs, you might be able to use a Toyota Tundra rear- they are plenty sturdy and should fit your opening well.

If you're going for the 5 lug, 70's Camaro is a good way to go- fits nicely with some room for wider tires, and good gearing for highway use.

[roger55]

I have a 1965 GMC pickup rear in my '57 Chevy 3200.
It's a Dana 44 and the width is perfect.

I had a total rebuild done on it with new 3.54 gears and new Trac-Loc (posi). I bought all the parts from Tom's Differentials out of Idaho. He carries all new made-in-america parts for these.
The guy I had rebuild it thought the Dana 44 is a really good quality way to go.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Too bad you're not closer to me. I have the Chevy 10 bolt that was in my '55 and worked perfectly available. I'd give it to you very cheaply to get it out of my driveway and it would bolt right up in your truck.

[whitedog76]

Late model Chevy Colorado's (2004-2012) Use a 6x5.5 lug pattern also.

They have 8.0" rearends, which are just upgrade 7.5's, and 8.6" 10 bolt rearends. The 4x4's are the ones you want though, they're 60", the Z71's are 63", and the 2wd are 57".

They are all drum brake though. You can upgrade to Discs with an aftermarket kit or use a rotor from a Silverado and Calipers from a Trailblazer.