I have scrolled through some of the older posts and found some inter- esting ideas for rearend swaps. My problem is:I have the original 3:73 rear which I was going to use. I took it to a shop and they told me it was completely shot and would need basically EVERY part in it replaced along with the manufacture of two new axles because you can't get 17 spline axles anymore. The common, easily available axles are the 30 spline used from '72 or so but they are too short to be used in this rear. They also said that any axle from a '64 or '65 are the ONLY ones of that width. Ya got me. I saw a kit in the online Chevy Duty catalog to adapt different rears to my coil set-up. I may have to go that route because the quote on rebuilding mine is in the $1600 range. You people know of any shops in the SW Missouri area I might try? I went to CATT in Springfield. Thanks for any help.
Yo Grunt, Find another shop. The 72 rear will fit in, and it's not narrower, it's wider. But not so much that it cannot be used. Dval
Howdy, 'd'. I just received my Chevy Duty catalog today and see that the kit I spoke of will fit '73-'87 C10 rears, 61" plate to plate. I may do this, especially if the price is right. I can't help but wonder if the shop I spoke of really didn't want to mess with this old rear and priced it above what anyone would pay for a rebuild. Thanks for the intel.
Update on rear. I posted on another topic about researching this rear for about three months. I ended up at Randy's Ring and Pinion in Washington State. I purchased a complete kit from them to rebuild my original rear. It was a little expensive, but I don't want to have to worry about this. I want to do it once and move on. If you purchase a complete kit, you get some kind of a discount. Okay by me. A buck is a buck. I received an 4 series Eaton posi carrier, a master bearing kit, a new 3:73 ring and pinion(12 bolt, 8 7/8" ring) and two new 30 spline axles. The bearings are Timken. Good stuff. The rest is Yukon, made in the USofA. Good stuff. I sandblasted the rear shell and then took it to the shop that did my engine work so they could tank it. That got all of the old gear oil and other unrecognizable stuff out of the tubes. We started on it yesterday(05-31). I have installed the axle bearings and the pinion bearing races. I have to watch the rearend video again to confirm the next steps and make sure I'm not messing something up. More to follow.
