5 lug rear axle conversion (66)

[Choptop32]

So I'm going to get the CPP 5 lug conversion axles for my 66 panel.

Any tips on install? Is it a pain in the arse? Anyone done this?

[Tx Firefighter]

Swapping axle shafts is nothing to get worked up over. It's very straightforward.

[Choptop32]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Swapping axle shafts is nothing to get worked up over. It's very straightforward.

good deal...

just pop and wheels, drums...

backing plates? or is there an axle retainer? Do I need to open the rear end?

[Tx Firefighter]

Remove wheels and drums. Remove rearend cover. Remove lock bolt, push center pin out. Slightly push each axle inward until the c clip falls off and remove axle.

[Tx Firefighter]

This is a 10 bolt Chevelle rear end but it is exactly the same procedure for your 12 bolt.

YouTube- 1965 Chevelle Blog #4: C-Clip Axle...

[Choptop32]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

This is a 10 bolt Chevelle rear end but it is exactly the same procedure for your 12 bolt.

YouTube- 1965 Chevelle Blog #4: C-Clip Axle Removal V8TV

danke mucho.

Thats not hard at all.

of course... it makes me want to put a limited slip pumpkin in while I'm there

[Choptop32]

Got the old axles out, new ones in, easy....

getting the damn spider gears BACK in?

I'm 2 hours into struggling to get them to line up, stay in place, get the pin in without the shims falling out... on and on....

all while laying in a pool of gear oil that seeped out from my container that I placed under the rear end when I opened it.

taking a break to have a beer and think about it a little... perhaps if I go stare at the spider gears while I drink the beer it will all work easier when I start up again.


fun!!!! ;D

[fryer1979]

Originally Posted by Choptop32

Got the old axles out, new ones in, easy....

getting the damn spider gears BACK in?

I'm 2 hours into struggling to get them to line up, stay in place, get the pin in without the shims falling out... on and on....

all while laying in a pool of gear oil that seeped out from my container that I placed under the rear end when I opened it.

taking a break to have a beer and think about it a little... perhaps if I go stare at the spider gears while I drink the beer it will all work easier when I start up again.


fun!!!! ;D

Ouch that sucks. Interesting though that the spider gears came out. I've never had then fall out of mine, even when pulling the differential out. Or did you actually pull them out? Sometimes just taking a breather is all it takes, and if you have a second pair of hands it can go alot faster.

[NF65Fleetside]

patients mayn....youll be stoked once done! great weekend project!

[Choptop32]

Drank a beer, watched the video a couple of times, figured out the way to get the spider gears in was the rotate the dif cage so that the axle gears were exposed at 12 and 6 (you you cant look into where the spider gears are, all you see is the spider gear shaft and dif cage), put one spider gear on top, hold the other in place 180 degrees away on the bottom... then turn both wheels/axles to rotate the spider gears into the dif cage.... all while making sure the shims go with them.... then line all of those elements up and slide in the spider gear shaft.... (then take it back out because you forgot to rotate the shaft so that the hole in it lines up with the lock pin hole....).


all in all, once I figured out how to do it the whole thing took about an hour...

but all told it took all day... with having to use a puller to get on the of the brake drums off... the retainer clips on the shoes had come undone on one side and the shoes were dragging... and then having to do a brake job after that... and a trip to the store to buy gold paint for the new brake drums... on and on...

but it looks good with Radir wheels in back.


if I get up early I'll tackle putting the drop springs and shocks on the back.

['65Burb]

Great thread, book marking it so that I can use it later. Thanks

['65Burb]

Well, let me beat this horse so I can place an order. Crawled under my '65 Suburban and it has a 12 bolt cover with the Panhard bar attachment hole on the driver's side,cast in the upper differential case , and the whole axle is 62" WMS to WMS. May I safely assume that I have the 30 spline axles? Thanks for all the info posted that at least got me to this point.

[Captainfab]

Yes your 12 bolt will have the 30 spline axles.

Originally Posted by '65Burb

Well, let me beat this horse so I can place an order. Crawled under my '65 Suburban and it has a 12 bolt cover with the Panhard bar attachment hole on the driver's side,cast in the upper differential case , and the whole axle is 62" WMS to WMS. May I safely assume that I have the 30 spline axles? Thanks for all the info posted that at least got me to this point.