Help...switching out rear end on 1965 C10 Stepside

[DBRENNAN5876]

Well here is the story...I have a 1965 Chevy C10 Stepside, and I am switching the front two a 5 lug disc brake. I already have all of that figured out. But I just started figuring out the rearend in order to get a a five lug in the rear. I found a five lug rear end off of a late sixties early seventies fleet side chevy. Now they have the same number on the left side of the pumpkin when looking at it from where the shaft hooks up. However, the number on the right side my original rear end out of my truck is GM 56 where as the new one is a GM 57. They both have the trailing arm mounts, and the control arm mount on the bracket in the right location. When measuring from the pumpkin to the end of the axle I found the new one to be an inch longer on each side of the pumpkin in comparison to my original.

Will this still work in my truck even though it has an overall greater width by 2 inches? I realize each tire will be out an incyh farther, but they still will fit inside the step side fenders i would think, but im not sure about tire alignment with the front tires.

Thanks, Drew

[low900rr]

You probably found one from a 72......yes they are alittle wider and sometimes you will have to trim the wheel well lip. Thats the same axle I have under my 64 but will be putting it under the new 66 I just bought.

[low900rr]

just noticed your in mi. where at??? I live in warren

[DBRENNAN5876]

That's a bummer...I know some good welders with the right equipment and maybe this is out of the question, but is it possible to take the five lug axles and shorten them to fit into my 6 lug rear end?

Thanks

[low900rr]

the 5 lug axle will work fine.

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by DBRENNAN5876

That's a bummer...I know some good welders with the right equipment and maybe this is out of the question, but is it possible to take the five lug axles and shorten them to fit into my 6 lug rear end?

Thanks

No that won't work. The other option would be either buy the conversion axles, or have your existing axles plugged and redrilled. Either way is going to be some $$. As long as you got a decent deal on the rear end you're talking about, I would go with that. BTW it should be only 1 1/2 inches wider overall.

[DBRENNAN5876]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

No that won't work. The other option would be either buy the conversion axles, or have your existing axles plugged and redrilled. Either way is going to be some $$. As long as you got a decent deal on the rear end you're talking about, I would go with that. BTW it should be only 1 1/2 inches wider overall.

Hey thank-you for all of the help. I had the axle givin to me I just had to drag it out of the woods and take it off of the truck trailer it was on. Thank you for the help, I will use it and it should not be a noticeable difference, I don't think I will have to shave any of the rear quarter to make the tires fit as quoted earlier.

Thanks

[Captainfab]

No problem, glad to help when I can

[LILRED66]

A deeper offset will make up difference in rear-end widths, so the front and back will track nearly the same.