47-55.1 Favorite rearend for a 53?

[JT's 53]

Guys, what’s your favorite rearend to use in a 53? Probably hooked up to a 350 with an automatic. Thanks

[mongocanfly]

welcome...
it mostly depends on what your plan is...tires/wheels play into it as well as bolt pattern and brakes
i have a 9in disc brake for mine...some use 12bolt or 10bolt,,other use s10 or zr2 and then others use 8.8 explorer...

[MiraclePieCo]

Are we talking from a width standpoint, installation standpoint, or a performance standpoint?

I had a 4x4 S10 Blazer rear in my '50 PU. It required mini-tubs in the box to run wide tires. Now I have a GM 12-bolt from a '67 Chevelle in my '51. The width is perfect without the need to tub the bed unless you're running real fatties. It's a 2.73 ratio behind a TH350. I live in a mountainous area; the rear was too high geared for my previous 700R4 trans. It constantly hunted gears pulling hills.

I find 8-9" Ford rears are much easier to work on. Easier to pull axles, install seals, etc. because it can all be done from outside without going under the car or breaking open the case. In this case however I wanted my Chevy to be all Chevy.

[mick53]

For performance I have a Frankland Quick change with Gleason dif. 12.88 Wilwood disk brakes. 4:11 ring has about 128 gear ratios from about 1:85 to about 8:65. Just a matter how far you go. I had a 12 bolt 6 lug in it and it was a nice fit. I'm running a Tremec TKO 600.

[popstand]

Bought my ’53 in Alabama 30 years ago, had a 327, Saginaw 4-speed, and a ’68 Impala 3.08 8.2 10-bolt, drum brakes non locker axle. Leaf spring pads welded onto housing tubes. Perfect fit in truck with GM 15 inch rally wheels, 235-15 BFG TA's. Truck is now all redone but still has same axle - but will be replacing soon with an ’81 Firebird Trans Am WS6 axle with disc brakes. New axle is ‘corporate’ 8.5 10-bolt posi. This corporate 8.5 is almost as strong as the older 12-bolts and there’s lots of them around. But actually, the 8.2 is just fine in a pickup with a 350.