One way to solve the axle bearing problem is to install a c-clip eliminator
kit. The odds of losing a rear axle are small (given that there are
millions of these rearends on the road - how many have you seen come out?)
but it does happen occasionally. To me, the thought of having to fix the
fender/bed or whatever gets ruined on my Cameo by losing the axle is reason
enough to spend the $100 for c-clip eliminators, plus solving the bearing
problem. For those of you that may have converted your rear brakes to discs
using GM hardware, the c-clip kit from Moser works fine - all of the other
vendors say theirs won't work with discs and a 10-bolt.
Bob Welch
Bartlesville, OK
'56 Cameo
'55 Belair
'54 5-window AD
'56 Panel
----- Original Message -----
From: "J Forbes" <jforbes@primenet.com>
To: "Old Trucks List" <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 11:30 PM
Subject: [oletrucks] rearends for 454, trannys, gear ratios
> An oletruck with a 454...what more could you want?
> :)
>
> The 10 bolt car rearends are probably adequate, IF
> you get the right one (8.5" ring gear) AND you make
> sure it's in good condition. The axles wear out
> where the bearings ride; the pinion gear may crack
> at the base of the teeth (requires removing the
> bearings to see it); the spider gears/side gears get
> tired after lots of miles; some of the factory posi
> units are not very strong....
>
> These same problems occur on the car and truck 12
> bolt rearends, and the F*rd 9" rears have some
> different problems, such as weak posi units
> (although the detroit locker is very strong, but has
> some handling quirks), and with any rearend, if it's
> used, it's probably in need of a complete
> overhaul--definitely a complete (take it apart)
> inspection at the minimum.
>
> I like to run a stock (with mild shift kit) rebuilt
> TH400, with a switch pitch torque converter, and
> highway gears, behind big blocks. Gears around 2.75
> to 3.0 work great with a mild cam and about 2000 rpm
> stall speed, or with a bigger cam you can run 3.50
> gears and 2500 stall and really go quick. The 8.5"
> ten bolt (used in most all 70-81 Camaros) is about
> the minimum strength rearend to use, the 12 bolt
> truck rearend from the 60s-70s works well if you
> want to keep 6 lugs, but they got wider in 1970, so
> measure carefully. The F*rd 9" will be fine if you
> get a good one and make it fit...this can get
> expensive, though. For example, the 9" in my 55
> Belair was bought used, I paid $800 for the Summers
> Brothers housing and axles and brakes, and then
> bought a Detroit Locker (they cost over $400 in the
> catalogs) and new bearings, and I had some good used
> gears. You can easily spend $2000 at Currie or
> similar places for a 9" built to your specs, with
> nothing exotic in it.
>
> The 700R4 is ok if you want to spend a lot of $$$
> getting one built to last behind a big block, but it
> seems to me to be false economy. With a big block
> and steep gears, you're gonna smoke the tires, so
> you might as well put mild gears in it, and just run
> a 3 speed automatic. You can put a mild stall
> converter in a TH400 and get most of the benefit of
> steeper gears.
>
> Jim F
> 59s in AZ
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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