I have scoured the inter webs and found no real information I am wondering if I can swap the axles and backing plates from a 51 Chevrolet 210 in to my 41 Chevrolet housing ? Wanting to keep closed drive shaft
Since you haven't been able to find the info, you may have to be a "pioneer". What I suggest is looking in a '41 (late '30s thru '48) Chevy shop manual, or a Motors or Chilton manual, a see how the '41 axles are retained in the housing. If they are, as I suspect, retained by a "C" clip on the inner axle end, that is the same as '49 thru '54. So far, so good. ***uming you have the '51 parts on hand, I would compare the backing plate retaining bolt spacing. You can do that by looking at the backside of the plate, where attaches to the axle housing. Or pull a brake drum from both and look behind the axle flange, measuring the bolt spacing. If they are the same...good....but even in not, it isn't necessarily the end of the line. You might also measure the diameter of each axle housing immediately behind the backing plate as that will be an indication of the axle bearing size. Lastly you could remove an axle shaft from each and compare the shaft length and spline count and diameter. To remove the axle shafts, you remove the differential back cover plate, remove the small locking bolt for the center pin, remove the pin, push the axle shaft inward and remove the "C" clip. The axle shaft can now be pulled from the housing. It also may be possible to swap the entire '51 axle ***embly in place of the '41 unit. The tape measure is your friend in these matters. Ray
Measure the torque tube length on a '51 - '54 & compare to your '41. If the same, & it should be, then install a complete Powerglide 3.55 ***'y.
Hi. Going a bit different direction in my 46 Chevy Coupe with closed driveline I purchased a 355 ring & pinion ***embly along with a complete set of new bearings, seals & gaskets & installed them in the original rear end. Works great. Jimmie
I was going to just swap backing plates on the rear axle of my '49 Chevy to later model to get rid of the 'Huck' brakes. It doesn't work - spacing is wrong and backing plate mounting holes don't line up. See if complete rear a say will fit your springs.
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