Got a rer end out of a 55 chevy and its going in my 54 chevy. I have never torn into a rear end before. Any tips on what to look for or what needs to be replaced. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. BTW I did do a search and found nothing...
I would not disturb it unless it needed it. Is it leaking? You can replace the main carrier gasket. I would be hesitant to remove the pinion flange without some experience with them. Chevy uses a crush sleeve and you do not want to overtighten them. I would just clean the outside and call it done. I have a nice housing and axles if you end up needing some.
Check out the following link http://chevy.tocmp.com/booklets/5506top00.htm I am running a 56 chevy rear in my 29 sedan and found the following link to be helpful when I decided to pull it apart for inspection. Mine was in good shape so I just replaced the axle bearings and seals and put it back together. Good luck.
You'd do well to pick up a '55 Chevy shop manual. It's quite detailed in illustrating dissassembly/assembly of the rear end.
The Jalopy Journal
