I have a 3.42 rear end from a 4-wheel drive 1988 S-10 under my '53 Chevy. I really, really want to swap to a higher gear, preferably a 2.78 which would put my highway RPMs in a much better sweet spot. The problem is that I can only find 4x4 S-10 rear ends with a 3.08 ratio. Here's my question: Is the rear end from a 1978-1987 midsize GM (Regal, Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Malibu, etc., etc.) exactly the same dimensions as the S-10 4x4 rear? If it's the same width and the same u-joint and the same axle tube diameter, then I can pick up a 2.78 easy in a local junkyard and just swap that in without having to change everything else (driveshaft, spring hangers, u-bolts, shock mounts, etc.). Or am I stuck with a 3.08 and more highway RPMs than I'd like? (I tried searching before posting, so if this has already been covered please post a link to the thread) p.s. I hate to "post and run," but I'm about to lose access to the internet until tonight, so please don't hate on me if I don't reply to any follow-ups right away! I will check back as soon as I can.
From what I understand the S-10 rear is narrower that the metric rear end and the mounting brackets are different. On the other hand you can pull the gears out of the metric rear end and put them in the S-10 rear end as long as you have the right carrier.
the 2 wheel rear will probably have gears matched to a overdrive also what he wants is a higher gear not a different width rear end. the metric rear has coil brackets that need to be removed and than you can weld on spring saddles for leaf springs. a 70-81 camaro will also work as long as your wheel tire combo is not to large.
wouldnt it be a lot easier to put new gears in your housing? can you get a 2 series gm 7.5 carrier? should be cheap. then put your choice of gear on!
I helped put a '77 camaro rear in a '52 chevy that worked out great. They said it was a 2.78 or something close.
Thanks for the replies so far. I know the spring brackets are different because the cars are coil rears - I have to cut off the factory ones and weld on new leaf perches anyway. And the 2-wheel drive S-10 rear is way too narrow for my car. For me it would be easier to swap the whole rear than to change the gears for two reasons: 1. I've changed the rear springs and it messed up my pinion angle, so I could kill two birds with one stone by putting the new rear in with the spring perches at the right angle for the new springs 2. I don't know SQUAT about changing the gears in a rear end. I have never, ever done anything like that at all. I helped my dad change the gears in a Chrysler rear end once, but it was like a Ford 9-inch, where everything just comes out as one big heavy package. I wouldn't even know where to begin for just changing the gears in a Chevy rear end. I know a Camaro/Firebird rear end is about the same width, and that is my fall-back plan, but that would require changing my u-bolts and shock mount plate because I think the axle tubes are a bit bigger diameter? Also, I think they are very slightly wider and I have very little clearance between my sidewalls and the fender skirt bloomers as it is. So back to my original question: is a midsize GM rear end the same width as the 4x4 S-10 rear end?
As far as I can tell S-10 2 x 4 rear end with 54 1/2 S-10 4 x 4 rear end width 59" Metric Rear End Width 58"
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