the ol 34 needs a new rear end. (yea its a 34 so i dont care to hear that you know the difference) i also dont really care what rear suspension or rear end goes under it but it currently has the original 34 transverse spring on a 57 chev rear. the new rear wheels (not pictured) are too wide (8 1/2 w/ 3 3/4 back) -- (pictured are 7" with 3 3/4 back space so ill have 1 1 /2 more sticking out each side of the fenders) the tires peek out now but i dont mind it. & mainly the 57 chev rear has mega weld on it therefore it must be slightly warped & the seals & bearings dont like it, it also has about a 4:1 gear ratio -- it dosent just seap grease out the ends but there are also teeny leaks where the trailing arms were welded on the housing & rewelded & rewelded again with the arc welder cranked up high probably done back in the 60s so i need a new rear. i have several rears on hand to use ---- maverick 8",-- 57 ford 9", -- 67 camaro 12 bolt, -- etc... i can buy new pete & jake adjustable perches & ladder style bars & go transverse again or posies paralell leaves or C.E. or???????? i have not measured anything yet just taking suggestions on whats what. the least amount of work would be nice. could sell the little 12 bolt & get a new currie but 10 years down the road all i have is a used old currie worth nothing id rather use the 12 bolt & 10 yrs later i still have a desireable expensive 12 bolt.
Depends on the gear ratio that you want.I would think the Mav rearend would work the best for width.If you don't use it I'd take it off your hands.
wheels are too wide i just mounted & balanced them, it does drive nice yet. i ran it at 45-50 & 65-70 awhile & then up at 95-100.smooth as gl***. i checked at CE on paralell springs the whole thing is 440.00 or so.
I Just finished building a 34 and used a Rear out of a 1998 Explorer, it matched width very well. We used an 8" wheel and a rather large tire as he wanted a "Lot of Meat" back there. These come with Disc brakes. Mine had 3.50 gears and a Posi from the Salvage yard. Picked it up for 250.00 Chad
I know the '57 9" will fit nicely. That's exactly what's under my brothers '34 P.U. He has leafs under it, I know they are pretty short, but i don't know what they are out of. They are definately not aftermarket though. I can find out if you'd like, just p.m. me
tonight after work ill try to make some time & get underneath & measure so i know where im at. ---- i can get an explorer rear & i would run one but id need drum brakes. ----------- i looked at C.E. website & it said their paralell spring set up lines right up on the maverick spring pads (perches) -------- im going to need to decide which way to go & get a rearend all ready & everything lined up as i dont want the truck down (hogging the garage to long) & its currently looking like a dually with all this rubber sticking out.
The 57 Chevrolet rear end is 60 inches wide ... measured this way Below is a photo of HOTRODPRIMERS 32 Ford pickup ch***is with a late 60's Bronco 9 inch rear end. I got the Bronco rear end out of a 1968 or a 1969 Bronco ... and he wanted it so I sold it to him. The Bronco rear end is two inches more narrow than your 57 Chevrolet rear end. His 32 sits just about perfect to me ... with the tires just right ... in the fenders.
Did a 34 for a customer several years ago using a CI leaf spring kit. Only complaint I had was the instructions did not tell us to mount the springs in board some at the front. I didn't do that and we had issues at the running boards. $0.02's worth
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