Rear axle question ??????

I'm building a 57 Chevy truck and am going with 5 lug wheels. The fronts, I have new disc but on the rear are 6 lug. Can I pull the axles and drill a new pattern or is there axles that will interchange. I am looking for the right size rear end but until then , just wondering..

Mick

 

An 8.5" 10-bolt out of a 70-81 Camaro or a 75-79 Nova (same axle) is an easy swap. The width is just right and those cars are leaf spring cars. You will have to cut the spring perches off and weld new ones on in the correct location, but these axles are the best to swap. Right width, plenty strong and they'll have the 5 on 4.75" bolt pattern.

To answer your question though - no, you won't find any retrofit 5 lug axles that are going to fit that rearend. You may be able to pull them and re-drill them, but since they're 6-lugs, you will more than likely have interference with at least one of your 5 new lugs by one of the old 6 lug holes - so you'd probably only be able to install 4 lugs. You'd have to probably weld up at least one of the old holes in order to make this work out.

 

yes... without seeing your axle flanges it hard to say for certain , but one or two holes may need to be welded up. since you plan on switching rear ends later anyway i'd just do it now

swapping rear ends on leaf spring cars is very easy

 

Thanks, I was afraid of that. I had a nova rear I gave away about 2 months before I got the truck...

 

I would do the swap over redrilling that original rear. New rear equals better and easier to get parts, like brakes,drums,seals,gears etc...etc...