I've got a 64 chevy panel truck project I'm wanting to get on the road but it needs everything, But I also have a nice 89 suburban that has everything I need to get the panel going. Does anyone know if the suburban rear end would work under my panel truck? I know I would have to make new mounts for it. The trucks not where I can measure it right now is why I'm asking.
If it was an '89 Pick up it would be too wide. Since the 'Burbs didn't change body styles till about '92, I don't know. A tape measure won't lie to you. My '63 is a different matter, but your '64 has very well designed 3 rd member. I would really consider going with an overdrive ****** and leaving the rear end where it is.
the 72 rearend thats in it is junk. My 89 is still the 73 up body style. Plus my burb has 3.73 gears with new brakes. The burb has a 700r4 with a 350.
The rearends got wider in 70, the 89 rear is probably the same width as the 72 rearend. When I had a 66 suburban, I got the guts out of a 70s van 12 bolt and put them in the original rear, although I kept the original axles. Got better highway gearing that way. I think they quit using the 12 bolt in trucks around the early 80s.
If the 89 Suburban has the older style rear, like 87 or older PICKUP, then yes, it will fit. Your 72 rear is 1.5 wider than the original 64 rear that you don't have So, the 89 should be the exact same width. BUT, the 2wd 89 Suburban would be 5 lug? and the 4x4 would have 6 lug, "if" that 89 sub is the old style p/u rear. If you do the swap, you need to cut/weld the 2 rear perches for the trailing arms. The next problem is that a 72 rear has a mounting point for the panhard bar, casted into the center section of the rear end. A 63 or older PU or Sub would have a plate steel panhard bracket welded to the right axle tube...then it could be cut off and welded to the later rear if you also had the slightly longer 60-63 panhard bar. If you got talent you could fab a plate steel P-bar mount to weld to the 89 rear, and then cut/widened your 72 bar. Hope this makes sense. I just am not 100% sure that the 89 sub rear is the same as 87-older PICKUP style. I would think it should be, as Chubby says about the sub having the older body.
thanks. The panel truck was hot rodded once in its life already. Some one put a 72 front suspension with 5 lug disc brakes and power steering but its all in really bad shape now.
yea I knew about the panhard situation I'm thinking about fabing one that will attach to the rear of the suspension arm kinda like alot of the aftermarket kits do. I was also told the longer panhard would help with side to side shifting that the factory stuff had problems with.
CPP in fresno sells the perches for a diff swap. They were well worth the 30 dollars. Hope that helps
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