1995 gmc 1500 rear axle swap

[Joerinne]

My rearend recently went out in my 1995 gmc 1500 4x4. It’s got a 10 bolt 342 in it. Only one I found around me was a 2005 gmc 10 bolt with 342s in it and was told it would fit. Clearly it does not that’s why I’m here, it’s about 2 inches wider from the leaf spring flat spot to the pin on the leaf spring. So here’s my question. I can just cut and move the flat spot where they need to be and center them up right. Just make sure it’s square with the truck and it should be fine?

 

[jaybee]

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're talking about the brackets which connect the springs to the axle tubes? Those are called leaf spring perches, and they're available pretty inexpensively. No more than they cost, I would buy new rather than trying to cut them off close and clean enough to reuse them. You'll end up frustrated with poor fit and are likely to end up with slightly different heights side to side. Maybe not enough to notice just looking at the truck, but if it costs under $20 to do it right, you should.

 

[Schurkey]

That's a lot of work to end up with another crappy 10-bolt.

When my K1500 10-bolt got sloppy from wear, I looked-around for a "14-bolt semi-float" GMT400 axle from a K2500 6-lug. Common swap. Better brakes.

 

[62barsoom]

That's a lot of work to end up with another crappy 10-bolt.

When my K1500 10-bolt got sloppy from wear, I looked-around for a "14-bolt semi-float" GMT400 axle from a K2500 6-lug. Common swap. Better brakes.

Would the factory position in those rears be any better than the 1500 ones?

 

[Caman96]

Would the factory position in those rears be any better than the 1500 ones?

What is “factory position”?

 

[Schurkey]

No doubt means "factory posi" which of course isn't a "posi" but a LOCKING differential.

Yes, the 8.5 Gov-Bomb is weak, yes the 9.5 "14-bolt semi-float" Gov-Lock is much stronger.

 

[62barsoom]

No doubt means "factory posi" which of course isn't a "posi" but a LOCKING differential.

Yes, the 8.5 Gov-Bomb is weak, yes the 9.5 "14-bolt semi-float" Gov-Lock is much stronger.

Thanks yes fat fingers.