My notes on interchange of a 3500HD rear-end.

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

dwragon

OBS Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 12, 2020
Messages
97
Reaction score
60
Location
hell michigan
The rearend on my New To Me 3500HD was screaming like a ***** ape so I had to change it out. I found a P Van Chassis rearend online at FB/MP, a corporate or spicer 14 bolt which I purchased for $300. Spicers were an option on the 3500HD. After installation I make note of the following, the drivers shock will not mount, the bracket is on the wrong side. The rubber brake line is also on the wrong side and requires that a brake line an extension be utilized. One thing which may be disconcerting is that the RV lug nuts top out flush with the end of the studs but GM has sold millions of them this way so it should not be a problem. The biggest problem I had was that the Spicer pinion nose is three inches shorter than the Dana and requires either a custom made driveshaft (57 inches ujoint center to center) or one from a 1998 C3500 extended cab or bed with a 4.19 spicer ujoint (Orealys Precision 330). The axle code on my rearend was PLU and the ratio was the same by calculation to match the 4:56 to 1 originally in my 3500HD so the speedometer matched up. By observation, I believe that the disc brake equipment on the Spicer and Corporate are the same functional build specs, just look different. I plan on rebuilding the Dana with either 373's or 411's and reinstalling it at a later date.
 

stutaeng

I'm Awesome
Joined
Aug 7, 2019
Messages
3,410
Reaction score
4,348
Location
Dallas, TX
Oh darn. So you successfully swapped the axle?

Those truck frames are completely different that anything else, so it's not surprising stuff didn't match.

Why didn't you just rebuild your C3500-HD axle? Probably needed a ring and pinion gear set. Had you inspected it?

I'm assuming the swapped axle is now 8 lug vs the original 10 lug axle?
 
Top