[hippybilly]

I want to put a 1988 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup rear end (14 bolt) in a 72 Chevy 1/2 pickup. Both are 2 wheel drive. Is this doable and if so what will I run into as far as things I'll have to change or modify to make things work? Anybody help me on this one? I know the 67-72 pickups fairly well but after 72 I get real dumb. Thanks, Hippybilly, The Missouri Ozarks

[poncho62]

67-72 1/2 tons had coil spring rears....the heavier ones had leaves.....73 on had leaf springs....what does your 72 have?...

[hippybilly]

Mine's got coils. I believe the 67-72 GMCs had the leaf springs and the Chevys had the coils, in the half ton pickups. I didn't realize that from 73 on 1/2 ton Chevy's all had leaf springs. I knew GMCs did.

[poncho62]

Does the 88 have leafs or coils?

If leaves, you are going to be welding and fabricating coil mounts.......

Why not try and find an rear out of a model the same as yours.......

[hippybilly]

I will. Thanks Just found a good deal on it and it was a posi unit with 3:42 gears and I'd been wanting something like that. It was only $100 too. THanks Hippybilly

[big gear head]

The 14 bolt will have the Governor Lock differential, which is fine for a stock truck, but they usually break when abused. You can install an Eaton Posi in it, but that's about $500. I think you would be better off with new gears and a Eaton Posi in the 12 bolt that you have in your truck.

[hippybilly]

As I stated in my last post, it was cheap. That was the only reason I considering it. I'm familiar with the aftermarket stuff or going to a salvage yard and getting the proper replacement for around $250. The ole farm truck this would have gone in, probably wouldn't bring the price that eaton set up cost . This was just one poor ole hillbilly kid selling a rear end for $100-$150 and another poor ole hillbilly trying to get away from a gas guzzling, single slip rear end in a farm truck for a little bit of money and some hard work. I recon I should have noted it was going in $500 farm truck in the to start with. Those Eatons are the trick though and I'd love to have the money to buy one, and a truck worth stickin one in while I was at it. Poor folks got poor ways.Thanks everybody. Hippybilly, The Missouri Ozarks where we got more far more time and gumption than we do money. You all are a good bunch of fellers and I appreciate your time and knowledge immensely.

[big gear head]

I thought that this was probably some kind of hot rod truck. If you want to take the time to cut the mounts off of the original rear end and weld them to the 14 bolt then you could probably make it work. Just measure carefully, take pictures and go for it. What do you have to loose? I think you can make it work. ONe thing that comes to mind is that the axle tubes on the 14 bolt might be larger, so check that out first. If they are larger then it might be more than you want to get into.

[hippybilly]

Since it won't bolt up without going thru all that I think I'll just leave it be. I'm all full or metal and screws, had three hips put in and I'm gettin where I can't take on too much anymore. I've even got all the tools. Just not the *** to back it up like I use to have. I've got one V8 trike and building a VW trike but I went ahead and sold my 65 El Camino this summer cause I'm just not able to build hot rods anymore. Shame too, I've still got 4 engines laying around. Thanks again, some days I don't even make a decent housewife anymore. Good thing I live by myself I suppose. I use to be able to do about anything and now I can't hardly do anything. Bought time for hip #4 to get put in. Hippybilly