[thebare]

http://www.hotrodders.com/ubb/confused.gifI thought I could do it. I'm English, born & raised on Jags, MG, Vauxhalls, Rovers and the likes. But you Americans, Its all different and the harder I struggle the deeper I get. So please help me. Here is my problem. I have a 48 Ford Coupe, 302, c4 tranny, chevy rear end with a loud clunk going into reverse. I got a new set of wheels. Very pretty but they won't go under the fenders. The offset was wrong. I decide, rather than cut the body I would shorten the rear end. Down to the local knackers yard & home with a rear end out of a C10. It is really a little too short but I can compensate with some wheel spacers. I grind off the spring hangers. Buy new weld ins. New problem. The UJ doesn't fit. No problem. I take the old yoke off, and the new yoke to swap them. You guessed, different sized splinds, not interchangeable. So hear I sit with these questions;
Should I get the old rear end shortened? How much? I still have that nasty clunk ?
Should I go to the knackers yard and get a C10 drive shaft ? will it mate with my C4 tranny ? I could swap the yokes on the driveshafts. How much will that cost?
Can I swap the shafts that the yokes bolt onto by changing the differential? Will that cure my clunk?
Can I get a yoke with the correct splinds ?
Can I get a customized uj?
Though cost is a factor so is doing it right the first time. Please help?????

thebare@carolina.rr.com

[edcroozer]

HI, WHAT KIND OF CHEVY REAR IS THE ONE THAT CLUNKS? IS IT A 10 BOLT? 12 BOLT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT CAME OUT OF? IF I KNEW, I MAY BE ABLE TO HELP YOU TO CORRECT THE CLUNK. ..ED

[thebare]

It is a 10 bolt. Idon't know what it is out of. From the inside to inside of the brake drum is 54 1/2" and it has 30 splinds on the shaft & yoke The ujoint is 3 1/2" accross. The new rear end is also 10 bolt. it comes out of a C10 pick up. it has 27 splinds and the ujoint is 3 3/4" accross.

[novass]

I am not sure about the rest of your problems (I shortened a 9" to fit my tubbs) but if I read the post correctly, you are only getting the noise when putting it in reverse......correct?
I had this problem on a old OLDS..all it needed was new U joints. Seems they were worn and were `moving' some when shifting gears.

Also....it could be the drum brakes...they are 'reset' when you are in reverse.

[stinmar1]

just for arguments sake , if its a 10 bolt rear from a c/10 I am assuming its a 73 up unit as gm did use the big 10 bolt unit in some trucks till 80 and alot of trucks after 1980 , the big 10 bolt from a 72 to 76 gran prix or monte carlo , s 3 laguna or malibu will have an assortment of yolk widths that should help you solve the problem and spicer does make a u joint thats made to adapt a wide big to a narrow small cap , in effect ford to chevy cross over . I have played with chevy trucks and found this information helpful , I have a big 10 bolt limited slip unit with low miles collecting dust here if someone made me a resonable offer they can have it .

[Junkyard Dog]

I'd check the backlash on your original rear end & your u-joints. If it is determined that you need to swap in the other axle assy. I'd go with the Spicer u-joint that adapts the shaft to the yoke your using - you'll have to go to a reputable auto parts or rear end shop to get the correct u-joint. These days the guy behind the counter only knows how to look up O.E.M. part #'s & thats frustrating as heck.

[Studebaker]

As far as "u-joints" check with NAPA, they have a #372 u-joint that is designed for mismatched size applications. Locate the oldest parts guy at the store and he may know exactly what you need to make it fit and work correctly. I have used this type u-joint for matching Chevy drivelines to ford rearend yokes. It should work the other way too, It works great.