The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs diff gears

we have this 3800 chevy wagon and it has the 5.14 gears Iam wanting to put taller ones in is there any other trucks that will go in the housing etc .looking at a 3.5 ratio or is it easier just to change we are running a 261 and the 4/speed

What year truck? The ADs are narrower by something like 4 inches.

It also depends on how heavy you want it to be. A lot of cars have a rear end that is an appropriate width, but too light duty for a ton truck.

If you have the narrower truck, you may end up either looking for some reverse offset wheels or narrowing a rear end if you go to something more modern. Best thing you can do is a lot of measuring before buying anything. Chances are good you will have some fabrication involved in adapting a different rear end onto your existing suspension and driveshaft. (I'm assuming that on a 3800 you have a driveshaft rather than a torque tube.)

Couple other thoughts...

Have you looked into re-gearing the rear end you have? Are there any parts available to take it to a 3.73 or 3.55? If you can re-gear the existing you avoid all the fabrication of adapting something else.

Have you looked into an overdrive unit? Either a 5spd OD trans or a separate OD to sit behind the existing trans...

My '47 tonner (panel) is a dually, and a PO swapped a 1988 Dana 73 dually axle into it. I haven't done any measuring to compare to the original specs, but it sits under there nicely and does not protrude past the fenders at all.

my wagon is a 55 1st model

If you can find a 67-72 3/4 ton with an automatic they had a 410 ratio and the center section should bolt right into your housing.I just did it to my 3600 which had 457s and love it.