The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts newer model rearend for 48 single wheel 1 ton?

looking at getting a nice 48 Chevy 1 ton single rear wheel truck whats my options for using a newer model rear end with higher gears better mileage and same orig wheels?

I swapped a newer rear in my 1 ton pickup, but it was 10 lug and needed special wheels to fit. It was what I wanted then, and what I need now that it's under my 2 ton..

For you to keep your original wheels means you need to keep about the same "wheel mounting surface" to Wheel Mounting Surface (WMS to WMS).
So get out your straight edges and a tape measure and take a trip to the junk yard or even a parking lot.

Most 3/4 and 1 ton trucks Chevy, ford, or Dodge have the same 8 lug bolt pattern. Do check the hub diameter to see that your wheels fit, I'm thinking the dodge axles might be the only possible problem there.

I'd start your search with ford van axles and widen (hopefully narrower) from there. You can likely live with an inch or so one way or the other, which would be only 1/2" per side, check the tire clearance.

Also check a Chevy 14 bolt from a cab and chassis, supposedly they are narrower, about 63.5" from WMS to WMS I think this is close to the original axle?

Try this thread, post number 8, for a little more info, and about disc brakes for the 14 bolt axle.
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7601

As a last choice you can narrow a used axle, or even buy a new axle built to your specs, try http://www.dynatrac.com/

Let us know what you find or decide,

Grigg

I have a GM 14 bolt under one of my 1-tons. Unfortunately I bought it along with a truck and I don't know exactly what the donor was.

Mine has 3.42 gears. The guy I got it from was selling his '49 1-ton because the original motor did not have enough grunt to make the truck drivable with the gear change.

You don't indicate what your motor is, but I'd suggest thinking about your desired speed and the loads you want to carry. If you are running a stock motor remember that those 5.14 gears were put there for a reason.

I drove my 52 1 ton pickup with a 1955 235, 4.56 gears and 32-33" tires all around the country. The truck weighed 4,400 lb empty, I probably had another 800-1,000 lb of stuff and people.

From that trip 4.11 would have been great, possibly even 3.73.

Around home the 4.56 gears allowed the engine to handle up to about 4,000 lb in the bed without much effort.
4.11 would have been OK if I didn't regularly haul that much, and would have been much better when empty.

3.42 does sound high for a 1 ton with a Stovebolt 6.

Grigg

My comment is based on what the former owner told me. I never drove that truck, and I've yet to drive the truck I put the rear in. When I do I'll have nearly 500 foot pounds of torque and do not expect any problems.