The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 52 3/4 ton that wants to be a street rod.

I have a 52 3/4 ton and was wondering what is the easiest way to get 3.73 gear ratio in the rear end AND update to better brakes? Switch for a Chevelle axel complete with the rear brakes? Is that even possible? Will I need to update the front with IFS and disc. If so with what product? I want "safe" daily drivability. But also want it without dropping a ton of cash. ( I know that that last one's a pipe dream) I'm also willing to forego a little originality. Anyone?

The only way to get gears like that is to swap rears. You don't have to swap the front too, but a swap is about the only way to get away from the 8-lug hubs.

A rearend swap is what you'll have to do. You could try an S-10 rearend. It's perfectly o.k. for the 6 cylinder, but if you plan on a nasty V-8 I would look for something a littlle beefier. A rear of an 80's era 1/2 ton or van should more that suffice. For the front, that's another issue. There's no brake upgrades available for the 3/4 ton. You could do a whole IFS swap or have some bushings installed into your axle and swap your spindles for some 1/2 tons.

For the front axle you can do what I did to my 52 3/4 ton. I removed the 3/4 ton axle and swapped in a 1/2 ton axle. Was the easiest swap I ever did. Would have gone faster if the U-bolts weren't rusted to where I couldn't remove the nuts. I ended up taking a cutoff wheel and cutting the u-botls off and ordering new ones. When the U-bolts came in, within 5 minutes I had the 1/2 ton axle bolted in. I am still using the 3/4 steering arms which required no modifications. I installed a 1/2 ton 5 lug disc brake kit, as well as a cpp power steering kit that mounts a GM steering box on the outside of the frame rail.

The truck isn't going to used for hauling heavy loads but the front would basically be rated as a 1/2 ton.

My FLAPS had the correct square U-bolts I needed when I was working with the front springs on a 57 I had a few years ago.

Devin