The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun Single wheel AD rear axle swap: GM 14 bolt.

SO I just found a CC truck.. its an SRW though from the photos.... think its a van axle?
I'm waiting on a call from the guy...

Jeremy

This swap works if you start with a newer 14 bolt Dual Rear wheel axle from a cab and chassis. then you install single rear wheels on it.
It will not work if you start with a single rear wheel axle, well not and fit the wheels under fenders on a step side pickup bed..

Grigg

OK that's what I thought. I'd never seen a CC with single rear wheels. Thanks.

Back to the 14 bolt rear axle swap for an AD truck.


I think I'll use single wheel drums and make new backing plate mounting flanges and weld them to the axle tubes in the proper place. That will make plenty of room for springs and u-bolts.

It'll be a while before I do this, but now having had plenty of time to think about it that's where I stand on the thought process.

Grigg

I'm curious (as a new owner of a '50 GMC 250 with no bed on it) if a Cab and Chassis rear end WITH dual rear wheels would fit...considring that I'd then plan to use a flatbed.

I think if the drums will clear the springs and chassis, that the tires will to...but I'd like to know what you all think.

I'd prefer the narrower overall width of the C&C rear end if it will fit.

Thanks!
Clem

I believe I give the WMS measurement, and if you know the depth of your wheels and width over the springs you'll have a pretty good answer.
I'll check sometime if I get a chance, or let us know what you find.

Grigg

Bringing this thread back to the top.

Haven't made any progress on the swap...
However I have been thinking about it a lot and decided that making spacers for the backing plates to move them out and allow for mounting the original drums outboard of the hub is pretty simple and not a bad solution. This will give plenty of room for U-bolts between the spring and backing plates.

A more expensive version of that is buy single wheel brake drums of the same shoe width and diameter, then make and weld new backing plate mounting flanges in the appropriate spot on the axle (use original backing plates/brakes). If you already had to buy new drums this is the cleaner approach. Because of the distance the backing plate moves it's probably not a good idea to make a simple spacer.... it should be welded in place.

Grigg

Grigg,
How did the axle swap go? I have been looking for a 14 bolt for my 1-ton. I found a few but but really dont know what Im looking for other than 14 bolt dual from a C&C. I found two that meet my with requirement of 63". They both seem to have the same casting number.
http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums...2-426B-8011-9BE0A53367C3_zpsauscpole.jpg

http://i1062.photobucket.com/albums...5-419D-A743-73F928C7F891_zpsjphxxqbh.jpg

the drums just look awful big compared to the stock HO72 drums..

I can't help you with the casting numbers, but it otherwise sounds like you've found what you need in one or both of those axles.

Yes, the drums are large and that's a good thing, they'll work well.

Only downside to the drums and being so deep (originaly for dual wheels) is you'll see a lot of the drums from the rear, the single wheels won't cover them.
If you can live with this then only modification that I know of to make it fit your truck is moving the spring pads to match the springs.
If you don't like that look then you can keep the very same backing plate and shoes and purchase new drums intended for a single wheel truck. To make this work you will also need to remove and relocate, or better yet, make/buy new flanges to weld to the axle for the backing plates.

Or there are ready made disc brake brackets and parts list for which rotors and calipers to buy. The downside to this is loss of parking brake in the wheels if you had those. If you do want disc and parking brake they make calipers that do but they're expensive. With disc in the rear you shuld really have them in the front as well. And lastly I'm not sure if the disc are any better than those huge drum brakes?

I know it's been several years now but I have not made progres on this swap myself. Life happens as they say.
However I have not given up and all my parts and pieces are dry and safe waiting for the right oportunity to use them.

Grigg

Thanks again Grigg, I did some research on the web and best I can tell those casting numbers check back to the 14 bolt c&c 10.5 free floating rear end. So I think I am going to go with it. being my truck is a flat bed I wonder if the dual's (original to the axle) would fit back on there after the axle is mounted (as an option).

If they don't hit the springs which are about 1" closer to the tire on our trucks with 36" frame than when in the later model truck and 34" frame.
Measure and see.

I just stumbled across this, alot of good info on the 14 bolt axles.

http://billavista.com/tech/Articles/14-Bolt_Disc_Brakes_V2/index.html

Nice link, thanks