The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline 6 to 5 Bolt Wheels

If a am switching my rear to an S-10 rear, will early chevy car 5 bolt wheels with clips fit so I can still use my 37 center hub caps? And can I just change the hub in the front to move to 5 bolt wheels?

Thanks for any help

Mike J 37 GMC

i changed mine over from 6 lug to 5 lug, I used front backing plates, drums and hubs from a 1951 chevy belair, you only have to drill the top holes on the backing plates for them to fit on your axle, they will fit right on the original spindles, I went and upgraded to the new roller bearings when I changed over, this will also allow you to use newer bendix brakes also

The axle on the front of a 37 is not the same as the axle on the front of a 46. The axles were changed in the 42 model year.

i didnt know that, a bit more knowledge for me, thanks

The only difference is the king pin size.

but the spindles are the same??

No, the bushing size is smaller for the smaller king pin.
The parts book shows 1936-50 front backing plates as the same.

Back when I was in high school I installed a 1951-54 front axle in my 37 PU with no problem, so I could have Bendix brakes.
I also used the 1951-54 pass front 5 lug hubs and drums.

So if I can find a 51 to 54 front car axle, it will bolt up and I can use the bendix brakes with the 5 bolt wheels.

i would look for a 51-54 1/2 ton axle then get the 51-54 passenger car hubs and drums like Pre68dave says, since he has done this to a 37 before.....mine is a 46 and my front axle is a 3"in drop axle from nostalgia sid's maybe you might checkout his website.....www.droppedaxles.com he has all kinds of different axles

As Hoozat clarified, 1/2 ton axle.
Pass drums and hubs for 5 lug.

True, but the axle is a more heavy axle and was used through 54.5 pickups. It is a good upgrade for a 37-41 pickup.

The changout Pre 68 Dave writes is the way to go. The 51-54 car backing plates bolt to the 51-54 truck axle, thus making it easy to use the 51-54 car backing plates with the brakes and you get the Bendix system, a better brake system then the one on your truck. The spindles on a 51-54 truck axle will accept the 51-54 car backing plates and brake drums.
It's a pretty easy change over - no welding or any "heavy" type of work. It's a Saturday afternoon job.

Thanks for the clarification

Very helpful.

Mike J.

There is no reason to use passenger car backing plates, in fact the bolt pattern is not correct to bolt to the spindle, although they can be re drilled and will work.
The easiest is to use the 1951- actually 1959 1/2 ton backing plates. These will most likely come with the axle you buy and will except the pass hubs and drums.

But, using the car backing plates works just fine and you don't have to hunt for the 59 - 1/2 ton backing plates. It saves a little hunting time and when you bolt the car backing plates to the truck spindles, the holes are so close together, the original hole and your new hole, you can cover the old hole with a large washer when using the new hole.
It's a matter of just how much time and effort do you want to put into the hunt for 59 1/2 ton backing plates that most likely no one will ever notice.
But, Pre '68 Dave, you are right!

I guess I was not clear, the backing plates fit 1951 to 59. The only reason I said "actually" is because we were talking about using a 1951-54 axle and the plates stayed the same up through 59.

I was also thinking about the part where I said I used a 51-54 axle in my 37, but a 1941-50 axle would also work just fine in a 37.
The only difference in the earlier axle setup is the lower two bolt holes on the spindle for attaching the backing plates and steering arms are 7/16", 1951-59 are 1/2".

yes, thats the problem I had with mine, I had to drill the 2 bottom holes on the backing plates and use spacers I made out of heavy wall pipe to bolt them to my spindles

OK, so the fronts are easy after explanation. Assuming I want to keep the torque tube rear end, how feasible is it to weld up and re-drill the axles for the new bolt pattern. Do you do the same for brake drums? Do you use car drums on the rear also? Is there an easier way?

What year are you working on?

54...sorry. Hydra-Matic so it is different driveshaft length than standard. I want to maintain as original appearance as possible but my dad put a 5 bolt wheel set on it that has been on the truck as long as I have known it. I want to keep those wheels but want to be rid of the adapter plates that he used to put them on.

I can't answer on the ease of re-drilling the axles, but I can tell you 1951-58 front and 51-64 rear (both the same) will fit your rear if you re-drill the axles.

Thanks. I could imagine a new bolt pattern on the axles but the brake drums just seemed like a recipe for disaster trying to change the pattern and maintain integrity.

sounds like you are looking for a lot of work,and if you dont drill exactly, nothing will lineup,making more work,

Maybe I was unclear. I have no intention of making this an "at home" project. I will take the axles to a machine shop and have it professionally done. Dave answered the question with the comment that basically the car drums were dimension-ally the same. I just could not envision the drums and their "torsional loads and relatively thin material holding up to the "re-configuring".

It sounds to me like I need to have the axles done and use car rear drums as well as the car 5 bolt front hubs to have the same pattern all the way around.

It sounds like you have it Greg!.
I do know there are shops that redrill axles, I have just never had it done.

I had my rear axles & drums redrilled on my 56 when I converted to disc brakes. The fronts were 74 malibu which is standard Chevy pass car 4 3/4 pattern. I took them to a machinist along with a spare car front hub and drum to use for patterns. The edges of the axle hub needs to be ground off slightly to clear the smaller center hole in the car wheel. Installed new studs and bolted them on. It has been working fine for 10 years.
Fred