The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline to keep torque tube or drop it ?

i have a 52 A.D. 1/2 with its original drive line.I know that I won't be able to drive it a 60mph on the highway for very long.Is there any way to swap out the gears for a different ratio that will allow this or should I swap it out for something newer.She has a 216 with 3 on the tree running 16" tires any input would be helpful!

I changed the gears in my 46 but still not on the road. Here is an article.
http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/rear_end/index.html

thanks,I will check it out!

I removed th torque tube and replaced it with a 56 pumpkin and used my axles. It got me from a 4.11 to a 3.90 I'm not sure what its gonna be like yet as I've only driven it up and down my street......some later model pumpkins have a higher gear and you get to keep the 6 lugs but I'm not sure just what years.

You could swap ring and pinion in your existing differential. The 3.55s are available again from Mothertrucker Parts.

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Comes down to dollars. Canadian ring gear carriers need a bit of machining to work with the 3:55 gearsets or you can obtain a U.S. carrier. Retaining the torque tube is far more expensive than the donor route as the gearset is $400, bearings/seals/shims $250, and I spent another $400 on an old guy who had done many of them to replace bushings(NOS)and set it up and IIRC a BC bolter said he paid $100 for the carrier modification. Scavenging a T5 and S-Blazer rear end can be done for a few hundred bucks if that. Highway friendly originality has a different value to everybody.

Curt,

Would a 47-53 USA Chevrolet 1/2 ton truck differential ring-gear carrier work in the Canadian 1/2 ton rear end?

Mothertrucker is, I think, selling the 3.55 R&P set for $325, which includes shipping in the USA (shipping to Canada might be different).

Scavenging and installing a more modern rear for a few hundred dollars?

Transmission
Rear end
Drive shaft & u-joints
Springs, bushings, bolts shackles
Various mountings
Replaced bearings, bushings, and seals
Labor

A few hundred dollars.

Compare the above costs to the costs you listed for the 3.55 conversion with bearings, bushings, and seals.

I can see distinct advantages to upgrades to the original drive train. But, it is hard to see a significant cost advantage.

I'm certain it will as this is what Patrick Dykes will suggest if a Canadian customer calls. The ring gear mounting holes (on the carrier) need to be elongated to use the Canadian carrier which Patrick is unfamilar with. There's a carrier album in my webshots that shows modifying a Canadian unit for the 3:55 gearset for anyone interested.

Hi, Curt B, That was me, I think the cost was about $150.00 to have the 3:55 ring gear slotted to match the Canadian carrier. I looked at getting a American carrier but, any one with a rear end for sale wanted to sell the complete rear end and they would not pull the carrier to ship. The shipping fees or the gas money to drive down to the states would have been about the same, and then you may end with a worn out (not usable) rear end. I am on my 3rd year with the 3:55 gears and love them. (About 1800 miles so far)

There are a few options you can consider. Installing 3:55 gears is one, but if you have any hilly terrain, the 216 may not be too happy. The other is to consider a Truckstell overdrive. This would involve cutting the TT but could be your best option.

I paid $100.00 for a good used third member. The bearing were good so all I had to buy then was new seals for the axles and pinion and gaskets for the rear cover and third member. I believe I have under $100.00 on those parts, so a total of about $200.00 or less. I also went with a 3:90.1 ratio. The good part is if I don't like the ratio I can look for another while still driving my 49'. In less than a day you can change it out after the initial work is done. Pretty neat I think. Steven