Can you just swap the whole rear end without changing anything else? Change will be from 8.8 3.08 to 9.75 3.55, any problem with this change?

 

There are two things I can think of (that someone may already know the answers to) you should look at:

1. Does the yoke on the new rear end sit in the same relative place that the old one did? If not, you'll need to change the driveshaft too.

2. Bolt pattern on the wheel hubs. Different bolt spacings means either two different wheel types front and rear, or changing out axle shafts as well.

Also, if you're changing from drum to disc, you may need a new proportioning valve for the brake system - but I'm not sure of this one....

Good Luck

 

The drive shaft will have to be shortened.
The rest just bolts right up. That is if you are swapping a disk brake 8.8 to a disk brake 9.75, or a drum to drum. I swapped my 8.8 for a 9.75. The only think I could not do myself was shorten the drive shaft.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

JMC -

Do you need to shorten the 8.8 driveshaft, or can you use the driveshaft out of the 9.75 'donor' truck? Or, would that one need to be modified as well?

 

spridel,

I cannot be sure about that. My truck is a 5 speed and the only rear end available from the factory is the 8.8 so I knew that there was no shaft available If you have the same tranny that the doner 5.4 has then the 5.4 shaft should fit. You will not know till you bolt it on. Before you remove the 8.8 measure the distance from the tranny tail housing to the flange on the differential. CALL THIS MEASUREMENT #1. Instal the new differential and measure again. CALL THIS MEASUREMENT #2. The difference between the two measurements is the amount that the drive shaft has to be shortened. CALL THIS MEASUREMENT #3. You could also measure the length of the 8.8 drive shaft, CALL THIS MEASUREMENT #4. Then measure the length of the 5.4 drive shaft, CALL THIS MEASUREMENT #5.. If the difference in length between the two, CALL THIS MEASUREMENT #6, is the same as measurement #3 then the 5.4 shaft will fit.

JMC

 

Thanks for all replies.

Actually swap will be from drums to disc. I gave up looking for a conversion kit that will fit 17in rims, I guess there's no such thing out there.

JMC,

How do you shorten a drive shaft? I was considering going to and aluminum shaft even before this axle idea. Is there a standard one that I could just order and bolt in?

 

LeanNCut,

There are shops that do drive shafts. I had mine done at 401 MAC here in Windsor. Try Yellow pages.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier

 

Cool thanks. Now I just gotta find an undamaged axle for the swap. I really hate buying used parts but I guess this is the way to go for an axle. I checked Car-Parts.com and called this place the next town over and this guy tells me he has only one in stock with the config I want. So I ask him about the history of the vehicle and he says it's been in a rollover so I go "Wow, really?" So he goes "Yeah but don't worry, there's no damage to the axle at all" LMAO.

 

There is a place in Columbus, where I got mine. Brand new 2000 axle. Complete from disk to disk. If I remember correctly it was $600.00 US.

JMC

 

Hey JMC I'm really interested. Could you post their name or site or whatever.

 

LeanNCut,

I knew you would ask that as soon as I posted it. Now I have to go look it up... I know it starts with a P.
BRB







Ok I found it. The name is Par International. Check out;
http://www.parinternational.com/
Call and see if they still have any.

JMC