'57 - '63 Olds Rear Axle Question

[TagMan]

Can anyone give me the dimension from one flange of the housing to the other???? NOT flange to flange of the axles, but of the overall length of the housing only.

I've had a housing & axle shafts sitting around and finally found a use for them, but the axle shafts are too f'n long for the housing. I have been able to I.D. the axles as '59-'63 by the Hollander's. I'm guessing it's a '57-'58 Olds housing, but I don't know for sure.

It sure screws up my plans for putting it under my '46 Chebby pick-em-up project until I figure out what I got!!
Thanks for your help.

[Mass Butcher]

If no one can do it for you, pm me. We got a 60 olds in the shop, but it's up on stands with a ton of parts under it, so I'll have to move a bunch of shit to get at it. I don't mind moving stuff if no one else gets you the dim's.

[Blownolds]

There's a little mis-info on this page, but perhaps it'll give you a start.
Verify everything, as there is some bad info.

http://www.enjenjo.com/chevyrear.html

[TagMan]

Blownolds: Thanks for the info, but I really would like the exact measurement of the housing and the site you refered me to is a little.......ambiguous ??

Mass Butcher: Let's see if somebody can give me the length of the housing fairly easy, before you go to a lot of extra work. I really appreciate your offer and may yet take you up on it, but hold off for a bit and see if one of the other guys can save you the time & effort.

Anybody ???????????

[Darkharts]

I just picked up my newly balanced drive shafts today, i will be putting them in tommorow night and i will see what i can measure for you. Will distance between backing plates work for you?

danny - 57 olds

[TagMan]

Danny,
I can make the distance between backing plates work. Just let me know what points you're measuring from and I'll figure it out.
Thanks for your help !!

[Rocky]

Ok, so here's the scam.... I have a 57 Poncho rear axle outta Poncho Billy's 57 Starchief. I always thought the 57 Pontiac and 57 Olds rear axle were the same but the Hollander gives a different number for each housing...doesn't give any dimensions tho. I looked up axle shaft lengths to find the Olds axle shafts were 1/2" shorter than the same year pontiacs. What a surprise! Anyway, I waltzed out to the garage and measured my Poncho housing...it's 55 and 1/2" flange to flange. If the Olds axle shafts are 1/2 shorter than mine, a 57-58 Olds housing should be 54 and 1/2 inches......

[DON_WOW]

Just now got time to throw a ruler on mine, all four measure 54 inches outside flange to outside flange.

[Rocky]

Don...I may have gotten an extra 1/2 inch by stretching the damn measuring tape over the pumpkin still in my housing.

[Blownolds]

Darkheart, did you see that post on the HANB here within the last week and a half or so where there were two '57 Olds's for sale in La Habra? I'm in La Habra myself and would love to have a '57 Olds but I DON'T need another project.

[Dat Dirty Rat]

I know somebody that could prob. help ya!

1st clue- Name starts with a 'B'
2nd clue- Ends with a 'B'
3rd clue- Drives a 57 Olds...

PM me for the answer 'BOB'.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dirty

[TagMan]

Thanks everybody for the help. My housing measures 54", so it appears I've got a '57-'58 housing & pumpkin and '59-'63 axle shafts http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Now I gotta find a set of axle shafts to be able to use my stuff. In any event, at least I know where I stand (I think).

Tom: OK, I'm f'n embarrased !! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I completely forgot about "BOB". Damn !! I'm getting f'n old.

Hey, maybe I can just go over and take HIS axles http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks, guys - I appreciate your help.

[Darkharts]

yes, i actually posted it, If someone had the time they could make a good 98 out of the two - others wise they would need to be a real good metal worker - and be able to find impossible stainless pices at will. The reason they were for sale was he shared your problem - too many projects
My super is enough - i had to look though http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif You never know where the golden egg may lay. It took a year to find mine so when two popped up i zeroed in quick!


Tag man- is there any help some pics or other info then the measurement could be. I will be under it tonight - unfortunaltely it's the last pieces of the drive line not to be redone yet so it's not so pertty.

danny

[TagMan]

Darkharts:
Thanks for the offer, but I'm 99% sure now the housing is in fact '57-'58 Olds. I'm gonna try to find a set of matching axles for it.

Thanks guys !!

[Blownolds]

Check to see what the differential has--- 29 spline or 31 spline. If your axles have the same spline as the differential, go to an axle shop and have them shortened and respline, if you have a local shop.

[TagMan]

The axles I have are 31T and the side gears in the diff are 29T. Even if I got new 31T side gears (if they are interchangable), I don't think the spline on my axles are long enough to be cut down, but thanks for your input.

[Rocky]

I think you're right and I'll tell ya why. I have [like I was sayin earlier] a 57 Pontiac housing which is 1/2 inch longer on each side. I used a 64 Posi 3rd member with 31 spline side gears. Ok, I needed 31 spline axleshafts that were 29 and 5/8ths" long and there aren't any OEM shafts available in those dimensions but the 61-64 Olds axles are only 7/8ths of an inch longer than that at 30 and 1/2" I hadda buddy shorten my 64 Olds axles by taking off 7/8ths inch, still leaving me 1.15" spline engagement per axle. I had him back-cut the area behind the splines [further up the shaft] to allow the shaft to go all the way into the side gear splines. I'd much rather have just leaped on the phone and called up Moser or Dutchman or somebody but the Olds axles were a gift as was the machine work. I have no idea if the shallow spline engacement will be a problem but we'll find out!
If it is, I have room in my fat car to use a complete 61-64 Pontiac rear axle if I use fairly skinny wheels and tires.
The reason I think you'd have trouble using my method is, your housing is 1/2 narrower than mine, causing you to need another 1/2 more [than me] cut off your 59-64 Olds axle shafts..........at the splined end. That would leave 1/2" less splined area than I'm using....too little, I'm afraid.

[Yo Baby]

The axle gears are not interchangable. They have different outside diameters where they ride in carrier.