Make the truck go faster... With stock torque tube and 4:11 gearing, it was not fun to drive the shop truck any faster than 50mph, and it still felt like we would grenade the 235 6cyl in the front. I wanted to keep the cool three on the tree, but still get taller gears. What to do? This is what you need: 1957 Chevrolet passenger axle with ration of your choice, 1955-57 truck or passenger car trans, and a 1957 Truck drive shaft. Many others will fit as well. The spring pads has to be re-positioned, so off they go. I went to the local 4X4 store and bought these heavy duty U-bolts for ten bucks. With the axle resting on the pads, and the U-clamps slightly tightened, I can now set the pinion angle. Spot weld the spring pads in position. Because of the pivot system on the torque tube, the hole in the springs are not centered in the wheel well. So in order to center the new axle, have to compensate by moving it further back than the torque tubes location. I am using a bolt, right thru the leaves. The I buzzed the axle pads. Napa to the rescue: 13841 rear brake line, Timken RW307R wheel bearings and 13338 wheel cylinders. Also, I got brake shoes from Napa as well. Fresh brake lines. Since I like to use the truck, I installed air shocks. The shock mount ends up close to the rear brake backing plate, so it helps to start the nut when the mount is off. Install and then tighten. Napa MA700 I got a set of repro 1957 Passenger e-brake cables. Make sure you get this piece from the donor car as well. I then installed the complete brakes, with e-cables. Then I cut off the rivets holding stock e-brake cable brackets, and drilled the cable location to fit the 1957 cables. Then it sort of comes natural where the new location should be. I just bolted them to the frame. more...
cont... I welded a threaded rod to the stock e-brake rod. Install your new cable, and the stock passenger splitter, and it looks like GM did it. I couldn't resist a can of paint before installing the drive shaft. Because of the torque tubes removal, the axle actually comes closer to the spring, making the truck taller. This can easily be remedied with lowering blocks. This will require longer U-bolts. Then CRUUUUZZZZ!
neat tech! I notice you have an overdrive trans. but why did the brake shoes end up in the wrong place after you put the new ones on? looks like two long shoes on the brake in the second pic?
OD indeed...but it had problems, so I ended up with a standard 3 speed... Uhu...you caught me...it was corrected after I went to install the other side...good eye !
what about the front? i'm refering to the bolt pattern change did you change the front to 5 lug 5-4.75 also. cool tech by the way.
Yes, I had 54 passenger car drums in the front, so I get the regular Chevy 5 lug bolt pattern. Maybe I need to point out, Advanced Series refers to the '47-'54 1/2 models:
"Experience is what allows you to recognize a mistake when you make it again..." Roughly quoted from Mark Twain... Damn good tech article, far better than most in the paper paleomagazines!
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