Late 90s S10 with 8.5" 10 bolt... what splines?

[sled_dog]

My buddy has a late 90s S10 Blazer. The thing is a bit of an oddity. It has every option(except the ZR2 package) but is 5 speed. It even has an 8.5" 10 bolt under the back. So does anyone have a clue what spline count the axleshafts are? He wants to get a spool since he killed the factory locker and found out they are considered junk by the ZR2 guys. I figured 30 spline, he says Summit has, 28, 30, and 33 spline. Anyone?

 

[goldwing2000]

I think it would be a 30. I would pull an axle to be sure. That way you don't waste money buying the wrong parts.

 

[Slapperbar]

Buy axels with the spool and upgrade to 33 spline.

 

[sled_dog]

I have a feeling if he starts spending money on stuff like that, its going to get a 9" or something else going under it. Hes aiming for cheap stuff at the moment.

 

[Slapperbar]

The superiors in mine wern't bad. I also putoneof the SLP takeout Zexel diffs in it.

 

[dave_90_blazer]

should be 30 , but I agree, pull and axle to make sure

 

[79chevyk10]

If only seen 8.5" 10 bolts in S-10's with the vortec (vin W) high output V6 with a manual trans or the ZR2's. Most all the other 4x4's and 2wd's I see at work all have the 7.5" 10 bolt with 28 spline. Either way I do believe that they have 28 spline axles.

 

[Slapperbar]

Don't go by that. They "stopped" putting the 26 spline 7.5 in in '90. I still got one in my '91.

 

[79chevyk10]

Who said anything about 26 spline. Those are on the old S-10s.

 

[79chevyk10]

Don't go by that. They "stopped" putting the 26 spline 7.5 in in '90. I still got one in my '91.

Not true. They went from 26 spline to 28 spline in 89' I believe. My 99' has a 7.5" 10 bolt with 28 splines.

 

[sled_dog]

I think the point was, there are almost always exceptions and it is hard to say when things change when they changed a lot.

 

[Slapperbar]

Not true. They went from 26 spline to 28 spline in 89' I believe. My 99' has a 7.5" 10 bolt with 28 splines.

You are right on the 89' thing. My '91 still came with 26 splines.

 

[u2slow]

28-spline started in 88.5 when they put the 4.3L in the S10. The 4-bangers and 2.8L trucks still got 26-spline until the the body style changed.

The 8.5" 10b axle in the ZR2 and 4.3L/5-spd trucks is 30-spline. 2wd, 4wd, and ZR2 are all different widths - so watch out.

The 33-spline is aftermarket.... it started as a 'cheat' to get a bigger shaft into a stock Ford 9" third. Now there's 33-spline stuff for the 10b, 12b, D44, etc.

 

[beater_k20]

You are right on the 89' thing. My '91 still came with 26 splines.

did you buy it new?

 

[mikey_d05]

Ok, I'm gonna break it down since nobody else has the cajones, spline count in S10's is a cluster****. My friend has a non-ZR2 '00 with an 8.5" 10 bolt. Pull a shaft and save frustration.