Relocated Rear Axles

[nvrenuf]

Anybody got pics of a rear axle pushed back 2"~3" ?

I searched and came up with a lot of 1.5" and 4" or 5" but nothing in between. I originally had mine moved back 5" but didn't like it, I thought it looked too awkward. I'm now set 1" back but thinking about a little more.

Whatcha got??

 

[Greg72]

My old setup was back exactly 2" from stock....

On a 1st Gen, 2" back is basically perfect to center a large tire visually in the round wheel opening. Recently in the "Might As Well" thread I was lamenting the mistake I made of assuming that the wheeltub was the true "visual center" of the wheelwell. It turns out that the wheeltub is 2-3/8" forward of the visual center....so I had to modify all of my link lengths and rework my suspension design calcs.

On the later model trucks I'm not sure what the "magic" number is, but I seem to recall that 2" was considered a universally good target for pushing the axle back.

 

[nvrenuf]

Yeah, I haven't put a tape measure to it but I'm thinking the sweet spot of a 2nd gen is between 2"~2.5" back. I want to push it back a little to stretch the wheelbase and cut down on the rear overhang but when you get to the 4"~5" range part of the tire falls under the 1/4 and looks odd to me. I've trimmed the opened a fair amount but don't want to cut further back because I'm keeping the fuel filler & door.

 

[Blazinaire]

I don't have a decent picture of mine at the moment, but with the rear axle 2"-2 1/2" back on my 87, the oversize (Crane) 14ff diff cover comes close enough to the factory gas tank skid when the suspension fully compresses to make me nervous. That may or may not be a concern depending on your build.

 

[nvrenuf]

You know, that's a good point because when I had mine shifted back it was before I reinstalled the tank & skid.

How much lift do you have? Any chance you could snap a pic sometime from the side to show how it looks?

 

[Blazinaire]

At the moment based off of measurements from my buddies stock 'burb to my k5, it looks like 8"-8.5" lift which will be coming down another 2" as soon as I get the chance to work on it. I do have ~17" vertical travel though, so that makes a big difference in the equation as my axle swings pretty far front to rear through its travel.

Pic coming in a minute...

rear only:

passenger side:

diff cover to gas tank skid:

my axle swings rearward ~2" from the last pic which is just enough to make the cover rub the dirt off of the skid plate.

 

[oldtoyboyd]

Here is a side shot of my crewcab. I think I moved it 2 or 3 inches backwards

 

[dremu]

To hijack slightly, do you have some seriously thick spacers going on back there, like 2-3"? Seems like the FF hubs don't protrude past the outer edge of the wheel.

More on topic, I'm thinking your choice of diff cover affects fitment... I have a big honkin' cover, very deep, which wanted to become one with the gas tank's skidplate on compression. Yours looks much shallower (Crane, by chance?) which I think lets you sneak by.

-- A

 

[Blazinaire]

To hijack slightly, do you have some seriously thick spacers going on back there, like 2-3"? Seems like the FF hubs don't protrude past the outer edge of the wheel.

More on topic, I'm thinking your choice of diff cover affects fitment... I have a big honkin' cover, very deep, which wanted to become one with the gas tank's skidplate on compression. Yours looks much shallower (Crane, by chance?) which I think lets you sneak by.

-- A

Yes the cover is a Crane. Wheel spacers are 1 1/2" thick, the wheels easily have 1" thick centers and are heavy mofo's @ 47lbs each look at the inner bead lip in the pic of my diff cover. The hubs are flush with the wheel center.

I have a 31 gallon tank on mine, the 25g is the same footprint just a few (3"?) shallower, so that is another consideration for clearance. I suppose you could also notch out the center/forward section of the gas tank skid and gain another 3/4" or so if you are close, I'll just let mine self clearance All that being said, I would say that I'm at the limit for stretching rearward without either moving my fuel tank up into the bed or going with a smaller one.

 

[Blazinaire]

I just went and measured as I had forgotten since I installed these springs. The spring center pin is 27 1/2" from the front eye so 1 1/2" further back than stock and the perches/plates were also redrilled 1 1/4" forward making the total stretch 2 3/4". It sure doesn't look like that much when I drop a plumb bob down from the center of the wheel well, but alas that is what the tape measure reads from that method too.

 

[1BEATK5]

i have 56's in backwards, but with the shackle flip its only about 2" back instead of the 4" you would think.
when the rear of the fenders are cut it still looks like the tire is centered. thats part of the reason i did that. i dont like the look when you cut the front part of the rear fenders.

the rear diff cover only has about 3" away from the tank, but i dont think my suspension will come up that far. i'm moving the tank and lowering the truck now anyways.

 

[nvrenuf]

Thanks for the pics guys, they help a lot!

Blazinaire, that's a good looking truck - great stance. When you finish fixing that spot on the roof head on over here to 'Bama cause I've got the exact same spot to fix.

 

[ChrisPerry]

Still in progress 3-3.5"

 

[nvrenuf]

Dude, I was just drooling in your thread!

 

[tRustyK5]

Lousy pic, but this is 1.5" forward and 1.5" back, 40's and ~7" lift total.

Rene

 

[nvrenuf]

Are you kidding, those are great pics Rene! That snow is crazy (you always want what you can't have, LOL)!

 

[Z71paramedic]

Lousy pic, but this is 1.5" forward and 1.5" back, 40's and ~7" lift total.

Rene

I bet those TSL's were fun in that slush I hope there weren't any hills to climb... My MTR's on my pickup suck it in the snow.