What is the best 2500 rear axle with disc brakes?

[lehtola]

I have 1990 jimmy1500. I'd like to have disc brakes and upgrade the axle at the same time. If I'm scouring the junk yard...what options could I be looking for?

Newer model chevy trucks...etc? Is there anything that just plugs and plays?

 

[Babaganoosh]

8 or 6 lug?

The new aam 10.5 is a nice swap cause you can hook up your emergency brake to it.

 

[lehtola]

I apologize for my ignorance...what is that?

 

[HankScorpio]

AAM 10.5 is the newer 14 bolt. It is disc brake with e-brake provision. It is not a bolt in, needs spring perches and shock mounts moved. AAM is American axle manufacturing. GM spun it off a while back but they are still making a version of the old 14 bolt. Do you want 6 lug or 8 lug?

 

[lehtola]

Currently 6 bolt. I could go either way...would need new wheels if I went 8.

 

[JoshHefnerX]

Pulled a 2500 10.5 (14b) from 2003-2004. Worked out pretty well.

 

[lehtola]

Sweet...what modifications did you have to make for it to fit?

 

[JoshHefnerX]

yoke, perches, shock tabs, longer brake line, shortened the ebrake cables. If you're gonna go disks in the back I'd recommend a mc/ front caliper upgrade.

 

[campfire]

yoke, perches, shock tabs, longer brake line, shortened the ebrake cables. If you're gonna go disks in the back I'd recommend a mc/ front caliper upgrade.

What yoke did yours come with? I grabbed a 1997 G3500 van axle and everything bolted directly on once I got the spring & shock perches moved.

 

[campfire]

To the O.P., there weren't any square-bodied trucks with disc brakes, so any factory disc axle will come from newer trucks. All the newer trucks have wider frames, so perches are all going to not work. Some of the newer axles use a second perch inside the frame spacing for the bump stop. It's worth measuring one of these trucks to see if those secondary perches just happen to be correct for a square body. Otherwise, you're out of luck for a factory disc axle. You may be able to swap newer parts onto an old axle, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[campfire]

Why do you want disc brakes? If you just want more braking force, you might be happy upgrading to 13" drums like I did. Switching to disc, you'll want to switch out your proportioning valve so it doesn't drag the brakes constantly.

 

[JoshHefnerX]

What yoke did yours come with? I grabbed a 1997 G3500 van axle and everything bolted directly on once I got the spring & shock perches moved.

1410 was from a 4wd.