wtf rear axle narrower than front???

[hawkins]

Ive had my 88k5 for about six months now and was looking at it in the driveway today and something seemed odd. The rear end is two inches narrower than the front??? Im talking track width. I didnt get all technical by taking my measurements from wheel mount to wheel mount but from outside of tire to outside of tire it is two inches narrower in the rear. Is this normal or do I have some other 10 bolt in the rear?

 

[resurrected_jimmy]

normal, they are all like that, has to do with they track better that way according to previous discussions

 

[thatK30guy]

Yep, thats normal. All fronts in all solid front axles are wider than the rears, even in Fords and Dodges, too.

 

[Can Can]

As stated above, the offset in the axle widths prevents the rears tires from taking the same track as the front tires. This comes in handly when driving through muddy terrain, keeping the rear tires out of the ruts left by the fronts.

 

[shaun89]

i think? the steering is helped out also(tighter turning radius)

 

[hawkins]

ok well thanks it just seemed odd to me thats all.

 

[badmix]

yip normal. It bugs the **** out of me too. Ive thought about wheel spacers, but read enuff negatives to not bother. I figure if I ever got with 14ff than ill be good to go.

 

[syclonekid43]

not only solid front axles. my daily s-10 is wider in the front to. i just think its all 4x4's.
i dont mind it other than the fact it looks like it dog tracks goin down the road when you look at it from one side.

 

[84CUCV]

is there a 14b that would match up to a 1986 d60 at all? i dont want to run spacers

 

[JanneB]

is there a 14b that would match up to a 1986 d60 at all? i dont want to run spacers

Yes a 14B from a G30 is the same width as a GM Dana 60 F.

 

[84CUCV]

thanks good to know

 

[blazin' j]

u could also get rims with a different offset to match...mine looked like that br i did the 1 ton swap... i hate that look...dont think it helps at all with "staying outta the front track ruts" if they're ruts, all your tires will follow...b4 1 ton swap and 8 lug rims

and heres after the swap...rims have 4.25 back spacin i think...

notice how n the 1st pic the r almost inside rear fenderwell n stick out n the 2nd???

 

[noJeepshere]

It's actually 3" narrower in the rear. Bugs me to no end. I've been wanting to ask, is there a kit to convert a van 10- or 12-bolt rear to six lug hubs? I want the wider track out back, but not with spacers.

Also, the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have the same track, front to rear, from 73-87, but the half tons only were narrow. With the body style change, that seemed to reverse, with the half tons being the same front to rear, while the 3/4 and one tons were narrower in back. I heard it was for manufacturing costs.

 

[macg]

It bugged me so I got 1 1/2" spacers for each side. I ran them for about 4 years with 33" tires with no problems. I don't know of anybody ever breaking a spacer but have always wondered about that. I just couldn't help seeing the narrow rear everytime I looked at it.

I have them for sale in "axles/suspension" section. I went to 3/4 ton and dont need them anymore.

The spacers were aluminum with the lugs pressed into them. You bolt them on to the axle and then bolt the wheel onto the spacer.

 

[Can Can]

dont think it helps at all with "staying outta the front track ruts" if they're ruts, all your tires will follow

Wrong.

 

[blazin' j]

well it hasnt changed mine...ive gone thru the same holes b4 AND after the swap and its still the same...all 4 tires track the rut...guess mines just different...

 

[bp71k5]

I thought every modern car and truck on the road had narrower rear wheel spacing except the Porche 911? The story (I thought) was that steering stability and tracking was much better when the front is wider and the 911 has to have extra wide rear tires to keep help counteract the negative effects of the wide spacing.

 

[lectric80]

well it hasnt changed mine...ive gone thru the same holes b4 AND after the swap and its still the same...all 4 tires track the rut...guess mines just different...

It is physically impossible for wheels that are 3" narrower to follow the exact same track as the fronts through the mud. The inside of the rear tires are each split 1.5" in, making the inside edge of the tire bite into fresh mud. This makes sure the rear tires have something to bite into, versus trying to coast through the ruts left by your front tires.

 

[noJeepshere]

I thought every modern car and truck on the road had narrower rear wheel spacing except the Porche 911? The story (I thought) was that steering stability and tracking was much better when the front is wider and the 911 has to have extra wide rear tires to keep help counteract the negative effects of the wide spacing.

Both Suburbans (98 and 99) my parents have owned and my 99 Yukon all have the same track front to rear.

 

[blazin' j]

well i guess the ruts were really big...besides, my front and rear are the same with now...