56 Chevy rear axle?

rod · 07-11-2020, 04:37 PM

any one have experience in putting MoPar side /axle gears in a Chevy [56-64] Dana posi. they were the same posi units, just different parts inside.
I have a line on those parts. just want to be sure they will really interchange before I move forward.
thanks
Rod in AZ

dondon · 07-12-2020, 01:40 AM

I heard it was a common practice years ago so they could run 30 splice mopar axles. I know that chevy posi clutches are different than mopars in that one plate (chev) is about .020 or so thicker than the mopar, and the case halfs will not seat against the other. mopar clutches will work on a chev. I did put a set of chev spiders in a mopar.

Dwight Southerland · 07-13-2020, 08:05 AM

Yes. There was an article in either Car Craft or SS & DI in 1967 that detailed the necessary mods. There were specific MoPar axles that could be modified to fit. Today you could buy axles easily. There was a shim kit you could buy from Chevrolet parts that was used to adjust the clutch pack thickness. I did this in the summer of 1968 to a '57 Chevrolet.

Alan Nyhus · 07-13-2020, 08:38 AM

If you're going to use a posi setup, I'd call Tom's Differentials and talk with them.

I remember that some of the differentials has 8 plates and some had 10. The spider gears were also a weak spot but I believe Tom's makes replacement high strength spider gears. They've been doing these '55-'64 style drop outs for a long time...many of the 409 guys use their stuff. Might be worth the call if you're committed to using a posi. -Al

https://tomsdifferentials.com/toma.html

Dwight Southerland · 07-13-2020, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Nyhus

If you're going to use a posi setup, I'd call Tom's Differentials and talk with them.

I remember that some of the differentials has 8 plates and some had 10. The spider gears were also a weak spot but I believe Tom's makes replacement high strength spider gears. They've been doing these '55-'64 style drop outs for a long time...many of the 409 guys use their stuff. Might be worth the call if you're committed to using a posi. -Al

https://tomsdifferentials.com/toma.html

X2!

Jeff Stout · 07-13-2020, 01:43 PM

My first car was a 55 Chevy in 1976. 327 4speed. I broke so many spider gears. As soon as the car wheel hopped bam. If I had only knew at the age of 16 this trick.

07-11-2020, 04:37 PM	#1
rod Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kingman, NW AZ. in the middle of the longest stretch of Route 66 Posts: 314 Likes: 0 Liked 20 Times in 15 Posts	56 Chevy rear axle? any one have experience in putting MoPar side /axle gears in a Chevy [56-64] Dana posi. they were the same posi units, just different parts inside. I have a line on those parts. just want to be sure they will really interchange before I move forward. thanks Rod in AZ

07-12-2020, 01:40 AM	#2
dondon Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 29 Likes: 10 Liked 10 Times in 5 Posts	Re: 56 Chevy rear axle? I heard it was a common practice years ago so they could run 30 splice mopar axles. I know that chevy posi clutches are different than mopars in that one plate (chev) is about .020 or so thicker than the mopar, and the case halfs will not seat against the other. mopar clutches will work on a chev. I did put a set of chev spiders in a mopar.

07-13-2020, 08:05 AM	#3
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 1,999 Likes: 64 Liked 772 Times in 192 Posts	Re: 56 Chevy rear axle? Yes. There was an article in either Car Craft or SS & DI in 1967 that detailed the necessary mods. There were specific MoPar axles that could be modified to fit. Today you could buy axles easily. There was a shim kit you could buy from Chevrolet parts that was used to adjust the clutch pack thickness. I did this in the summer of 1968 to a '57 Chevrolet. __________________

07-13-2020, 08:38 AM	#4
Alan Nyhus VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lower Dakota territory Posts: 1,180 Likes: 1,074 Liked 799 Times in 236 Posts	Re: 56 Chevy rear axle? If you're going to use a posi setup, I'd call Tom's Differentials and talk with them. I remember that some of the differentials has 8 plates and some had 10. The spider gears were also a weak spot but I believe Tom's makes replacement high strength spider gears. They've been doing these '55-'64 style drop outs for a long time...many of the 409 guys use their stuff. Might be worth the call if you're committed to using a posi. -Al https://tomsdifferentials.com/toma.html __________________ "That'll never work....."

07-13-2020, 01:43 PM	#6
Jeff Stout VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: phoenix Posts: 1,486 Likes: 66 Liked 704 Times in 281 Posts	Re: 56 Chevy rear axle? My first car was a 55 Chevy in 1976. 327 4speed. I broke so many spider gears. As soon as the car wheel hopped bam. If I had only knew at the age of 16 this trick.

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