Need length for G-body rearend,axle flange to flange,please

[thunderhead]

Will someone tell me the length of a stock g-body rearend,flange to flange,please? My
'81 El Camino project is over an hour from my house being painted so I can't measure
it and I haven't been able to find the info on here.I know it's been put on here in a few
different forums probably but,not having any luck finding it.I bought a 8.5 10-bolt posi
rearend that was supposed to be out of a Olds 442 and was told it was identical to a
GN rearend so,being the trusting guy I am,I paid for it,took it home and laid it beside
the 8.5 out of my old 74 Laguna drag car and "surprise",it was the exact same length
so now I have 2 that are not what I want to use.Of course the guy won't answer his phone or return my calls now.I'll take care of it one way or another.I've got 3 friends
who are in "law inforcement" and they'll advise me as to how I can convince him that
it's not a good idea to screw people who you don't know anything about.Who knows,
they have as friends who are local police officers that may be able to "help" a guy out
when he has a problem with one of the "scum-bags" running around.Hopefully,he will
come to his senses so he doesn't create any problems for himself at his home,work,
or if I run into him at the track this summer.Any help on the info I'm looking for would
be appreciated and I promise I'll make sure and have my homework done before I go
shell out cash on parts that I lack information on and not trust everone.Thanks,Bob

 

[ILLEGAL REGAL]

52 1/8"

on the main page with malibu of the month click "faq" and there's a list of gm's with housing widths.

 

[thunderhead]

I knew it was on here but,I was so pissed last night,I really wasn't thinking as clearly
as usual.I didn't even see the FAQ to open it up.Being seriously pissed-off and a few
beers to try and cool your temper can do that to you! Thanks for the help. Bob

 

[kness_30]

thats a backing plate to backing plate measurement not a axle flange to axle flange

 

[ILLEGAL REGAL]

yea you're right.. housing flange is 52-1/8", axle flange will be wider.. think its around 6" wider than housing flange total

 

[86olds4spd]

58 flange to flange

 

[cleetus]

It may actually be out of a GN. The big difference is where the ears sit on the pumpkin. If the ears line up with your stock control arms, it'll work.

 

[monzaz]

GN / 442 rears 8.5 10 bolt and regular standard option 7.5 10 bolt rears are IDENTICAL width. PERIOD.

The only difference between the GN /442 8.5 and the 7.5 are the center section being 8.5 compared to smaller 7.5 and the axle shaft sizes. 8.5 being 28 spline and the 7.5 being 26 spline.

Brakes spring perches shock mounts upper and lower control arms all mount in the same locations.

The 8.5 10 bolt rear has a longer pinion shaft and will require the drive shaft to be shorter.

8.5 from 1970 to 1987 all are the same center section guts posi etc. all 28 spline.
1988-1998 were all 30 spline axle rears
1999-2008 were all 30 spline but the carrier bearings were increased do to carrier bearing failure in trucks. Towing application and plowing etc.

You can take a 2008 posi from a truck and install it into a 1987 GN or 442 rear with the correct axles (30 spline) and the proper carrier conversion bearings. ( 102911 and 102949)...Why you would want a Gov lock posi in a performance car is beyond me though ...It can be DONE.

Anyway on to your problem-

You have a 1973-1977 a-body rear correct? You can use it if you have the correct back spacing rims and install the perches from your 7.5 rear. we have upper double adjustable control arms that will solve the upper control arm trouble.

Just trying to help you out of a bad situation... the rear is 61" wide and is only 3-4 inches wider so 2" back spacing on the rims should solve that problem.

Good luck hope you figure it all out. Jim

 

[thunderhead]

Thanks for all that.I knew most of that already but,what I don't know is why I went
ahead and trusted this guy and didn't even measure it before I paid him and brought
it home with me since,I really do know better.Here's a prime example of "what not
to do" when you're honest and there is ANY possiblity that you're dealing with lying a #@*$%*! My biggest problem is I already bought pairs of 8" and 10" Rodlites with
the correct back-spacing.I would need to sell 2 pairs of wheels and find 2 more with
2" more back-spacing plus I already had another 8.5 out of my old 74 Laguna that
has Moser 33-spline spool,axles,C-clip eliminators,4.56,and long studs that I could've put under it.I was close to taking apart, and having it cut down to use but,I spotted
this other rearend on the local Craigslist and it was advertised as a G-body rearend &
I had to check into it.I asked if it was out a GN and he said it was from a Olds 442,
just like the GN rearend.It was under a old '80 Grand Prix racecar that he wanted to
buy for years and when he got it,decided it had way to many rust problems and he decided to part it out instead.He said he was a G-body expert,had been doing them for 20 + years and it was definitely the rearend I wanted.We took off the cover to take a look at the posi unit which was a Auburn,and the Richmond 4.10 had almost
no indication of wear on it at all.Like I said,I believed he knew what he had and was talking about,like a fool.I came back a couple days later,didn't measure,paid him for
it,hauled it home and I laid it next to my other rearend out of the Laguna.That's when
I discovered it wasn't as advertised.When he wouldn't answer his home phone or his
cell,didn't return my calls after 6 attempts to reach him,I knew it was intentional.I will
not go to jail over it but,it's not going to just be a "learning experience" either.I have
already started to check into different ways to handle it and I will not just walk away from it with my tail between my legs.
I would be interested in seeing pics of your upper arms and the price.I will likely put a
pair of coil-overs on one of these rearends and go ahead with using it.Any more info
on issues with the lower arms would be appreciated.I've seen comments on here that
said you have to use different ones on those also and saw at least one where one guy
said he was able to bolt a 8.5 out of a 73-77 A-body in with no changes at all.I'm all
about learning the right way with the least amount of money spent so,correct info on
doing this swap is important to me since I'm already out the money for one rearend I didn't need to buy and now need to sell one or both.Any info you have on the correct way to swap a 73-77 A-body 8.5 into my '81 El Camino is appreciated. Bob

 

[monzaz]

Just put up the info for everyone so they can search it later on.

I will get that info for you...Off to Mothers Day evening dinner. Jim

:-({|=