# Duelly rear ends



## fulltiltwill (Aug 23, 2005)

So do any of you chevy gurus know if I can swap my wide duelly rear end that is on my 85 K30 for a narrow one like on a wrecker? If so, how much fabrication?
Thanks Adam


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

yes, piece of cake. I think only the shock mounts may be different, or that may be just going from SRW to DRW. I've seen it done numerous times, I think it looks cool under a regular fleetside bed. Are you going to change from a dually bed to a fleetside or flatbed? Because if you leave the dually bed on it will look ******** with a narrow rear. Be careful, there are some people on this site who don't believe there are two different width rear axles;>


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## fulltiltwill (Aug 23, 2005)

Thanks D. Yes I plan on getting a dump bed.


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## douglasl330 (Oct 4, 2005)

Works slick--DD is right shock mounts are the only issue--Did the exact swap on a 78 about twenty or so years ago---I put a flat bed on the truck also _ I hear you on the ******** look with leaving the old bed on


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

There's an old buck around here, has a dually just like mine. For a long time now he has been running it on four wheels, missing the outside rears, of course with the great big fiberglass fenders hanging out a foot and a half away from the inner tires. it looks SO stupid.


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## Jpocket (Nov 7, 2005)

Detroitdan said:


> yes, piece of cake. I think only the shock mounts may be different, or that may be just going from SRW to DRW. I've seen it done numerous times, I think it looks cool under a regular fleetside bed. Are you going to change from a dually bed to a fleetside or flatbed? Because if you leave the dually bed on it will look ******** with a narrow rear. Be careful, there are some people on this site who don't believe there are two different width rear axles;>


I didn't think there were two differnet rear ends, but I guess you learn somthing everyday!


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Jpocket said:


> I didn't think there were two differnet rear ends, but I guess you learn somthing everyday!


The wide version used in the pickups is a Dana 70. The narrow version on the cab and chassis is a 14 bolt corporate.... as is the "medium" width version used on the SRW 3/4 and 1 tons.


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## tuna (Nov 2, 2002)

No it will not work,the frame on a Cab and chasis is narrower if you try to use the axle from a Cab and chasis on a dually pickup the drums won`t even clear the frame.You need an axle from a one ton single wheel pickup.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

tuna said:


> No it will not work,the frame on a Cab and chasis is narrower if you try to use the axle from a Cab and chasis on a dually pickup the drums won`t even clear the frame.You need an axle from a one ton single wheel pickup.


Huh? That doesn't sound right... how do you know this?


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## icebladez (Aug 26, 2005)

I take it a person can also do the reverse,from a single to a dually?..would that look ****** with a regular bed do you think?..


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

icebladez said:


> I take it a person can also do the reverse,from a single to a dually?..would that look ****** with a regular bed do you think?..


No, it looks awesome! I love the look of dually wheels tucked under a regular fleetside bed. I've seen it done on fleetside pickups, Blazers and Suburbans, it is definitely cool.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

tuna said:


> No it will not work,the frame on a Cab and chasis is narrower if you try to use the axle from a Cab and chasis on a dually pickup the drums won`t even clear the frame.You need an axle from a one ton single wheel pickup.


 I don't see where the frames are different, at least not on the 3/4 and 1 ton pickups from the era we were talking about. Maybe a cab and chassis of a higher GVW, but I've never seen it on a pickup. I don't think it would make sense to narrow the frame of a cab and chassis more than a pickup, to make room for DRWs, when GM was obviously designing the truck to carry more weight in the first place, hence the DRWs. And as far as I know a cab and chassis is a pickup that doesn't have a bed or dump body or whatever on it yet. I put a narrow track 14 bolt under a 79 1/2 ton, it bolted right in, and it had the deep drums to fit inside Budd wheels. I always wanted to fit a set on there for looks, but I never had the extra money for 6 new wheels and tires. If anyone knows the frame measurements for the 90s SRW and cab and chassis trucks, let me know I'll go out in my driveway and measure my dually to compare. Tuna, if you do have info to support what you are saying, please provide it, I am always interested in learning something new.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

icebladez said:


> I take it a person can also do the reverse,from a single to a dually?..would that look ****** with a regular bed do you think?..


The Cab and Chassis rear end, being narrower, can be put under a regular pickup box, though the outer wheels still stick out about 1/2" per side. If you use Bushwacker fender flares to keep them covered, it should still be legal.

You couldn't use the Dana 70HD rear end from a dually pickup with a SRW box, it would look ******** and be totally illegal.


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## icebladez (Aug 26, 2005)

this is very interesting..since i've no 4wd,i think a dually setup should at least have much more dominance over my current pathetic 2wd..hmm..can info be spilled on expicitly on what to go about doing with my automatic 1988 cheyenne p/u for a conversion or should this be killed as a persuit of activities??


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## 99 z71Silverado (Dec 1, 2005)

anyone got any pictures of this swap


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## BigBurban (Sep 13, 2005)

Detroitdan said:


> I don't see where the frames are different, at least not on the 3/4 and 1 ton pickups from the era we were talking about. Maybe a cab and chassis of a higher GVW, but I've never seen it on a pickup. I don't think it would make sense to narrow the frame of a cab and chassis more than a pickup, to make room for DRWs, when GM was obviously designing the truck to carry more weight in the first place, hence the DRWs. And as far as I know a cab and chassis is a pickup that doesn't have a bed or dump body or whatever on it yet. I put a narrow track 14 bolt under a 79 1/2 ton, it bolted right in, and it had the deep drums to fit inside Budd wheels. I always wanted to fit a set on there for looks, but I never had the extra money for 6 new wheels and tires. If anyone knows the frame measurements for the 90s SRW and cab and chassis trucks, let me know I'll go out in my driveway and measure my dually to compare. Tuna, if you do have info to support what you are saying, please provide it, I am always interested in learning something new.


1-tons feature 40.5" perch spacing - whether C&C or pickup, whether SRW or DRW. 3/4-ton is 42.5" spacing. some C&C were 36"

For all you ever wanted to know about the 14 bolt..

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/14b_bible/index.html


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## tuna (Nov 2, 2002)

The one I tried to put under my 85 C10 must have been a 36" cuz it was no where close to fitting between the frame rails.Double check your doner axle cuz there are 3 different width one tons.


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## Detroitdan (Aug 15, 2005)

first time I ever saw a half ton with 1 ton axles, the guy told me that to use the 1 ton rear the perches had to be moved, whereas if you take one from a 3/4 it will bolt right up and is otherwise the exact same rearend. I thought someone told me the spring pack was beneath the framerail on the 1 ton, as opposed to outside it like 1/2 and 3/4 tons. But I put a narrow DRW axle under my 79 1/2 ton and everything lined up. So either there were a lot of different rearends, or that one I had may have had the backing plates and brakes swapped before I got it. But I know I took it out of a 3/4 ton and I didn't move any perches. Anyway, Tuna makes a good point. Measure the donor truck. Or as I like to say, measure once and cut twice. 
I must be getting old. It's been a while since I've cut up and rebuilt an older truck.


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## YooperBob (Jan 17, 2006)

I've got an '85 1-ton dually, do you want me to get some measurements for you?


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