I bought a 12 bolt out of an older truck with 4.10 gears and posi traction. The length is ok but the axles will need to be replaced with 5 lug pieces.

Should I weld lca brackets on this rear, as well as fabricate a tq arm bracket? Or, buy an aftermarket housing and new axles?

I want to save as much money as possible but don't want to create a problem down the road. I plan on high 10s on slicks. What do you guys suggest?

Thanks, Mike

 

FYI - the truck 12 bolts have a smaller pinion than the car 12 bolt rears.

I have a 69' Chevelle housing under my car. It required making some brackets. I could have used a stock Torque arm, but elected to make a custom one while doing the conversion. The snout of the rear on the 12 bolt is also shorter than a 12 bolt - thus, my car required a slightly longer DS - about 1.75" longer.

All the welding & fabrication was performed by my father. He went to school for it in his 20's and has built over 40 pre 1948 cars from the ground up... many required him to build a completely new chasis from box tubing. I highly doubt I will have a problem with the brackets and welds, plus I have far less in my set up than an aftermarket one. Good luck w/ your conversion.

 

Sell the truck diff and find a car one or buy an aftermarket housing.

Moving all the brackets over to the 12 bolt isn't hard but attaching the torque arm isn't easy. You need to attach a bracket for the torque arm onto the cast iron housing of the 12 bolt. If you intend to run that quick then would you want to trust the welds?

Trying to save money by trying to convert an old diff may end up costing more than buying an aftermarket bolt in diff.