Rear End Swap

[indypace]

I'm thinking about swaping the non-posi drum rear end from my 82 Z28 with a 4th gen posi/disc axle. Can I use my factory 15" rims with the 4Th gen axle? What year axles are an easy swap? I know that I may have to change the master cyl & prop. valve on my 82 to complete the swap.

[nightrider]

I am doing just that this christmas vacation.
From what i understand and will learn more about in coming days is:
Any fourth gen rear is a direct swap in for a 3rd gen rear but a 4th gen rear is a total of 4inches wider than a 3rd gen rear. Meaning each tire is going to stick out 2inches farther on either side of the car. You can run your original rims but you will have this problem. If you run a set of 4th gen wheels however, it will pull the rear tires back into the wheel wells and where you want them. Only problem is you have to buy a set of 2.25 inch spacers for the front. These will run you about 150 bucks.

As for the proportioning valve, i am going to by-pass the stock proportioning valve for the rear axle and run an adjustable one from summit. I plan to run the lines into the cabin and have it setup so that i can completely turn off the rear brakes by just turning a dial....great for heating up the tires before a run at the track or maybe the odd brakie without worrying about twisting anything or ruining your rear breaks. I plan to mark on the dial exactly where i find the brakes to be best proportioned so that i can just turn the dial to that spot and not have to fool around with anything. This seems to work for some people and not for others. I am going to make it work for me unless something doesn't go right for some strange reason.

This is a great swap for me as i will get rid of my weaker 3rd gen axle, get 3.42 gears instead of 3.08s, get a torsen posi unit since my axle came out of an 02 SS, and get discs all at the same time!

I don't think there is a cheaper way to get that much bang for your buck!
Oh one last thing...I don't know if the factory 15inch 3rd gen rims will clear a big set of disc brakes in the rear. I also don't know if the tires sticking out will look OK or if i will be getting myself a set of 4th gen rims ASAP after the swap.

[indypace]

TTT

[XLR8TORZ28]

Using the 4th gen rear it is also possible to get creative if you want to buy aftermarket wheels.... buy the fronts for 3rd gen and the rears for 4th gen.... problem solved.... no spacers