My 72 skylark had a 350 engine and 350 auto. Now with the off frame I want to install a posi rear end. It now has a 8.5 ten bolt with 256 ratio one wheel wonder. would like 3.42 gears/ posi. The number on the housing axel is LK B323-2. I want to install disc brakes on the rear. Is there any way to check the rear end to see if is a bolt on or c clip? I can get more numbers off casing if needed. I have checked and some disc brake kits only fit c-clip rear ends. I need help here maybe someone would like to build it for me.Can a posi unit fit into the housing I now have? Thank you.
If you remove the rear cover you can take the small bolt out that retains the shaft in the middle of the differential. Then you push the axles inward and you will see the c-clips if they are there. If not then they are bolt ins and you have to unbolt the backing plates and pull the axles with a slide hammer, in which case the outer bearing will be pressed onto the axle.
The '71-72 8.5 Buick & Olds A-body rear has bolt-in tapered bearing axles. Pull a rear drum & there will be 3 or 4 access holes in the axle flange. C-clip axles have no access holes in the axle flange. This 8.5 A-body rears design with tapered bearing bolt-in axles is far superior to c-clip axle 8.2 Chevy 10 bolts. Adding rear disc is no reason to go to a c-clip rear. There are half a dozen different ways one can add rear disc brake with the '71-72 8.5 A-body rear. Should have some pics, next week, of a Baer Super-Street system on an 8.5 A-body rear that I built earlier this year. Really sweet set-up, but not the cheapest route. For those wanting to run stock GM rear disc parts, have in the past used modified '79-81 T/A rear caliper brackets. Have to machine the center hole out & use a spacer to go between the 712146 axle seal & the stamped steel axle retainer. Will will post a link to fellow in CA who added same T/A rear disc pieces to his tapered bearing axle '72 8.2 Pontiac rear. Jack documented the process & took some pics, very similiar deal as both rears used the A9 tapered axle bearing & 712146 axle seal. Not the best pics, but rel easy to follow: http://home.socal.rr.com/tigerefi/ :3gears: Roger
Easiest kit to install is from www.tsmmfg.com for rear disc brakes. Read the article below for more info: http://www.buickperformance.com/rrdisc.htm
Thank you soooo much guys this is just what I am loking for. I would like to see the baer brakes before deciding on which one to install.
