Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

I'm contemplating adding a rear steering hydraulic ram kit to my 81 GMC K1500 shortbed. I have an extra GM10 bolt front axle from a 75 GMC 1/2 ton and was wondering if I could flip the axle and use it in the rear? Has anyone done this? I know there are other rear axles that I could buy that are already set up for rear steering but I'm on a budget and just want to know if that 10 bolt front axle will work in the rear.

Thanks everybody.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

i dont think it would work since the diff isnt centered...

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

Yes for slow speed stuff... I know 4ws Rockwell trucks don't have centered diffs
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Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

No it won't be that easy. Because if you simply turn it around (LEFT TO RIGHT< RIGHT TO LEFT) then the wheels will be turning backwards like the trucks in reverse when it's actually in drive. Same thing would happen if you were to simply rotate the pumpkin to face forward instead of the way it was designed to, the drive shaft would be turning the pinion in the opposite direction and again you'd be turning the rear wheels backwards while in drive.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

That'd be funny to see, front wheels going forward and the rear wheels going back.....

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

There was a truck at Bloomsburb show that did this. I'm pretty sure it was the front in the rear, still had the offset diff.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

My brother-n-law had Blazer set up with a front axle in the rear, I dont know what they did to make it work (he bought it that way) it was cool to play with but drove wierd on the street. I'll see if I can find picture's .

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

these picture's dont really show much but here they are. he bought it already set up, so we dont have any detail's bought how they made it work.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

I just knew that was a reflection of a 60 Chev in the bumper and the last picture confirmed it! ha ha ha ha ha

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

he has two of them, that was actualy use'd in the movie Jeaper's Creaper's.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

I get the idea that if you turn it around everything will be backwards, but doesn't the front and rear pinions spin in the same direction (Clockwise)? If so than flipping the pumpkin should work because the clockwise rotation doesn't change.

As far as the offset pumpkin I think that should work too. As long as the driveshaft isn't too angled. I wonder if it's just better to have the steering knuckles and shafts cut to fit onto a 12 bolt rear axle?

Thanks again people.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

every bone in my body screams "THUNK, CRACK, SMASH" when I see something like this. I cannot see myself driving this on the HWY and not wrecking.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

On the Quadrasteer trucks, the rear axle was a Dana 60 rear axle with Dana 60 front steering setup.

There's a lot of room under these trucks, I think you could get away with a regular front axle flipped over without spending a ton.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

Yes, it CAN be done. I have personally done three of them....but I don't think I would bother to do it with a 10-bolt.
10 bolts are not so great for larger tires in the first place. I'm would be willing to bet that big tires are going along with this type of project.

The off-set of the differential is a non-issue. The driveshaft can easily compensate for this....
"Centering" the differential brings custom axles into the picture. Not only does this cost $$$ in the first place, if you ever were to break one...the time and money come up again. Another reason to up-grade from the beginning



"Technically" the front differential is being turned the wrong direction from the beginning. It is running on the coast side of the gears to drive the truck foreward. (Sad to have to say) but Ford is the only one to to this correctly from the factory. Those "Hi-pinion" axles are "reverse rotation", so they do run on the right side of the gear teeth.

The main thing to remember is that if you intend to keep the leaf-spring suspension, you have to move them in-ward to allow for tire clearance (so they can turn. If you move the spring mounts under the frame, instead of outside it, you can retain the factory spring mounts on the axle housing.

For safety, I would recommend fabricating a "locking" device to hold the wheels straight. The hydraulics will have a tendency to "drift" on the highway...constantly correcting it gets old on longer trips.
I would also put a keyed switch on the pump. This keeps "accidents" from happening and allows you to let other people drive the truck w/o the fear of them crashing it....or someone else.

It is fun to drive one like that, but it does take a bit of practice to master it.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

I'd immagine there would be some torque steer with axles that different in legth. Ive had to limp a few jeeps home in front wheel drive due to a damaged rear driveshaft or rear end and it was a weird feeling. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad in the rear though.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

how about oiling? if you flip the axle upside down, I would fear they wouldn't oil like they should internally.. Maybe not... but I dunno

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

You don't flip anything, it just goes in like it was a rear axle.

Torque steer is no more likely than any rear axle. The housing is "solid", so the length of the axles themselves really don't matter.
It happens in front wheel drive applications because the steering wheel is connected to the drive wheels, any traction (or loss of traction) goes directly to the steering wheel.

Re: Can you use a GM10 bolt front axle in the rear for rear steering??
 

ahh I understand now!!!