I just bought a s-10 rear axle for my inliner project. I have been searching the internet to try and find what year axle i have and if it is a 4x4 or not. please can anyone help? here are the codes and casting numbers.
BUC C243 1 right front side.
GM8 K
14030352
on front of diff. case.
thanks

if i remember correctly a 4wd axle is 59-60" wide. 2wd is much narrower.
robert.

The 2wd S10 rear end is 54-3/8" from wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface. The 4wd rear end is 4" wider (wms) or about 58-3/8".
Its a 10 bolt axle with 7.50 ring gear, 28 spline axles.

OK, I'm confused. On 50chevy.com there is info on rearend swaps. It also say's an S10 4X4 rearend will fit in a 49 to 54 chevy along with others that will fit also. It also says the stock rearend is 54 3/4 wide from surface to surface. So why won't the 2wd S10 work, is the mounting different?

a 49-54 chevy rear is about 59-60" wide. i have an s10 4wd rear end under my 50 chevy coupe. the s10 4wd rear end is exactly 3/4" narrower than the 50 chevy rear, wheel bolt surface to wheel bolt surface. truth is if you have the fabrication skills & the inclination you can make anything fit. but for practical purposes ( & decent tire & wheel size ) the s10 2wd rear end is too narrow for a 49-54 chevy.
as far as what year model, well that doesn't make alot of difference as all the s10 rear ends were the same during all years with the exception of some of the last blazers which had disc brakes & some of the last 4.3 v6 trucks which had an 8.5" ring gear & was a different axle all together.
robert

just went outside & measured the original rear end from my 50 chevy coupe. wheel bolt surface to wheel bolt surface is 59 & 3/4".
robert.

Walt, you are exactly right, they said backing plate to backing plate is 54".

Can anyone advise axel codes for the S10 4X4 rear? I looked at numerous places on the internet & can't find any listings. I'm in process of locating a S10 2WD Tranny with 3.76 1st gear (have # info from T5 page here) & also looking for a 4X4 rear with 3.73 ratio. I'd like to be on the same page as the bone yards. I'm going to go the route of Buffalo Steve on my 51'

Thanks!
Sherman

"Trick 6" in Progress

Just my 2 cents worth- I was going to go with a 4x4 S-10 also, but wanted disk brakes. I have learned that the '95+ Ford Explorer and Expeditions will work, have disk brakes,32 spline axles,stonger built gears, some have limited slip, and came in 3.55,3.73, and 4.10. I'm going to some salvage yards and check one out before I decide between the the S-10 or Explorer, but with the disk brakes done I think the ford package may be a good choice.

Ford uses a different bolt pattern.

At some point in the last 5 years or so, the S10's could be bought with disc brake rearends. Not on all models though. I think 4.3L 4x4's...

To tell if it 2wd or 4wd, just measure the overall length, the 2wd is way too short at around 53" wide if I remember correctly, the 4x4's are about 57" wide...