1500 Silverado Crew Cab Rear Axle Swap

[BKennedy]

Picked up the air bag mounts and hardware, and dropped off the old axle for scrap. Goodbye POS

The donor has a 6.5' bed, which explains the longer park brake cables.

 

[BKennedy]

One of the few things I think I'll miss when I relocate to Arizona is Marshall's Hardware. They are 5 miles away and have nearly every type of fastner made. I went in there looking to make sure the air bags were indeed 1/8 NPT and to pick up new hardware for the mounts. They had the flat head metric bolts, the standard thin 5/8 nylon lock nuts, and the air line push fittings and tubing, even a Schrader valve, all for under $40.

Industrial Hardware in San Diego - Marshall's Hardware

San Diego Industrial Hardware store specializing in all facets of hardware needs including nuts, washers, hex bolts, socket head screws and more! Hard to beat quantity discounts available on many hardware products.

www.marshallshardware.com

 

[BKennedy]

Installed the air bags, pumped them up to 45 PSI and left it for 45 minutes. Still has 45 PSI. I don't think I'll run that much air in them ever with what I tow. It lifted the rear about 3". I'll play around with the pressure when towing the horses to the beach on Sunday. One of the bags is seriously showing its age, but its not something that will leave me stranded when it fails so I'll buy new bags then. They are expensive, $160 each.

Air lines are covered with braided wire loom and go through the frame for most of their length. I mounted the Schrader valve behind the lip of the bumper. Can't see it, but still easy to access.

Mounting stuff under the bumper goes against my off road instincts, but I don't think I'll be crawling in the Silverado.

 

[410Fortune]

Perfect!

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Now the wife thinks she is a master mechanic. I killed her dream by asking her to hand me a 10 mm box end wrench. "What's that?"

have taught others how to detail, and then they think theyre a master tech! its impressive to them, yes, but ya know its only the very very tip of the iceberg... been there, done that! now im too deep in!

 

[Josh P]

have taught others how to detail, and then they think theyre a master tech! its impressive to them, yes, but ya know its only the very very tip of the iceberg... been there, done that! now im too deep in!

It's that 20 years of experience I keep mentioning...