I was told by several that up to a 1994 rearend would work under my 87 as long as gearing was same. I found a good 94 rearend from hub to hub, dropped the old one out and went to put newer one in. This is where I found that the pads that the leaf springs sit on are wider than the original. Anyone know what the cure to this is? I suspect new U Bolts, does anyone know where to find these and what size or part number. I could not even find a match to original ones. Thanks

 

Yep, some of the later model trucks had the extra wide perches with the rubber boot around the springs under the u-bolts. If you can grab the u-bolts off the donor truck, that is one option. Another is to go with a u-bolt flip kit with round u-bolts under the axle tube, although you may need to replace or modify the top spring plate. Other option is to swap the 3rd member from the '94 axle into your '87 housing, assuming it is undamaged and call it good.

 

How will the ubolt flip work with those plates on bottom that shocks mount to? Thanks

 

You lose the bottom plates with a u-bolt flip kit and mount the shocks in a different manner:


or


Or grab the plates and u-bolts from the '94 and use them.

Other option is to grab a grinder and grind some grooves in the sides of the spring perch where the stock u-bolts pass by.

 

Dumb question, why does those leaf springs look like they are upside down?

Is there already a location to mount top of shocks like those 2 pics or is part of kit or something to be fabed?

Thanks again, lot more courtesy here than some others I have been on.

 

That tire looks to be compressed on an incline. Just the leaves doing their job.