U/P.Tom

Hi,
Anyone have an idea on where I can find and or who (company?)may sell used rear long axles for a 61 Corvette?
Any help appreciated. Thanks! Tom

U/P.Tom

Also if any idea on pricing even for a used one

DZAUTO

There is ALWAYS confusion and misunderstanding regarding the early rear axles/housings.
So, with that said, are you wanting an axle SHAFT, or an axle HOUSING???

Tom Parsons

U/P.Tom

long axle shaft yes

DZAUTO

OK, read the following carefully.
ANYTHING that is for a Corvette ALWAYS has an astronomical price!!! ESPECIALLY for the 53-62 models.
The 57-62 Vettes use the SAME axle shafts (RIGHT axle is the long one), BUT, the 57 has a 1/8in thinner axle bearing.
The 57-58 PASSENGER cars use the SAME axle shafts (no, not 59-62 pass cars). The difference between a 57 and 58 pass car axle is the width of the bearing (57 Vette/pass car uses a RW307 series bearing and the 58 pass car and 58-62 Vette uses a RW607 series bearing).
Soooooooooooooooo, here is what you want to search for (that is if you want to keep the price down). Inquire about a 57 or 58 PASSENGER car axle. Parts for 57 pass cars tend to be kind of pricy, but parts for a 58 pass car are usually pretty reasonably priced. Thus, you are MOST LIKELY to get the best price (and easier to find) on a 58 passenger car axle. Now, since you have a 61 Vette, and if you locate an axle for a 57 pass car, you will have to replace the 57 bearing with the wider 58-64 axle bearing.
Below are comparrisons of 55-64 axle bearings.
The 55-56 is on the left (smaller diameter). The 57 is in the center (thinner). The 58-64 is on the right (thicker).




Tom Parsons

U/P.Tom

Hi, thanks for the info and do you know where one could find the long axle shafts for a 61? I know you said the corvette ones are expensive but we would like to know where one could source it and the price? Thank you!

john5801

u/p tom.
i have a few axles. what do you have ? a -positraction or non-positraction rear...
tom p. is the expert --and his note here can help you with the size you'll need,
but what i have are: ..

for posi rear's- size=LH=28 1/2 in.
RH=30 1/8 in.
for non-posi==size =LH=28 3/4 in.
RH=30 1/4 in.
i will have to check and measure them tomorrow, if you're interested....
i think i have a set with the bearings and retainer already on,(350$/set) and a set that are bare(250$/set)......
both sets are good, painted and correct....
hope this helps..
let me know ...i'll send you a pm with my email ..
john

DZAUTO

I'll try to get a little deeper in the weeds on this issue, because it seems I did not explain the axle situation clearly enough above.

FIRST, in the history of 57-62 Corvette axles, the ONLY, repeat, ONLY year for different axles for a posi and a non-posi rear, was 1957. This also applied to the 57 pass cars. IF A 1957 CORVETTE OR PASS CAR CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITH A POSI REAR, THEN IT GOT AXLES THAT WERE 1/8in SHORTER (both sides). Again, 1957 was the ONLY, ONLY, ONLY year for seperate posi and non-posi axles!!! ALLLLL other years, REGARDLESS of whether the car was a factory posi or non-posi car, it still got the same axles. But for a 61 Vette, ONLY the 57-58 pass car (and of course 57-62 Vette) axles are the same.
Then, for 1958, the width of the axle bearing was increased by 1/8in. Therefore, no need for seperate posi/non-posi axles. So, ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL 57 NON-POSI axles (Vette and pass car) are the same as 1958 pass car axles and 58-62 Vette axles.

Now, if a person MUST HAVE genuine, honest to God Corvette axles. Fine! Simply because they came out of a Corvette rearend, whoever has them for sale will ask a considerably higher price for them. IT'S THAT WAY WITH ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL CORVETTE STUFF THAT IS INTERCHANGEABLE WITH A PASSENGER CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But, if you ask for a part that is for a pass car------------------even thought it is the exact same part that is/was used on a Corvette, the price will be cheaper. The mindset is "Oh, you want this for a Corvette? Well then, the price will be 10 times higher". I don't know how to explain this any more clearly!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, one more time-----------------57 and 58 passenger car axles are the exact same part as 57 (non-posi)-62 Corvette axles. So, if you want the best price on an axle for a 61 Corvette, search for an axle from a 58 Chevy pass car (a 57 pass non-posi axle will also be the same, except usually a higher price is asked for 57 Chevy parts).
JEESH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom Parsons

screaming70banana

I've got some axles from a C1 frame I parted out. Not exactly sure of the year as it was pretty much a mutt, I'll take a closer look at them and get better pics and a price, with the great write up and pics by DZAUTO it should be easy to sort out. One of the studs on the bearing retainer was bad and had to be cut out.

DZAUTO

[QUOTE=screaming70banana;1580228268]I've got some axles from a C1 frame I parted out. Not exactly sure of the year as it was pretty much a mutt, I'll take a closer look at them and get better pics and a price, with the great write up and pics by DZAUTO it should be easy to sort out. One of the studs on the bearing retainer was bad and had to be cut out. QUOTE]

Too easy to tell real quick. Measure the width of the bearing. A 57 axle bearing is approximately .9in thick. A 58-62 bearing is approximately 1in thick.
Look at the picture below. The 57 and 58-62 bearing are the same diameter (3in), but you can see the 57 bearing is narrower than the 58-62 bearing. The bearing on the far left (55-56) has a diameter less than 3in.
Again, I'll repeat, a 57 axle can be used in a 58-62 housing----------------JUST REPLACE THE THINNER 57 BEARING WITH THE WIDER 58-62 BEARING.



Tom Parsons

INMYBLOOD

I also have a Passenger side axle from my 58 if interested.

jpressick

I am replacing the rear axle bearings on a 57 and have found pictures showing the placement of the rubber o ring on the bearing closer to the inside of the differential and some showing it just the opposite or closer to the hub. Does it make any difference which way the bearing goes in?

DZAUTO

You asked me this question in a PM. Did you see my PM reply?