4.27.21 AT LAST, THE REAR IS NOW A 5-BOLT

Thanks for burning a weekend of my time, Speedway Motors. 

Free advice. 

Beware of aftermarket parts. 

I just spent about a month trying to get a brand new Speedway Motors 5-bolt rear axle swap kit to fit in my OG 12-bolt. 

The splines were right. The lengths were right. 

Unfortunately, whoever machined the new axles wasn't paying attention to al the critical dimensions. The diameter of one axle at the flange was too large to fit.

DOH.

Finally, my body guy suggested the correct fix. 

"Why don't you return those pieces of shit and have a good machinist redrill your old axles and drums?"

Bingo. 

As much as I enjoy stimulating the aftermarket economy, his suggestion made complete sense and cost roughly a third what the shabby new swap kit did.

Back to Speedway Motors the ill-fitting parts went. Straight to a qualified machinist went I. 

There's a lesson to be learned here. 

Don't ever give up on parts that fit in lieu of aftermarket parts. I have a feeling the new axles were machined at the lowest possible cost by people who frankly don't give a flying fuck whether the parts fit.

Lowest possible cost logic.

Never send a questionable new part in when a well-machined old part will do,

Lesson learned. 

I just hope they don't resell the crappy parts to a new victim.