Been away for a while. It is probably easier to just ask you guys the question then hunt.....I have 9 bolt rear, w 277. I would like 343's or bigger (not much). I have talked to Miles about new, but is there a swap with only a few changes with another year/model I can do. Still keeping disc brakes. I just do not know what to look for. Thanks, you guys have been big help in the past.

 

To get to a gear range of in your case with a 9 bolt you'll need to find one with 345's(good luck) or change to a 10 bolt, not as strong as the 9 bolt but plentiful with 342's and up. Swapping from a 9bolt disk to a 10 bolt disk is easy and if you get a 89 and up rear you get the bonus of better PBR rear brakes.It all depends on what you want to do with the car. You'll see a big improvement just changing to a 9 bolt with 327's plus there more plentiful,BUT to still get one with the better brakes you'll have to find one from a 89 year car.

 

If I swap the rear and go with the 89 (and better PBR) is there anything that has to change with the brakes sytem on the 88. I have heard the portion valve maight have to be changed among other things. If it is just the complete rear end swap, and re-hook the lines, it sounds like the way to go. I thought I also read that the rear of the 89 might not be the same width. There are very few mechanics around here that think this out, they would rather swap it and figuare it out later.

 

If you go with a 1989 9-bolt it is a direct swap. The only items you will need are the Proportioning Valve and the Parking Brake cables from the 89. Everything else is the same. I did the same swap into my 87 for the better brakes on the 89 9-bolt.

 

If he already has the proportineing valve,it should work fine.
He's just going from disks to disks and as far as I know the cars with PBR rear brakes shouldn't have a different proportioning valve.Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Sounds like he going from drum to dics brakes so the proportioning valve and the parking brake cables are different on the 89 9-bolt and he will need them. Been there and done it.

 

You're correct if he's going from drum to disk,been there done that too. Reread his first post,He says he wants a swap Still Keeping Disk Brakes and in his sig he has a 88 Iroc with a 277 9 bolt.
Don't know of too many 88 Irocs sporting a 9 bolt with drum brakes.

 

It is disk to disk. Sorry didn't get back sooner. If I can only find 90 or newer rears with disc, 10 bolt, will that work as well. Is there a book out there somewhere that explains what parts can be exchanged between models. I know for a long time people were using rears from S10 blazers, and monte for the better gears in other cars. Your combined experience helps a lot, thanks.
Quick ?------preference on brake pads ?

 

90 and up 10 bolts are fine. They have the 28 spline axels,better brakes,parts are less expensive and more plentiful than 9 bolts and the swap is still not difficult.