Strange 12 bolt axles/backing plates
 

Im hoping someone can shed some light on this situation. I bought a used strange 12 bolt. It is in great shape. The previous car it came out of was a 94 camaro and the previous owner said it was sent to him from strange with the lt1 backing plates already installed. I need to swap my LS1 backing plates to this 12 bolt. All of the research I've done and found show the bearing housing on the end of the axle housing meaning you need to cut the bearings off the axles get new bearings and wedding rings, put my plates on and then press in the new hardware. This 12 bolt does not have the bearing housing on the end of the axle housing. All the pics of 12 bolts i've seen have this set up.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...2984d87ee0.jpg

which slides into the housing ends like this

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...9e9e865a76.jpg

The 12 bolt i have has the bearing "housing" outboard of the backing plate and the inner bearing race appears to be pressed into the backing plate.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...6485fc7e89.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/ls1tech...54eb56af6e.jpg


Im trying to figure out why these are so different. It looks like I'll need to order an ls1 backing plate that I can press a bearing race into from strange?

Anyone know the difference in these two styles?

Email the pics to Strange???

I'm going to call them in the morning, im just trying to figure out what this setup is. I stole your pics by the way. :)

To be honest that looks like a fabricated brake caliper bracket. Prolly something strange makes in house.

Just got off the phone with Strange, I had to send them an e-mail for reference. It appears this axle was produced by strange only for a few years back in the late 90’s early 2000’s when strange was using GM supplied axle tubes and 30 spline axles. They made a specific backing plate to hold the bearing race. They no longer make these. GM stopped making the axle tubes and strange started making their own tubes with the bearing housing in the end. I would either need to have the bearing housings welded onto the tubes and change axles (they used a different axle back then) then I could put my plates on and press on new bearings like the current production strange housings. Or swap the complete housing. Both of these options seem terrible and costly. I also do not want to downgrade to LT1 brakes. Looks like this will be going up for sale. :(

Correct me if Im wrong but are LT1 brakes really a downgrade?

Why do people with LT1's go after LS1 rear brakes. Im pretty sure the parking brake cable setup is different So I would need to figure that out. i just have perfectly good brakes from a low mile 02 car on my car currently and I dont want to trade them out for 24 yr old brakes.

Yeah i knew the parking brake cable was different but I think overall size and calipers are almost identical.