USA Standard Axle For GM 8.2in & 8.5in Passenger Car. 29 1/2in Long / 28 Spline / 2.780in Hub
A rear wheel bearing that howls on the highway and has eaten the shaft it rides on, a bent axle from a curb strike, or splines that finally gave up after years of launches are what send Camaro, Chevelle, Chevy II and Nova owners shopping for a rear axle. The USA Standard Gear ZA G1255803-SH is a new 28-spline replacement shaft, 29-1/2 inches long with a 2.780 inch hub pilot, for the Chevrolet-style GM 8.2 inch and 8.5 inch ten-bolt rears in these passenger cars.
The inner end of the shaft engages a side gear in the differential through its 28 splines, and the outer flange carries the wheel and brake drum or rotor. The 2.780 inch hub is the pilot diameter the drum or rotor centers on. In the Chevrolet-design 8.2 and the 8.5, the shaft is held in by a C-clip in a groove at the inner end, inside the carrier, and the wheel bearing is pressed into the axle tube. The shaft itself is the inner race for that bearing, so when a bearing fails it usually scores the shaft too. That is why a worn bearing often turns into an axle replacement.
Raise the rear, spin each wheel by hand and listen for roughness, then grab the tire at top and bottom and rock it. In-and-out play on a C-clip axle can be normal within limits, but rough rotation is not. Pull the cover, remove the pinion shaft lock bolt and cross shaft, push the axle in, remove the C-clip and slide the shaft out. Look at the band where the bearing rides: if you can feel a groove or see pitting, the shaft is done. While the cover is off, check the ring and pinion and carrier bearings. If they are worn, the GM 8.5 master overhaul kit or GM 8.5 ring and pinion installation kit covers those parts.
USA Standard Gear lists the 29-1/2 inch ZA G1255803-SH for these cars:
GM ran several shaft lengths in these ten-bolt rears, and many of these cars have had their rears swapped over the decades, so do not order by year alone. Measure your old shaft from the wheel mounting face of the flange to the end of the splines, count the splines, and check the hub pilot. If your shaft measures closer to 30 inches, look at the 30-1/8 inch GM 8.2/8.5 axle instead. Note that this Chevrolet-style shaft does not fit the Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac 8.2, which uses a bolt-in axle. When in doubt, send us the year, model, VIN and your measurement, or browse other rear end parts in hard parts.
Yukon also makes this same 29-1/2 inch shaft in 1541H alloy for cars that see the drag strip or more power than stock. For a street car with original power, this USA Standard replacement shaft is the direct fix.
| Brand | Yukon Gear & Axle |
| Part number | ZA G1255803-SH |
| Fits | USA Standard Axle For GM 8.2in & 8.5in Passenger Car. 29 1/2in Long / 28 Spline / 2.780in Hub |
| Type | Axles |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
USA Standard Gear lists it for the 1967-1970 Camaro, 1965-1973 Chevelle, 1968 Chevy II and 1969-1979 Nova with the Chevrolet-style 8.2 or 8.5 inch ten-bolt. Always measure your old shaft to confirm the length.
Pull the shaft and measure from the wheel mounting face of the flange to the inner end of the splines. This shaft is 29-1/2 inches. The other common GM passenger car length we carry is 30-1/8 inches.
No. The Buick-Olds-Pontiac 8.2 uses a bolt-in axle held by a retainer plate. This shaft is the Chevrolet-style C-clip design.
Yes. On these rears the shaft is the inner race for the bearing, so a worn bearing damages the shaft and a worn shaft damages the bearing. Replace the bearing and seal together with the axle.
It has 28 splines. If your differential has been upgraded to 30 spline side gears, you need 30 spline axles instead.
Use 75W-90 gear oil. If the car has a Positraction or other clutch-type limited slip, add the friction modifier it calls for.
