Trailboss gets a new rear axle?

[HondaHawkGT]

Not sure if anybody brought this up yet, but I was looking at pictures from the reveal the other night and noticed something odd about the LT Trailboss. The axle looks quite a bit different from the normal GM 12-bolt 9.5"/9.75" AAM axle on the K2 trucks. The other 2019 Silverado trucks at the show had a standard 9.5"/9.75" axle. I've only been able to find two pictures of this axle so far. If anybody else can find more pictures of the LT Trailboss's rear axle, post them up.

 

So far what I've noticed is:

• The diff cover has a square embossed area just below the filler plug.

 

• The pinion flange looks different. 

 

• There are also blocks or bosses on this particular casting that aren't on other versions of the current AAM 9.5". They're on either side of the housing, above and below the area where the axle tubes are riveted on. The truss ribs are different. This axle housing appears to be a much beefier compared the the standard 9.5".

 

• There also appears to be a wiring harness visible above the axle housing. There also appears to be a metal bracket of some sort on top. Is this evidence that the Trailboss will have an E-locker?

 

LT Trailboss:

 

Standard GM 12-bolt 9.5":

[Daly]

No idea if it's a different type of axle, but I see they did the Dual exhaust the cheap and easy way lol...

[mookdoc6]

Yes, it's different you can tell even in the early spy shots it's up higher and looks to have better clearance same AAM manufacture....

[blazerk5drew]

Wonder if this indicates a future center section for an IRS setup.

[crafferty]

This is could either be great or horrible news if it’s truly a new rear end. I say that because last I checked (about one year ago) there still was not a fear option for the “new” 9.76” rear end that GM introduced in 2013 on the K2XX series.


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[michigan2500hd]

This new axle may be used in more trucks than the Trail Boss. I think I have a picture of what looks like it could be the Sierra All Terrain with this same axle.

There was a camo'ed out truck at the donut shop here in Flint, mi. So I took a quick peek under the rear when the drivers back was turned. I say it was the Sierra because the Silverado had been unveiled already and the driver said this truck had not.

 

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[newdude]

GM is producing in-house new axles soon so that might be one of them. 

[crafferty]

9 hours ago, newdude said:

GM is producing in-house new axles soon so that might be one of them. 

Great! I wonder how many years it'll take to get aftermarket gearing. The 9.76" rear end still doesn't have any gearing options from companies like Yukon or G2. Looks like the closest thing available is factory gear ratios from Yukon (3.23, 3.42 & 3.73). 

[HondaHawkGT]

It looks like the rear axle is GM's in-house replacement for the AAM 9.5/9.76" axle. There are new pictures from GM's Wyoming, MI plant showing the axles in production.

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/company_info/facilities/component-fac/grandrapids.html

[cr250Silverado]

I hope the carriers, gears, etc. will be cross compatible with the K2s. The aftermarket could use some encouragement to make lockers and gears for the new 9.5 12 bolt.