1okey2go... your post you linked to is about you putting a
Trooper 4X4 rear end in a Luv- not a mid-to-late 80's
2wd Pup rearend in a Luv....which BTW goes together a bit easier than what you decided to do...lol
You just don't get the benefit(?) of having the rear disk brakes that a newer Trooper has - but for a stock truck that aint gonna be hauling/towing much real heavy stuff (because it aint stout enough and aint got enough power to do it anyway...lol) - IMHO they really aren't necessary.
FYI - I'm running around with a pretty potent built Impulse1.9 G200z in a '78 shortbed stepside Luv with a 5 speed/rearend/driveline out of an '86 Isuzu Pup that I drive the hell right out of - and I've never broken anything or had any problems stopping it.
So just or the record...a 5 speed from a Pup is the same length as a standard Luv 4 speed - just the splines on the tailshaft are different.
The drivelines are the same length and the u-joints are the same - just the rear pinion yoke bolt pattern spacing and the front yoke spline count is different. And yes...the longbed Luvs all had a 2 piece driveline with a carrier bearing - just like all of the Pups did. As far as I know and according to my favorite local junkyard's manager, (but don't quote me because like I said before I've never swapped 'em) the carrier bearings are interchangeable.
And the rearend from a newer Pup fits a Luv. You just have to swap your old springs on to the newer rearend and re-locate the brakeline junction box bracket. Your e-brake will hook up fairly easy and work fine too.
So the obvious cheapest/easiest way to do the complete conversion is to swap the transmission, driveline, and rearend all at once.
If that isn't feasible/affordable, then you will still need the newer driveline or at least it's yoke(s) to get everything to connect properly.
When I did mine - I also threw in a new flywheel, clutch, throw-out bearing, pressure plate, u-joints, shocks, and rear brakes while I was at it. Me and a friend of mine started it all real early on a Saturday morning and we were all done in time to for me to go out cruisin' that night.
Doing this particular rearend/tranny swap in a 2wd Luv really isn't rocket science - it just takes a little "know-how", a few tools, a little time, a little common sense, and a little patience.
And planning things first while having a few good manuals available for technical info doesn't hurt you too much either.
There is also a free downloadable Luv master parts list zip file and a free downloadable Luv interchange zip file on the front page of this site in the information section that may help you guys out a bit:
http://www.luvtruck.com/pdf/Chevy_1972-82_Luv_Series_1-12_Master_parts.zip
http://www.luvtruck.com/pdf/CHEVY_LUV_72-78_INTERCHANGE.zip
Good luck!