I think I'm gonna do a DRW axle swap, add flares, and dually wheels (along with whatever else needs to take place) and convert mine to a dually.. My first question is: Are there rear springpack differences between the 2500 and 3500? I was looking at my buddy's 95 3500, and the rear packs look identical..

DRW axle is 3-4" narrower. If you keep the same axle your drive tires will be out about 2" on each side vs factory DRW.Spacers bolt right on to the steer axle, no changes needed.I think the rear spring packs are the same. With your manual trans 2500 you have the D80 already so the actual axle is the same as the 3500s get. The weight rating may differ though. My '97 D80 DRW D80 is rated at 7500, I think my friend's '01 2500 SRW D80 is rated at 6800 but I don't recall. I know my friend's SRW F350 rear axle is rated at less than mine, and I think the SRW 2500 was the same as the SRW F350. That was a couple months ago that I was reading door jams between beers so it's foggy for a couple reasons...What are you going to do for flares? Why convert?

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Why convert?

Dare to be different. Now that I think about I don't think they have short bed 3500 DRW...

  mr.mindless said:

DRW axle is 3-4" narrower. If you keep the same axle your drive tires will be out about 2" on each side vs factory DRW. Spacers bolt right on to the steer axle, no changes needed. I think the rear spring packs are the same. With your manual trans 2500 you have the D80 already so the actual axle is the same as the 3500s get. The weight rating may differ though. My '97 D80 DRW D80 is rated at 7500, I think my friend's '01 2500 SRW D80 is rated at 6800 but I don't recall. I know my friend's SRW F350 rear axle is rated at less than mine, and I think the SRW 2500 was the same as the SRW F350. That was a couple months ago that I was reading door jams between beers so it's foggy for a couple reasons... What are you going to do for flares? Why convert?

thanks, mindless. As for the length, I've heard so many different measurements, I've no idea what is indeed true. I've heard DRW rears are 1", 2" and 4" WIDER. I've also heard they're 1-2" narrower.. LOL I'm converting for a couple reasons: 1: I want a dually, and funds won't allow that to take place. 2: I'd like the increase in tow capacity, if there's any gain. 3: See #1 As for the flares, duallyfendersusa.com has shortbed fenders for $700/pr. I am aware, that this isn't a "I don't like it, let me switch it back" conversion without buying a new bed. as for the steer axle spacers, are they interchangeable with older Ford? Just asking as to possibly broaden my junkyard search.. I considered keeping my D80, going with spacers in the rear (to retain my disc brakes on a budget), but I know spacers should not be towed with, and I do alot of that.

  Mopar1973Man said:

Dare to be different. Now that I think about I don't think they have short bed 3500 DRW...

Only the MegaCab. And those flares look like ***, IMO.

  Rogan said:

thanks, mindless. As for the length, I've heard so many different measurements, I've no idea what is indeed true. I've heard DRW rears are 1", 2" and 4" WIDER. I've also heard they're 1-2" narrower.. LOL

Friend converted a SRW 2500, his outside duals stock size are about .5" OUTSIDE the dually flare. The SRW axle is without a doubt wider than the DRW axle

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2: I'd like the increase in tow capacity, if there's any gain.

If anything you're reducing it since you're increasing the weight of your truck by a couple hundred pounds.... Same axle, same bearings, same brakes. It can and will increase stability though. Especially with goose/5th or slide in camper.

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as for the steer axle spacers, are they interchangeable with older Ford? Just asking as to possibly broaden my junkyard search..

no idea but that'd be good to know, and would broaden my parts search as I look for a 95-97 Ford axle to swap outers with.

when i bought my 02 both the 3500 dually and the 2500 had gcvw of 20k with the same rear end and manual tranny. the auto's were only rated at 16k or 17k.

  mr.mindless said:

Friend converted a SRW 2500, his outside duals stock size are about .5" OUTSIDE the dually flare. The SRW axle is without a doubt wider than the DRW axle If anything you're reducing it since you're increasing the weight of your truck by a couple hundred pounds.... Same axle, same bearings, same brakes. It can and will increase stability though. Especially with goose/5th or slide in camper.

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no idea but that'd be good to know, and would broaden my parts search as I look for a 95-97 Ford axle to swap outers with.

I'll let you all know as soon as I confirm. As for dripleys 2500 and 3500 having the same gross, then what denotes (especially if both have same springpacks) a difference in the 3/4T vs. 1T ?? Even in the SRW version of the 3500, why buy one, if it's the same as a 2500? Or am I just confused as hell..?

the dually offers more stability when towing large trailers or 5th wheels.

  dripley said:

the dually offers more stability when towing large trailers or 5th wheels.

I see how it would. What I don't understand is the class-rating of 2500 vs 3500 (3/4ton vs 1ton) if they have the same spring rating.

mine came with extra springs and a stabilizer bar on the rear and that might have made the differance. i would hate to haul my 5th with out them. i hauled my last 5th with a 2500 that did not have them. you could tell adifferance though the last one was about 3500# lighter than the one i have now. i was suprised there was no differance in gcvw of the two. i did not want a dually cause i figured the fenders would have lasted me about 6 months before i knocked them off. plus i only move my rv 3 or 4 time a year. some of the trips are pretty long, 500+ miles.

thanks. Yeah, I tow pretty much weekly, a 9000lb tag-trailer, from about April to Sept. My 2500 doesn't have the extra springs, nor does it have a rear swaybar....yet...

Just as an FYI, the Ford truck wheels had the same bolt pattern up until the 2000 model year. After that they use a metric pattern that does not fit the Dodge trucks.

  MnTom said:

Just as an FYI, the Ford truck wheels had the same bolt pattern up until the 2000 model year. After that they use a metric pattern that does not fit the Dodge trucks.

yeah, i think they went from 165mm to 170mm at that time.

2000 isn't the cutoff year, I think the first SuperDuty fords were 99s and that was the changeover from 8.5" to whatever metric size it is.

If you want towing stability; why not go to 19.5" commercial wheels? Less sidewall flex. My truck tows much better with the 19.5's

  banzaitoyota said:

If you want towing stability; why not go to 19.5" commercial wheels? Less sidewall flex. My truck tows much better with the 19.5's

I got my Rickson Rims wth tires (used) for $600; that was 5 years ago. Just replaced 2 tires this year due to dryrot issuesYou are going to spend 750 for fenders:cookoo: (IMHO)

Show me $600 Ricksons w/tires, today...don't get me wrong; I like Ricksons alot. I'd like to have a set, but to me, that's a chunk of change for wheels/tires when purchasing as new.

Your doing this to a short bed? If so gotta post pix.

  2500ctd said:

Your doing this to a short bed? If so gotta post pix.

will do!

Not sure if u saw this thread. It talked about the spring options and to me seems 2500/3500 had the same springs as long as the 2500 had a camper package. Spring talk