3500 rear axle into 2500

[wil440]

I have a complete 5.9V8 3500 4x4 sat getting rougher by the day, is there any information on here about fitting the rear axle and springs to my 2500 4x4, same year just 2500 is diesel.... 3500 is petrol would the springs be too stiff ?

3500 has snowplough option from the factory, I'm assuming this is front springs but is the front springs on the diesel stiffer ??

 

Is it easy to use both axles ? does the dually bit unbolt IE the extensions on the front and the wider deal on the back ? will the bigger rear brakes be too much for a 2500

 

I'm thinking about parting the 3500 so would keep all sheet metal except maybe the bed

so would keep

maybe engine and trans maybe for a job rated  I fancy doing if the 47re can be made to work without the trans ecm and use a smallblock intake and carb and ignition

transfer case for the 2500 if it's the same

both axles again for the 2500

 

but the question is more rear axle and springs, I did a search but there 300 odd pages

 

 

 

[Silverdodge]

Front springs on the diesel will be stiffer than the gas the d80 is different from the d70 I'm confused as to what I want to know last year I swapped 3500 rear end and springs in to my 2500 the only real difference Cummins 2500 to 3500 in the same configuration diesel short bed single wheel is rear end Soo what do u want to know 

[Evan]

The dana is 3500 axle is wider than the dana 70.

 

I'm running 1.5" spacers on the front to mach it. Don't tell anyone though. Lol

 

My truck is 3500 I made a single rw out of.

 

Best part is the matching rubber trim on bed and cab. Bed is off a 98 before the moulding went away. Mines an 02.

 

I wouldnt worry about springs. Everything will bolt up. I'd convert to disc brakes if yours isnt. Can use all kinds of parts to do that for cheap. Google's your friend if your interested in converting drums to disc.

 

 

 

[Silverdodge]

1 hour ago, Evan said:

The dana is 3500 axle is wider than the dana 70.

 

I'm running 1.5" spacers on the front to mach it. Don't tell anyone though. Lol

 

My truck is 3500 I made a single rw out of.

 

Best part is the matching rubber trim on bed and cab. Bed is off a 98 before the moulding went away. Mines an 02.

 

I wouldnt worry about springs. Everything will bolt up. I'd convert to disc brakes if yours isnt. Can use all kinds of parts to do that for cheap. Google's your friend if your interested in converting drums to disc.

 

 

 

I haven't noticed my d80 being wider then a d70

[dieseled]

I put a dana 80 dually rear axle complete from a 1996 3500 on my 99 2500 , the 99 had a dana 70u so the pinion yoke is about 1" closer to the t-case , driveshaft may or may not need to be shortened 1". U-joints and straps are the same , if  SRW axles and DRW axles are both 80 centers not an issue

 

Both where drums , brakes hooked up no problem , shoes on the dually are way wider, way better braking

 

Spring perches are the same ,and the same distance apart unless the dually was a cab and chas , use the shackle plates off the dually if the 2500 dosent  have a 80 , holes are further apart , axle is bigger diameter

 

The 96 dually I used rear was a 2wd ,99 is 4wd , so the shock mts on the axle are lower , needed longer Bilsteens  ,anti sway hooked up fine , made an extension for my height sensing proportion valve ,threaded the rod used a coupling , now its adjustable  

 

Leafs on the 2500 and 3500 are the same if the 2500 has 3" wide HD`s ,but  I put progressive 6 leaf packs from a same year cab and chas on , and used the contact overloads  that were on it

 

2500 https://www.generalspringkc.com/Leaf_Springs_Dodge_Ram_2500_1994_2002_s/1916.htm

3500 https://www.generalspringkc.com/Leaf_Springs_Dodge_Ram_3500_1994_2002_s/1920.htm

 

The speed sensor on the diff is different in the 94- 98 and 99-02 the way it mounts and the harness plug , I cut a small notch in a rib on top of the 80 diff housing to mt my 99 sensor . If the trucks are the same year group no issue 

 

Obviously the rear and front diffs have to be the same gear ratio if 4x4

 

If you have a dually front end , you have the factory 8 lug spacers that will mt to a dana 60 front if 4x4 , if not I bought some from https://arrowcraftproducts.com/8-lug-dually-adapters/

You need them to run dually rims on the front , axle widths from Dodge are the same but for the spacers

 

 

The cab and chas frames were narrower and the 80 axles from them have the spring perches narrower to align , cant use unless modified

Disc conversion kits wont work with dually rims , 01-02 rear dually axles w/ discs will

 

 

Pretty simple really , the 2500 and the 3500 at least 99-02 are the same except for the rear end , every thing else is the same , except the 3500 came w/ anti locks in front , and 2500 it was an option , 8800 gvw and 10400 gvw are based on tire capacity more than anything else , the 3500 dually rear capacity alone is just under 11000 lbs , the short coming of the trucks capacity beyond that is the unit bearings on the front axle , if you put Ford dana 60 outers or Spintec hubs and regular bearings on you solve that . I also have d25 coils and dual shocks on the front and a dually flat bed , I sold the fleet bed to offset some of the cost

 

 

[wil440]

thats the info I'm looking for thanks

I wouldn't want to use the dually bed as it's rough and really too wide here in the UK and I wouldn't use dually wheels, I see the difference in gvw using the wheels but again truck gets too wide, our parking spaces are shoebox size.

I'll check width differences as in the actual D80 width under my 2500 as it has got fender flares but it's also got ally aftermarket wheels so offset I don't know yet

[Mopar1973Man]

Might look for the single wheel 3500 axles I'm sure there are some around on the internet. I know its come for the 3rd gens to have single wheel 1 ton axles. I'm not sure of fitment.

[Evan]

Yes I think theres sw 80s but rare.

 

I did alot of research before going to one wheel on my 3500 I hated it as a dually.

 

From my research I found guys that said you cant do it to some that said you have to change axles.

The width difference is close enough almost none but you would ever notice .

Yanked the dana60 dually spacers off the front dropped a bed on it slapped 3rd gen wheels on.

No special mods no nothing. I decided that most talking on that subject on forumns were most likely just talking and never done it.

 

There is one thing I was worried about that is the dana 80 hub is a larger diameter. I tried to bolt after market wheels on a 12v dana80 the wheel bore was smaller than the dana80 hub. Talking the big hole the lug nut pattern goes around.

3rd gen wheels fit it perfect many said they wouldnt work.

 

[wil440]

2 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Might look for the single wheel 3500 axles I'm sure there are some around on the internet. I know its come for the 3rd gens to have single wheel 1 ton axles. I'm not sure of fitment.

Thats not an option really here as shipping would be $$$$, I've just fitted a wheel cylinder and freed a rear brake off on the 3500 today as it had rooted to the spot,at least it moves now, I should have dropped a wheel off of my 2500 on it see if it fit and how much further out it would be.

Here's how I see it from the information so far, rear is a straight bolt in, springs are the same (I checked) but the 80 is wider by an amount that I don't know yet, this will mean using the dually spacers for the front, i've just been and took a look at the dually front end and the wheel mating face isn't too far from the fender edge give or take, the wheels on the 2500 have around a 4 inch offset out.

Just found a statement  on TDR that the 80 rear is 1 1/2" wider per side so went to look at both trucks and I'm sure the 80 will fit with the fender flares I have and I'm pretty sure it will be close enough to the front to not use the dually spacers, track will be off but not by much as the 2500 rears are well in the flares so it will look right except from the back.

 

Or is this something I don't need to do.... my travel trailer is 9k, think it can be loaded with 2k so 11 all up and add the truck

Has anyone with an auto grenaded a D70 driving normal, I'm just going to do the front disconnect so will have low 2

 

[dieseled]

I have 3rd gen dually rims on my 99 , they have 1/4" more offset so you can run wider tires and maintain clearance between

 

A lot of truck camper guys that don't want duallys but want high gvw run 19.5 rims , the tires are f and g rated

http://ricksontruckwheels.com/wheels-dodge.php

https://www.summitracing.com/search/Part-Type/Wheels/Wheel-Diameter/19-5-in/

[Evan]

I never had a dana 70 to compare. Measuring dana80 wms to dana 60 front wms with dually spacer removed dana 80 was 4" overall wider 

I ran it this way for awhile but I could see the front was narrower and it bugged me so I orderd 1.5" spacers for the front.

 

I went 1.5" instead of 2" to keep the spacer as small as possible . In hind site 2" would have saved from having to trim all studs because the protruded passed the spacer.

 

I have picture somewhere with no spacers on I'll see if i can find

Edited July 14, 2019 by Evan

[dieseled]

1 hour ago, wil440 said:

 

 

Or is this something I don't need to do.... my travel trailer is 9k, think it can be loaded with 2k so 11 all up and add the truck

Has anyone with an auto grenaded a D70 driving normal, I'm just going to do the front disconnect so will have low 2

 

Its something you don't need to do , the dana 70u has a capacity of 7500 lbs , way more than the dr tag says , get tires that will handle  the truck rear wt , about 3000 lbs and tongue wt of trailer  ,less w/ weight dis hitch

 

The only benefit to the dually 80 rear I see is the way larger brakes ,unless your putting way more weight directly on the rear of the truck and using tire - wheels that will handle the same

 You could put disc brakes , elec over hydro on the trailer

 

Put chevy 1ton brake  cylinders in the 2500 drums as an up grade

 

Add air bags or Stableloads to level the truck with the trailer load

 

If you want to see if the 2500 rims will fit over the dually drums , use the lug centric lugs from the 2500 , and make sure the hub centric ring on the dually hub clears the rim also 

How wide is your trailer , isn't it 8' , or  do they make narrower one in the UK that still weigh 9k

Edited July 14, 2019 by dieseled
add

[01cummins4ever]

2 hours ago, wil440 said:

 

 

Or is this something I don't need to do.... my travel trailer is 9k, think it can be loaded with 2k so 11 all up and add the truck

Has anyone with an auto grenaded a D70 driving normal, I'm just going to do the front disconnect so will have low 2

 

I would agree that it’s not necessary,  as long as the D70 is sound, you are good to go, you are not overloading by no means, I would put my efforts into air bags or a weight distribution hitch with a bumper pull of that size.

 

I go up to 14k and with pin weight of 2,200 lbs. with fully loaded 5ver, and boat, my D70 has no issues. but air bags are on the want/need list. My truck sits fairly level but it’s just the rough and uneven highways that can have a bouncing effect on the rear springs when fully loaded.

 

If I had a D80 laying around I would keep it as a spare at least

[wil440]

trailer is 8', sticker on it says Heidis RV superstore between Barrie and Ormarillo on HWY11 (might have spelt the second town /city wrong)  yes it's the full trailer not the cardboard rubbish that the EU/Jap trucks can tow.

Truck seems to be on it as far as weight/tongue weight  no problem, brakes are ok, trailer brakes on there own are good, just don't need a housing full of bits

 

 

I have had my 3500 since around 2004, and towed some but maybe 6 to 8k ( it's not quite accurate cos I'm forced to think in Tonnes which is KG) 2.2lbs to the kilo so 1 tonne (note not 1 ton this is different and what we used to measure in) is 2200lb ish

 

Just can't decide what to do with my 3500 it has lots of parts that work on the 2500 but just not quite enough, easy rear end would have swayed it, bed is for the bin, doors need work and the paint is .... well dropping off the sheet metal for wanting a better explaination

It comes down to front end, tranfer case (maybe) and some electrics

[Evan]

You might be able to make a trade with someone for a dana 70. Post an add on craigslist 

[wil440]

On 7/19/2019 at 5:05 AM, Evan said:

You might be able to make a trade with someone for a dana 70. Post an add on craigslist 

We don't really have Craigslist in the UK it is here but very sporadic and you'd never find a 80 on there and shipping from the states is out

 

On 7/14/2019 at 7:59 PM, dieseled said:

Its something you don't need to do , the dana 70u has a capacity of 7500 lbs , way more than the dr tag says , get tires that will handle  the truck rear wt , about 3000 lbs and tongue wt of trailer  ,less w/ weight dis hitch 

Just had Toyo Open Country MT tyres fitted yesterday at 305/70/16,  load range 118P  which is as near as 3000lbs per tyre sustained at 99mph, the sidewall on this tyre is very stiff..... I checked the Cooper STT Pro and while the load range is higher the sidwall was softer and downrated to 68mph so Toyo it was.

What I was surprised with is the toyo has full load at 50psi, the BFG's I took off are a lot higher than that but the sidewall is very soft, the Cooper I looked at was higher PSI but slightly softer wall maybe in the middle of the three, happy with the tyres, truck looks good nothing rubs and speedo/Sat Nav is the same

Next is Quad, fuel, Gauges, trans, front axle dis (very soon) not necessarily in that order   and a mountain more

Edited July 21, 2019 by wil440

[Evan]

I like the toyo mt. I ran set of tall narrow ones when my truck was a dually. Did well towing the horse trailer in harsh offroad conditions and handled the street good to.

 

I to had them aired down to about 50 in the rear and 60 in the front. Or something like that.

 

Wheres the pictures. I like the 305x70 size it's just big enough

[wil440]

I'd say 305/70/16 is about the biggest tyre that fits with no rubbing and yes you're right it looks just big enough, you can just see on the rims where the PO had to use stick on weight to balance with the BFG's, rear one had 1/2lb Toyos balanced up nicely but the tyre has a rim protector edge, it was a problem to get the clip on weights to work but guy got them on after a struggle

Edited July 21, 2019 by wil440

[Evan]

Ohhhh I like your style .  Very sharp looking truck

[wil440]

55 minutes ago, Evan said:

Ohhhh I like your style .  Very sharp looking truck

 Thanks....It's getting there.... a lot better now than when I got it....  I'm resisting more power like the plague... been on that slippery slope with Mopar stuff before... maybe just a little for towing purposes

 

Just need a 98 V10 now, 4x4 of course then I got all I need

 

I just thought about the above

I will add 50's job rated, 40's dodge weapons carrier, Christine, any 60's Mopar C body, any  B body but I ain't got enough $ oh and 2 others that aren't Mopar..... 40's GMC 6x6  and a Harley WLA and I'm truelly done

Edited July 21, 2019 by wil440