Rear Axle Swap

[jumpjg]

Couple questions about a rear axle swap. I have a line on a 3.54 ratio complete assembly from a '98 2500. My truck ('99 3500 DRW) is fitted with a Dana 80.1) Does a '98 2500 diesel use a Dana 80?2) Are there differences between axles used in SRW and DRW applications?3) Are there any differences between the rear axles on a rear wheel only ABS truck & all wheel ABS truck (mine is the latter)?4) Are U joints the same between the two?5) Any challenges with attaching to the springs?I'm aware of the speedo cal issue. Anything else I'm not considering?Appreciate the help,Joe in St Louis

[mr.mindless]

SRW axle is about 3-4" wider than the DRW axle. Your outer duals will stick past the fender flares.2500s only had a D80 with the manual transmission. If your donor started life as a slushbox, you'll be stepping down in axle size/strength/capacity. It may also have a shorter pinion snout and therefore possibly involve a driveshaft retube if you don't have adequate slip. Both should run 1410 ujoints. If the axle tube diameters don't match you'll need different spring plates to match the correct size ubolts. I'm not certain of the tube diameter and pinion yoke offset differences between a 70 and an 80.EDIT:quick search turned up 4" tube versus 3.5" tube. Didn't find a quick pinion snout length comparison.

[jumpjg]

That's the dope I needed; nothin' simple about that!Now that I think about it, I think I'll keep what I have.:)Thanks for your time!Joe in St Louis

[cummins2k]

SRW axle is about 3-4" wider than the DRW axle. Your outer duals will stick past the fender flares. 2500s only had a D80 with the manual transmission. If your donor started life as a slushbox, you'll be stepping down in axle size/strength/capacity. It may also have a shorter pinion snout and therefore possibly involve a driveshaft retube if you don't have adequate slip. Both should run 1410 ujoints. If the axle tube diameters don't match you'll need different spring plates to match the correct size ubolts. I'm not certain of the tube diameter and pinion yoke offset differences between a 70 and an 80. EDIT: quick search turned up 4" tube versus 3.5" tube. Didn't find a quick pinion snout length comparison.

The 2500's came with either a D70 (automatic) or a D80 Hybrid (manual / HO) which is physically different that the 3500 and 3500 CC trucks. Basically the hybrid axle is a D80 center section and D70 tubes from my understanding. The D80 Hybrid in 2500's is NOT wider than the D80 installed in 3500 trucks. It is the other way around. If you converted a 3500 to single the track would be 4" wider (2" per side) than a 2500. The exception to this rule is the Cab and Chassis axle which I do not have dimensions for but it is supposedly narrower than the 3500 axle. Edcasey did a 3500 SRW conversion using 2500 wheels and retained the 3500 axle. Here is his swap. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20727

[mr.mindless]

The D80 Hybrid in 2500's is NOT wider than the D80 installed in 3500 trucks. It is the other way around. If you converted a 3500 to single the track would be 4" wider (2" per side) than a 2500.

That doesn't follow with the outside duals sticking 1" past the stock Dodge dually flares on my friend's converted '01 SRW 2500 with its original rear axle...