anybody use 80's dodge axles for 4x4 conversion?

[coggonobrien]

Hey folks, got a pair of axles from a 1984 3/4ton dodge 4x4 I'm going to use on my 68 4x4 conversion. has anybody used these axles? just looking for advice on spring brackets (frame mounts) and springs to end up with a 4-5 inch lift.

Thanks!
David

[coggonobrien]

oh they are dana 44/60 by the way.

David

[ghettoluxury]

I have used the front axle out of a dodge. The spring pads are 1/2 inch wider center to center than chevy.

[70 beast]

Originally Posted by ghettoluxury

The spring pads are 1/2 inch wider center to center than chevy.

X2. Im currently putting an '85 dodge 60 in the front of my jimmy.
Its not a huge diffrence so theres a few ways to correct that.
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[coggonobrien]

were your vehicles 4x4 already? just trying to figure out how to hang the front axle. the rear will be pretty easy. how do you account for the 1/2 inch? I do not have the spring hangers from the dodge as they were rusty. Also what springs do you use? chevy? i would like to go with a 52 inch front since it all has to be fabbed anyway and end u with the equivalent of a 4-5 inch lift.
Thanks!
David

[70 beast]

Originally Posted by coggonobrien

were your vehicles 4x4 already? just trying to figure out how to hang the front axle. the rear will be pretty easy. how do you account for the 1/2 inch? I do not have the spring hangers from the dodge as they were rusty. Also what springs do you use? chevy? i would like to go with a 52 inch front since it all has to be fabbed anyway and end u with the equivalent of a 4-5 inch lift.
Thanks!
David

My Jimmy was 4wd already but I ended up making new front hangers for the 52" swap.
With as small as a difference like .5 of an inch, all I did was spread my leafs aparts. You can space your hangers the .50 in the front if your gonna fab them. As for the back, Id imagine some offset shackles from ruffstuff or anyother place would take care of that.
Take a look at my build (link in sig) for how I did my hangers.
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[1969C10shortbed]

I don't want to start a whole 'nother thread about this, so I'll ask it here. I'm planning on doing a 4x4 swap in my '65, and I was thinking about using a Dana 60 front, and a corporate 14 bolt out back, has anyone done that? I figure since it will see some hard core off roading, and it already is a 3/4 ton, the 1 ton axles should go fine in it. I was thinking about using a Ford Dana 60 because of the high pinion and a 3500 Chevy Corporate 14 bolt. It seems good on paper, and I think it will do pretty good out on the trails, anyone have any insight?

[coggonobrien]

just make sure you have the right transfer case for that application.

As for mine i think the easiest solution will be since I'm going to use DIY4x beyond 52 brackets, I'm just going to talk to them about using 1/2" plate instead of 1/4" for the vertical portion that touches the frame which should give me my extra 1/2" of width for the differant spring perch locations. As for the rear should I just cut the perches off and reset for the correct width or have custom brackets built there as well to get the width right.

[ghettoluxury]

Just cut you spring pads off and move them as needed.

And on my swap the truck was already 4x4. I just set one side in the pin hole, bolted it in place with u-bolts, and put my port-a-power between the spring till the other guide pin fell in to place. I then bolted the other side up and removed the port-a-power.

[coggonobrien]

would you reuse the old pad's or go ahead and buy new?

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by coggonobrien

would you reuse the old pad's or go ahead and buy new?

If you get them cut off with out trashing them, reuse them. Or you can just purchase new ones from ballisticfab just in case. I'm going to build my own for my D80 out of some 2"x4" 1/4" thick rectangle tubing.