Hey everyone.

I'm looking to swap my axles but I just don't know how to do it or what axles to swap to. I know I wanna do a full size swap possibly dodge 1500 or 2500 axles. I just don't know the pros and cons between 1/2 tons and 1 tons. If anyone could help me out I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks again

 

Huge can of worms you are opening. It all depends on your end goal. What terrain, tire size and such. The Dodge axles often have a CAD which you don't want, even the ton axles, plus unit bearings which a lot of people try to stay away from on a trail rig due to the fact they aren't serviceable. Another thing to think about is how much you want to spend. A half ton front axle usually goes around 200-500 for one that needs built and tons start at a grand. Plan on another grand for either if you want a locker, gears and it may need bearings and such. Then you need brackets. It's easy to spend 3-4 grand setting up a front ton axle. Rears are pretty cheap. You'll also need to beef up the unit body to handle the extra weight.

 

What tire size? Pointless to go 1ton if your sticking with 35" and down.

 

I'm only going with 35s as my final size. I don't really rock climb or go on heavy trails... just some local back woods mudding. i figured maybe 1tons only because its the same swap as a half ton. they dont have to be dodge axles but i do want a full size axle around the same size as dodge axles.

 

Well that's just silly then, just use a d44 or 8.25 for the rear and either polish the d30 up front or get a d44 for the front. Use bigger backspace wheels if you want to widen it.

 

i have an 8.25 now... but i want a wider stance and i got 4" backspacing now... in my opinion the axles look puny with my 33 12.5 mtz on it

 

so you want less ground clearance and more weight just so your axles look proportionate?

why do you think you want or need bigger axles

 

If you're doing it just for stance I'd slap on a set of wheel spacers before I spent thousands on an axle swap for a back woods mudder...

 

spend your money how you want.

me? i'm a huge fan of a 8.8 dana30 combo.


also, don't forget to include new wheels in your expense list.

 

Spend a few hundred dollars on some 15X10's.

 

Exactly. I wanted to get mine a bit wider so I threw on some 1.5" spacers with 3.75" bs wheels. Made it pretty stout.

 

After I do 4.10 gears in front I will still have under 1 k in my 8.8 swap if I do a budget locker in the rear it puts me at 1200 bucks .
The catch is I weld and do gear installs so its cheap for me alls I have in it is the cost of parts .

 

You can upgrade your axles and stay close to stock width,A 80 and newer wagoneer dana 44 front and a isuzu rodeo dana 44 rear.Full widths ford dana 60 front and chevy 14 bolt rear are the best to use.But like said with 35s they would be over kill,And have less ground clearance under the diffs then you have now.Unless your going 38s or bigger beef up the axles you have or swap out the rear.

 

1 tons will be boat anchors with 35s in mud.

 

so basially my best route to go is a ford 8.8 rear and i can runt 35's? seems too good to be true... for some reason i keep blowing through wheel bearings right now so i dont think spacers are gonna help that