I've scoured these forums, and didn't see anything on this...

Has anyone had experience with those conversion kits that give you 'regular' locking hubs and replaceable bearings?

I am going through a set of bearings roughly every 3 months - due to the huge tires and the fact that I beat the truck in the mud like it owes me money.

I see you can get entire front axle assemblies too - but i'm not shelling out $4k.

Just wondering why us full-time-4wd guys cant figure out what they are using to do these conversions. I find it extremely hard to believe that this stuff is ALL custom made. The kits from DynaTrac are close to $1900!! and EMS has 30 spline kits for $999, and 35 spline for $1145. I wonder why the huge price difference - especially since the EMS kits come with rotors and the DynaTrac doesn't??

Has anyone done this possibly using all OEM parts?

If so, what knuckles / spindles / stubs housings / axles, etc were used?

 

I bought a 95 Ford F350 axle from a junkyard for 900 bucks, found a junk Dana 44 from a ram and welded the brackets from the D44 onto the ford axle, then bolted it into my truck. and now I have High Pinion axle, 35 spline shafts, no more CAD unit, locking hubs, dual piston calipers, and serviceable wheel bearings. then I sold my old dodge D60 to a guy with a half ton ram looking for bigger axles for 700 I think? overall I am happy, here is some pics if you want to try it out. you also need different brake lines and shorten the tie rod/drag link a little.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/414017/9

 

AH! you're using the cepek lift kit too! (pics of my lift should be approved soon). What did you use to lift the rear? Skyjacker wants like $700 for 2 EDIT leaf springs - just because they're 3" wide.

As far as the axle swap, are they the same width, etc? I wonder if i can find one with 3:54 ratio...

I just found a non-running 1995 F350 4X4 dually on craigslist close to me very cheap. Knowing nothing about Fords... what's involved in converting the hub ends of this to single wheel configuration (unless i want my wheels to stick REALLY far out)? Do the spacers just unbolt or something?

 

the hubs are different, don't buy a dually axle.

for the rear I used Atlas leaf springs, I love them but they were about the same $$ as those skyjacker ones. do yourself a favor and spend the money and do it right. don't use huge blocks haha. there are other spring companies too, I think national spring is decent.

 

Oh , I wasn't planning on stacking blocks. I didn't just spend the proverbial load of money on the rest of the drivetrain to go cheap now. I've seen blocks spit out, springs break, etc from axle wrap. I would be asking for trouble doing that with a gazzilion ft/lbs of torque!

I've been looking around since installing the front end. Very few companies even make the 3" wide springs... why, I don't know.

It's ok though... I can still fit a 39.5's (or bigger) on the back with plenty of room to spare. Gotta love these huge wheel wells. Looks a little dopey coming down the road, but I didn't build it to look pretty.

 

Search the forums for dynatrack.. i think thats one outfit that makes a locking hub assembly for this truck. Like 1200$ I think.
Theres another place that makes a kit but I cant remember who.

 

i think i got the first ems kit. well the first or second one they sold. They may have changed some things since then, but i can tell you these things.

Ems which I think was two people at the time....was totally and completely helpful and spent time with me as a customer asking questions. Since it wasnt quit ready at teh time, I think I got one of the last prototype/test set ups. That was years ago, and many many many thousands of miles ago. My truck sees offroad and 4wd regularly. To excape the unit bearing cost in the future is comforting too.

I would buy from them again in a second. I did have to open the hub circle on my alcoas to get on the ford hub but that was easy and about 20 minutes probably.

 

Ok, I have officially given up trying to find the parts to do this conversion. Does anyone remember who sells the complete, bolt-in axle assemblies?

 

the parts you need for the conversion are off a F250 TTB frontend and then the outer axle stub from a normal dana 60, but you do need some parts machined on a lathe.

 

Ems told me the rotors etc. were off a 85 ford f250 4x4 on mt kit for my 97. I just installed a dynatrac kit on my 05 dually(waited on ems for 4 months) and it is alot beefier than the ems kit on my 12 v

 

According to the EMS site, they are out of stock on both of their kits.

Considering my front diff leaks like a sieve, needs ball joints, and the single piston brakes are horrible, I am seriously considering just getting the whole axle assembly. I know the high pinion assembly used to be around 4k, but I can't remember who sold them. Basically I want to roll out my old axle, and bolt in a new one.

Either that, or I'm selling the Dodge and buying a military 5 ton =]

 

nice job on the 60 but its still a ball joint front end

 

I'd say Lance's route is the best way to go. Depending on your area, you can find a Ford D60 for less than what the EMS kit is worth.

 

Spindles from an 88 or so f250 with the ttb or f350 with dana 60 same spindles.

Machine the Dodge hole pattern in the Ford spindles 140mm bolt circle (13mm holes is the size I put in although the knuckles are 14mm). You'll have to slot 1 of the Ford holes as there are 5 Stock holes in the Ford spindles and you can't fit the 4 Dodge holes in between. I had to use a carbide end mill as the spindle was too hard to use a standard HSS end mill.

Bearing hub from the same vehicle.

If you're using stock Dodge rims you will need to turn down the O.D. of the hub where the wheel mounts to 4.775" otherwise your wheels won't fit.

Rotors from a '78 ford f350 4x4 with the Dana 60 axle (Autozone part #5445)

Stub shafts from a Ford Dana 60

Your choice of Dana 60 locking hubs

Bearings & Seals for the hub

I used 8 1/2-20x 1 1/2" bolts to attach the spindle.

I put new bearings in the spindles and news spindle seals too.

All together I spent ~$400, but I did the machining myself (a good machine shop shouldn't charge more than $150)

After installing it all I really like the way my truck drives, it eliminated alot of the vibration that was coming from my driveshaft and axles turning all the time.

It does increase the width of the front axle by 1.5" (.75" per side)

Tom

 

tjs88yj,

Would I be able to eliminate the machining process by using the knuckles from a particular axle?

Unfortunately, I just moved here (the middle of no where) and cannot find a reputable machine shop within 100 miles of me.

I am basically looking for a setup where i can unbolt the 2 ball joints (which I have to replace anyway - so if I need to use a longer / different diameter joint, now is the time) and bolt on something that fits painlessly. The elimination of the crappy dodge steering setup won't exactly be missed either...

There simply has to be a truck that uses a Dana 60 where everything will just "fit".