My buddy has a '96 Dakota rc with the 6x4.5 bolt pattern and he wants to swap rearends and rotors. What needs to be done to get him the 5bolt pattern?

 

Swap out the axle shafts to the earlier model. Then swap out the front hubs on 4wd. Or the 2wd change the rotor. If need be change the spindle too.

 

Forgot to add it's a 2wd. Would a straight up rearend swap be easy or best just to swap axles? He wants something easy lol.

 

Sure that could work.

 

are the brakes smaller on the 5 lug stuff?

 

Make sure the hub on the new rear end fits the wheel. Popular belief is that the lug nuts and studs keep the wheel straight, but in reality, I've seen too many times in my line of work someone putting custom wheels on without an adapter and ovaling the stud holes. So if your wheel doesnt fit over the hub with no more than 1/16" play, pay $11.95 and get the adapters, they just slide on before the wheel. If theres already a spacer and you need to remove it, Ive found the best way is to smack it with a sharp screwdriver in four points and it usually wont break(its plastic)
Bit of info, the 1993-1998 Ford F-350 came stock with a hub spacer just on the right front, maybe a design flaw and rather than redesign it they used a 30 cent spacer?

I cant tell you 100% because Im neary blind, but the 5 lug and 6 lug both seem to have the same front brake setup, someone tell me if Im wrong