Found a steal on a 9.25 set up exactly how I'd want it. 3.55 gears, disc brakes, sway bar if I'd want to get it connected to my truck, and limited slip.

Been trying to look at the million threads already made but everything I find is 2nd gen to 2nd gen, not 2nd gen to 1st gen.

I know second gen drum axles are the same as my 96 right? If so looks like a direct swap minus the proportioning valve I know I need?

Or will the shock mounts still need moved and the yokes swapped?

The axle is out of an 03 and will be (hopefully) going in my 96.

 

I was interested in the same swap but kinda forgot about it. By '03 I believe Dakotas had shock placement on either side of the rear axle (left shock toward the rear, right shock toward the front). They did this to counteract axle wrap. So you'll have to either make brackets to adapt the donor's shock location or weld new shock mounts on the axle to accommodate the same rear shocks you got now.

Don't know about the yokes, but I imagine at the least you'll need a conversion u joint...

I'll follow this thread because more than likely this swap is on my radar, reason being is my drum brake backing plates are all rusty and are on borrowed time...I'd rather replace the whole axle then spend ridiculous money on new backing plates.

 

Anyone else please?

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...-end-swap.html

Looks easy enough for the Durango rear end, but I think the pickups do have different shock mounts.

 

That's fine by me. I did look through that thread, and seemed to go well because of the Durango rear on a 2wd truck.

 

Ahhh...I didn't know the 2wd trucks had a different rear end setup than the 4wd. My bad.

edit: wow I feel dumb...I shouldn't drink and post on the internet at the same time...durrr

 

Ya, 4x is spring over axle and 2x is axle over spring. All durangos are spring under axle I believe.

I'm just worried about the drive shaft mainly. That was a 99 with drum and this is an 03 with discs. Who knows if they changed anything on the 9.25 is the question.

Also, does this look too tight of tolerance? Spins freely but NO room to budge without hitting.

 

Toby, I purchased weld on shock mounts, and perches with the intention of putting a 8.8 explorer rear under my truck. Because of it being about 2&1/2 in narrow, I am using spacers. With the spacers I can clear the disc brakes, so it works out for me.
I assume you have 15 in wheels. The other option is to upgrade to a 16 or 17inch wheel.

 

I appreciate the input, but I'm not running spacers, or "upgrading" to bigger rims. Lol it was hard enough finding the rims I have now. And by the time I'd buy 4 new rims and 4 new tires then I could do a disc conversion and sure grip conversion to my current 8.25.

 

Dang I didn't know dodge retained the 6x4.5 bolt pattern all the way to 2003. I gotta remember that!