I just picked up a mint 1988 dodge 4x4 le250 with 24000 actuall miles on it. I want to get a lift on it real soon but i need to know what axles I have I was woundering if you guys could give me a few ways to figure that out? also any good ideas on a nice, not to expensive lift around 8 inches?
thanks in advance!
-Matt

 

the easiest way to find out what axels your truck has is to give the dealership your vin number and the can print you out a build sheet which has all the stock info about your truck.

 

There should be an ID tag on one of the differential housing bolts to determine the gear ratio. If not I can tell you how to figure it out if you need it.

Our half tons use 8 3/8, 8 3/4, and 9 1/4 inch ring gears. Look on the inside of the brake backing plate for a flange type axle retainer. If it is there you have an 8 3/4 inch axle. If it is not there you have an 8 3/8 or 9 1/4 inch that both use c-clips too retain the axles. The 8 3/4 inch also does not have a removable rear cover on the pumpkin. The 8 3/8 inch has 10 bolts on its rear cover while the 9 1/4 inch has 12 bolts.

Next, raise both wheels off the ground and turn one of them. If they turn in the same direction you have a Sure-Grip differential. If they turn in opposite directions it is a conventional differential.

 

sweet! thanks guys! i need to get underneath the thing anyways so ill check out the plate and the other things.

 

I was under my truck today to try to figure out the ratio, the front one was the only one with a tag. It said 3.23 and it was a 44-8f . and the rear i could not see the tag but it is a 12 bolt cover which i think is the Chrysler 9.25 and when i turned one tire the other turned the same direction. Question is, is it save to say the rear is also 3.23 gears also? I was thinking i should have a dana rear in it but its not, is this set up sound right to you? (seal) ? lol

 

The 9.25 has a very distinct diamond shaped diff cover so it should be easy to identify. If one axle is 3.23 the other has to be 3.23 (or really close) for the 4x4 to work properly.

The 9.25 often uses the Dana Trak-loc although i am not sure if it was used in the first gens.

The front axle is a Dana 44.

The 250 will probably have a Big bearing Dana 44 (8-lug) and an 8-lug 9.25 rear. Some HD's may have the Dana 60 in the rear but I am not sure on this.

 

If they were not the same gear ratio you would definitely know it when in 4x4. The rear axle is posi and must have a friction modifier added when you change the fluid. How many lugs do you have? If you have 5 lugs on the rear it is a Chrysler 9 1/4 inch. If it is 8 lugs it is a Dana 60 or 70 but I believe the Dana 60 and 70 only have 10 cover bolts and is triangular shaped like gearhead8 said.

The front is a Dana 44 that is vacuum actuated. You need to check for posi in it also and it must be engaged when you check it but I doubt if it is posi.

 

There is an 8-lug Chrysler 9.25 that was available in the Light Duty 3/4 ton trucks (around 7400# GVWR). There are light duty 1st gen trucks and 2nd gens. They are not the most common but they are out there, I have seen one in a 2nd gen before.

 

Gerehead8; I don't doubt that you may have seen an 8 lug Chrysler 9.25 in anything. The simple thing is that with the age of these trucks anyone may have put anything in one. To the best of my knowledge the only Chrysler 9.25 used in the first gens was 5 lug. I do know there was a six lug Chrysler 9.25 after 1997 and an 8 lug that was used in the HD vans starting in 1998. I don't portend to be all knowledgeable and I am always willing to learn if someone can show me something different.

http://www.google.com/products?clien...ed=0CCIQrQQwAg

 

Good point on the axle swaps. Since the OP has an 88 3/4 ton I just had to throw it out there that the 9.25 8-lug was available in those trucks. There was one on Pirate 4x4 awhile back but i could not find it searching. I did come across this on Ramcharger Central:

3/4 ton Standard Duty

1972 to 1975 would have a Dana 60 rear axle and Dana 44 HD front axle with part-time and drums.
1975 to 1979 would have a Dana 60 rear axle and Dana 44 HD front axle with full-time and disc brakes.
1980 to 1985 would have a Dana 60 or the very rare Chrysler 9 1/4 HD 8-lug rear axle and a Dana 44 HD frontend with manual or auto hubs.
1985 to 1993 would have a Dana 60 or the very rare Chrysler 9 1/4 HD 8-lug rear axle and a Dana 44 HD frontend with CAD.

3/4 ton Heavy Duty

1972 to 1974 would have a Dana 60 or 70 rear axle and a Dana 70 front axle.
1975 to 1993 would have a Dana 60 or 70 rear axle and a Dana 60 front axle.

Link: http://ramchargercentral.com/index.p...c,23301.0.html Look at bottom of page.