So my front axle is garbage. it has a bent steering knuckle and the pinion bearing went which distroyed the gears and stuff in there. So i went ahead and bought an axle out of a 96 1500. Dropped it off at the shop on tuesday, after confirming with the dodge dealer it should work. I got a call wensday from the shop saying its a different axle than the 98. So i started calling junk yards to get a 98-01 dana 44 out of a 1/2 4x4 dodge.
One junkyard yesterday told me that it has to be an axle out of a 98, thats it! So 94-97 and 99-01 are all different than a 98 axle. Does anyone know if this is actualy true? Im having a hard time believing that. Iv done research on the interenet and cant find anything that says that. Ill call the dodge dealer on monday also.

 

I would tend to agree with you... there is absolutely zero sense in having a single year differential. (which doesn't necessarily imply they didn't.....)

I would be real curious as to their reasoning just WHY it won't work. All the mounts should be the same, spring pockets, etc. What difference could there possibly be to make it not work??

 

well im gonna talk to the shop tomaro to find out what was different. I would not be suprised if maybe there are some differences between the 94-97 and 98-01 axles tho. The thing that suprised me is that i called and talked to a tech at the local dodge dealer for 20 mins and he sayed it should work. How will some junk yard know that only another 98 axle will work when the dodge dealer couldent even tell me that? ha

 

Go here https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...thkey=CNDU9ZcL
I just uploaded it after flipping through for the last 20 minutes.
1978-1998 DANA axles
Print out pages 41-47 (1994-1998 1/2 Dodge Ram Axles) 99-01 are different
Based on BOM from 96 97 98 nothing is different except the axle shafts which is probably ABS Non ABS etc.(or if gears had been changed)
EDIT Variable parts will vary based on BOM but nothing that should affect a axle swap.

You can bring them with you to the garage and compare the BOM Stamped on the housing with the printout.
Mounting of the axle could be different but I seriously doubt Dana or Dodge would change for one year unless it was a transition into the 99 models, still doubtful though

 

I know the stabilizer link mounts are different on some, not sure what years though.

 

thanks you for researching that. I guess i realy just have to find out from the shop what was different about it. I do notice that the mount on the axle for the trac bar is a little different, but that shouldent matter.

 

has anyone on hear ever swapped a front axle on there truck?

 

Yea, I put a 97 in my 98 and the stabilizer link mounts were slightly different

 

what did you have to do with the links? because i bet thats prolly the only differnce with the 96 going onto my 98.

 

Is there anything different about the brakes on a 2000 and 2001 dana 44, vs the 90's style? I was looking at caliper/brake upgrades and noticed things are different between 99 and 00 as far as brakes are concerned. I was looking on RockAuto. Sorry for thread jack. Thanks.