I apologize if there is already a thread highlighting this information, however I can't find it. Here is the scoop... I have a 1999 Ram 1500 5.9 QC 4x4 with 3.55 gears and 285s. The ol' gal has developed a bit of a cancer issue, she's rusty. The box has a big dent in the side to match the rust around the wheel-wells and rockers. My dad has had it for a few weeks to use it for some projects he's been doing. And he's well aware that I'd like to fix it up, but the budget isn't 100% there. Anyways, he just called me to tell me that he found a 1997 Ram being parted not too far from his place and called the guy worked out a deal on what's left. $400 for the rust-free box, frame, custom rims, and 3.92 axles with limited slip rear. I told him to go for it. The box will need some painting to match and I'll have to order tom LMC rockers, etc. before it gets painted.

My question is, will the axles from the 1997 with the 3.92s swap right in to my 1999? We're buying the thing for the box, but if I can see an improvement with towing, etc. with the better gears, why not use them.

Also, how about my speedo? I have it adjusted to compensate for the larger rubber via my SuperChips programmer, will this still work? (I thought I heard that the 1997 and before versions had a different speedo set-up).

Thanks for the guidance!

 

3.92's will be better but I think you may run intO a problem with the speedo. Yours runs off the rear diff and the 97 runs off the tcase.

 

use the engine/trans/t-case from yours, along with the wiring harness. (and the dash too) Grab the axles off the other truck. They should bolt right up.

 

Why not swap gears from one to the other?
The internal parts appear to be the same.

 

Thanks for the responses, work has had me away from this project for a while... Ideally I would just swap the guts, but I've come to learn that my skills and knowledge arent what I wish they were and I'm sure it'd be easier to swap the whole rearend... To make sure I'm understanding correctly, that won't really work right?

 

Just swap the entire axle. Its actually easier...... if both trucks are half-tons, they should bolt right on. You should be able to correct speedo error with your programmer without too much trouble. (real possibility it won't even be an issue, as the 99 and up guys read vehicle speed from the rear wheel speed sensor, which gets its cue AFTER gears are taken into consideration, might not be any error at all.)

 

DANA made changes to the line in 99 ( I think they started screwing with it in 98) so the front may not be a direct bolt on.
that is to say the axle may bolt up but the steering linkages etc may not.

Just throwing this out there cause I've heard people here having issues with the 98 not being a direct swap with previous years.

 

Would be a good excuse to upgrade those parts.