Thinking about swapping parts from my standard cab '96 Ram 2500 4x4 to a extended cab '96 Ram 1500 4x4. I'd really like to have a truck with an extended cab. Is the frame under these trucks the same or is the frame under a Ram 2500 heavier duty? I know I'd have to swap the front and rear differentials and the front and rear springs - anything else?

 

The frames are not the same sadly. I looked into this myself. Regular cab and quad cab used different frames. That's not to say you can't make it fit but I don't know if its worth it. And if i am not mistaken I think the frame is a little beefier on the 2500's. To convert to a 2500 you will need front and rear diffs and complete suspension components and the 241 transfer case. The 1500's use a 231 transfer case. That's pretty much it.

 

Yes, I'm aware that the frames are different, given the length of the standard cab vs. the extended cab, but wasn't sure if a 2500 frame was any beefier or not.


I have all of the components you mentioned in my '96 Ram 2500 truck which could be swapped over to the 1500 truck - major labor to perform the swap, but doable, I'm guessing...

 

My 2500 gasser parts truck was exactky the sane as my 1500. I even took measuerements.

Might be different for deisel or dually but that's my experience