I have a 2001 Ram 2500, 2WD w/ 5.9 gas engine. It currently has a Dana 60 3.55 "open" rear end. A have a chance to put in a Dana 60 rear w/ 4.10 gears and limited slip (comes out of a 2002 Ram 2500; still a 2nd gen). I live in Michigan, do mostly city driving and haul landscaping supplies around town (blocks, stone, sand, dirt, sod, etc.). My wheels/tires are slightly taller than stock (245/75R16 (30.5") was OE; I put on 265/70R17 (31.6")).

Based on my needs and how I use my truck, I'm thinking this would be a great upgrade and should bolt right in with no modifications required. For the experts, is there anything I'm not considering? Thanks for any advice.

 

Yep, should be a direct swap. Won't even effect your speedometer calibration. (for that, only tire size matters.)

 

4.10s would be a good upgrade for your use, heavy loaded and non-highway use. Other than to check the housing for excessive rust... The limited slip might have worn out clutches. Repairable, but might as well do that job when its not under the truck. There is a test you can do while its still on the donor truck, see your factory service manual.

 

Should be a bolt-in swap as was mentioned. I hope to finally finish my disc brake Dana 4.10 60 Power Loc rear swap this week, weather permitting. My old 3.54 Dana 60 was a drum brake rear.

 

Nice. Let me know how you like it. Thankfully since I have an '01 and the new one comes out of an '02, I'll still keep my disc brakes.

 

Is it very hard to convert the stock drums to disc brakes? In theory it'd be nice for safety to be able to stop on a "dime" so to speak. My factory setup in my 95 stops good I was always just curious.

 

So far, it looks like the swap is pretty easy. I needed to change the ABS switch on the rear to the '96 style, as the later model uses a different connector. I hope to complete the swap by the end of the week, weather permitting. I'm also doing some honey-do tasks that are taking me away from the truck.

 

Swapping the whole rear is the easiest way, otherwise, cutting and welding is involved.

 

I haven't quite gotten to my rear axle swap yet, but have been spraying down the bolts this week to prep for the swap on (hopefully) Saturday. Having a new baby in the picture causes these projects to drag out far more than they used to haha.

Anyway, I was looking at both axles and noticed the donor 4.10 Dana 60 has shock mounts that sit parallel to the ground, whereas the current 3.55 Dana 60 in my truck has mounts that are welded angling toward the front (LH) and rear (RH). I'm wondering if the sway bar is going to be able to mount back up to my current truck. I'm also wondering if the camper special package (which I think the donor truck has) got a specific rear axle with these mounts welded parallel to the ground to compress the shocks a bit more due to the factory lift blocks. Unfortunately, the donor axle will probably cause both of my rear shocks to be slightly more compressed at all times.

LH side of 4.10 w/ sway bar


RH side of 4.10 w/ sway bar


LH side of 3.55 w/o sway bar showing mount angled forward


RH side of 3.55 w/o sway bar showing mount angled rearward

 

Good eye on checking your rear shock mount configuration. That sway bar should connect up fine on your truck, as long as you have the sway bar link mounts on your truck's frame. Have you pulled the Dana 60 4.10 rear from the donor truck? If not, be sure to grab the sway bar link frame mounts and bolts off of it - I had to find those frame mounts and it took some serious searching (they are NOS), as I picked up the rear sway bar used and had to purchase the rear sway bar links and the sway bar link frame mounts + hardware separately.

BTW, if you haven't already done so, be sure to purchase some new U bolts - those look pretty rusty and some may break during the removal.

My swap is almost complete - I just have to finish tightening the U bolts in addition to installing the brake lines and bleed them.