Truck Specs:
1999 Dodge Ram 4x4
- 3” front lift
- 1.5” rear AAL
- 3” BL
- tires, 33” A/T for the winter and 35” M/T’s for the summer
- 318 5 speed
- Lukes Link track bar end
- DDS steering brace
- Borgeson steering shaft
Front Axle: Dana 60 from a 2000 Ram 3500 4x4 dually, 3:54
Rear Axle: Dana 80 from a 2000 Ram 3500 Dually, 3:54

For the front, this is what fit without modifications:
- shocks
- coils
- brake lines
- track bar
- u-joint
- because I had custom control arms made up that were 3/4” longer than stock, I didn’t have to shorten the front drive shaft at all, otherwise, you may have to shorten the driveshaft a little bit
- CAD (vacuum lines and electrical connectors)

For the front, this is what had to be modified/changed:
- drag link end (3500 was bigger, used 1500 end that bolts to pitman arm)
- upper and lower control arm bolts that bolt to the frame were bigger for the D60, had to drill out holes to fit bigger bolts

For the rear, this is what fit without modifications:
- shocks
- leaf’s (Even though the perches are 3” wide, 2.5” leafs will fit, the center pin and U-Bolts hold everything together)
- brake lines were the same
- rear ABS sensor
- speed sensor

For the rear, this is what had to be modified/changed:
- e-brake cables (The used axles didn’t have them, so I bought e-brake cables for the 3500 axle, the problem is that a ’99 1500 and ’00 3500 have a different style adjustment bracket for the e-brake, so a custom one had to be made up)
- driveshaft had to be shortened 3”, and a 3500 yoke had to be welded on the end in place of the 1500 yoke
- 3500 u-joint
- Larger and longer U-bolts (4” diameter vs 3.5”)

The rims I bought are just a black steel, 16”x8” with a 8x6.5 bolt pattern with my old BFG A/T 285/75R16 rubber. I have 315/75R16 Pro Comp M/T’s that I am going to run on aluminum rims during the summer.
With the one ton axles, I achieved about 1” of lift in the front and rear due to bigger axle diameters and taller leaf and coil perches.
One problem that I did run into that I never saw coming, was that when I took it for a test drive for the very first time after the swap, (before the alignment), was that when I hit a dip in the road, or a bump, the track bar end (that bolts to the bracket) makes contact with the pumpkin. This is due to the fact that:
1) longer control arms pushed the axle forward ¾”
2) the D60 pumpkin is larger than the D44
3) the Lukes Link replacement end that is a lot larger in size compared to the stock ball-joint
So to fix this, I had to add an extra inch of lift (coil spacers) to gain more clearance, and go back to an original OEM track bar from NAPA. I know the original track bar sucks, and I should have gone with something else (ie: aftermarket) but I ran out of time and money. Oh well, the MOOG track bar had a lifetime warranty on it. It will do for now.
More information about the dually axles: For the Dana60, once the front adapter is removed, you can run a normal rim on it, and the width is the same as a 2500 and even a 1500 axle. The rear axle is approximately 2”-3” wider than the front, (is about an 1” per side), so it’s hardly noticeable. The drums however, are quite a bit larger than 1500 ones, and stick out about 5”-6”. It looks a little out of place, but I can live with it, for now.
Each axle weighs about 200-300 lbs more than the 1500 ones, so now there is about 600 lbs added to the GVW of the truck. One thing I would like to change soon is the gear ration. I would like to go with 4.10 or 4.56. If anybody out there has a 2nd gen 3500 dually ram with a 4.10 ratio, and would like to change it to a 3.54 ratio, let me know, we can exchange gears, and save some money.
There might be something I’m missing, but that’s about all I can remember for now. Here are the pics. I didn’t take too many during the swap, but you get the point. The paint I used was POR15. I haven’t have a chance to paint the rear axle yet.

 

looks sweet, i plan to do that to my 98

 

I could used your truck right now. All of the Oklahoma City metro area is ice covered. I cannot take my Dodge home because I live on a private road that has a small hill I must traverse, followed by my steel driveway. On Tuesday, the neighbor kid had to tow me up the hill so I could leave the road (in his 4x4 Chevy)[:@] Each night I park my truck at the end of the road and have my sister pick me up in my Cavalier. That little car can handle slightly icy inclines. I wish I had my son's 1965 Beetle running. I know that little car wouldn't be hindered by icy

 

You running Hummer beadlocks with the dual wheel axles?

 

Kudos to you for all the hard work time and effort put in, i would spiff up the rear axle but over all beautiful work, 10 out of 10 for you sir.

 

im jelous.. !!!! awesome work.. looks great!

how she drive?

and you have your own lift? jelous X2 [:'(]

 

Thanks guys. No, thats not my lift, I wish it was though! (Its my mechanics lift) Those are just regular black steel rims. 16"x8" with 8x6.5 bolt pattern Chrome center caps and chrome lug nuts spruce it up a bit though