10-lug Swapping a 93 F250

[Steven66]

I understand that this swap is very involved and yes, it's really not practical given the costs and time vs just buying a F-450/F-Superduty. However, a friend of mine is basically giving me a set of 10-lug front and real axles with all the mounts, springs, etc for free. After doing some measuring and talking to CP Addicts, the front 10-lug monobeam front end will fit and be a fairly easy swap, but the rear is more difficult since the Cab & Chassis trucks have a 3.5 inch narrower frame. Spring pads can be moved on Dana 80 rear to fit the 37 inch wide F250 frame but I'd have to clearance the brake caliper mount, worry about the tire rubbing the leaf spring, and ultimately not be able to remove the outside hub as the spring pad will be right up against the bolts on the back side of the axle tube ends. Given all of that, I have determined that this specific axle will not work. So with all that being said, is there another viable axle option that is 10-lug and either fits or is a closer match to the 37 inch frame rail spacing? I understand that the axle will most likely not have the speed sensor on the differential like the ford ones do, but that's a non-issue. The truck is getting engine swapped so I'm not worried about keeping the factory sensors and whatnot. Looking forward to yalls suggestions!

Just to add: I know the truck will ride super rough with the monobeam leaf spring front and the f-superduty rear leaf springs. This truck is just a shop truck and only gets used to pick up parts and haul trailers so that's not a big deal to me.

 

[u2slow]

How much clearance is needed? Dodge 2ndgen (94-02) hangers shoud save you about an inch per side.

Chevy used 10-lug diffs too. Motorhome is typically a 70HD. The 91-02 3500HD is a Dana 80. The P-30HD (stepvan) can be an 80 or a Rockwell (older). Not sure the overall width, but the spring spacing is that 40.5" spec. The brakes are large and 19.5" wheels.

 

[Steven66]

How much clearance is needed? Dodge 2ndgen (94-02) hangers shoud save you about an inch per side.

Chevy used 10-lug diffs too. Motorhome is typically a 70HD. The 91-02 3500HD is a Dana 80. The P-30HD (stepvan) can be an 80 or a Rockwell (older). Not sure the overall width, but the spring spacing is that 40.5" spec. The brakes are large and 19.5" wheels.

I'll have to measure the leaf spring perches on my current axle but I know for a fact that the frame is 37.5 inches wide measuring from the outside of the frame rails. The truck that my Dana 80 came out of has the standard 34 inch wide frame that pretty much all cab&chassis trucks have. Are all Dana 80's practically the same hub and leaf spring perch width? If not and dodge/chevy/ford used a Dana 80 that had a wider wheel base at some point, it could give me the clearance I need to weld in my own perches where I need them.

 

[u2slow]

No... Dana 80's aren't all the same. The 40.5" spacing on some chevy and fords is mostly coincidence.

The 99+ Superduty pickup dana 80 (which is dually) should be a direct swap.

Dodge has a very similar frame width to ford pickup. Dodge perch spacing is ~43.5" and ford pickup is 45.5(?) I believe.

 

[Steven66]

No... Dana 80's aren't all the same. The 40.5" spacing on some chevy and fords is mostly coincidence.

The 99+ Superduty pickup dana 80 (which is dually) should be a direct swap.

Dodge has a very similar frame width to ford pickup. Dodge perch spacing is ~43.5" and ford pickup is 45.5(?) I believe.

Interesting. I thought they only put Dana 80's under cab & chassis trucks. So a 99+ F350 Dually Super Duty could potentially have a Dana 80?

 

[u2slow]

So a 99+ F350 Dually Super Duty could potentially have a Dana 80?

Yes, most believe the dually is always an 80, but there's some 10.5" DRW diffs in there too (perhaps a 5.4L thing).