Swap in 2011 axle

Rondo

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I am thinking about swapping in a rear axle from a 2011 or newer. I know the speedometer uses a ring in the diff but I was thinking about using one of the pickups at the axle end. My abs is unplugged to give me a cruise that doesn’t surge. Is this doable? Will the drive shaft bolt right up? Will the springs bolt up or is the spacing different? Will my current stock brake system handle 4 wheel disk? Will my e rake cable be usable or do I need to use a different cable? Any other things I may be forgetting?
 

Rondo

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I did not know that. I thought all 8 bolt was the same. Will the older axle fit in the newer housing? Probably 37 spline vs 35 spline if my memory is intact.
 

Rdnck84_03

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I thought all 8 bolt was the same.
They went to a metric bolt pattern with the super duty. I may be wrong about this but I think the new one are 170mm.

The axle wouldn't change the bolt pattern. You would have to change the hub to change the bolt pattern. I have absolutely no idea if they will interchange, but even if it did you would then have to find a rotor for the older bolt pattern.

James
 

Rondo

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Sounds like it would be better off rebuilding my limited slip and eventually going to rear disk brakes. Less trouble.
 

Old Goat

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From what I remember reading about the rear disk swap, the Vans use a rear disk set up. Don`t remember the years. They are a 8 X 6.5.

Here is a long thread where a guy swaps in an axle from a 04 into his OBS and what he went through.
The newer axle uses the Sterling 10:5 Diff and he used his 10:25 as I remember, been a while since I read through it. Interesting read.



Goat
 

The_Josh_Bear

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Sounds like it would be better off rebuilding my limited slip and eventually going to rear disk brakes. Less trouble.
Pretty much. Or you could find a van axle, they stayed on the same bolt pattern for a long time... Ah Old Goat beat me to it. I want to say vans kept the 8x6.5 pattern till 2008 but don't quote me on that. It's google-able
 

Old Goat

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The van info may be in the above link I posted.

Here is another Disk swap I saved.


Goat
 

Rondo

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There are two reasons I wanted to swap. I wanted the e locker and disk brakes. The e locker did come in until 2011 I belI’ve.
 

Rdnck84_03

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There are two reasons I wanted to swap. I wanted the e locker and disk brakes. The e locker did come in until 2011 I belI’ve.
If you are determined to make it work, there is always a way. How much it could cost in custom machined parts who knows.

Easiest route would be to run the newer wheel bolt pattern.

May also check and see if the 10.5 carrier will work in the 10.25 housing. I have heard there is certain housings that the ring and pinion can be interchanged.

James
 

BlindAmbition

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The van axle is narrower I believe. The 2000-2004 Sterling 10.5 off a normal F250/F350 is a direct bolt in from what I read. In order to use your 8x6.5 wheels you'd need to drill out the pattern, Motobilt sells a $15 template to do so. You'd run van disc brake rotors in that situation.

Been looking at doing a similar conversion to get limited slip and rear disc brakes if I cannot get my El Dorado rear calipers working correctly on my existing 10.25 rear end.
 

u2slow

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Fwiw, the '07 F250SD axle I have bolts into the older trucks too. It is about 5" wider though and needs 17" wheels minimum to clear the brakes. Van rotors are smaller, so won't be compatible for a hub re-drill.
 

IDIBRONCO

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There are two reasons I wanted to swap. I wanted the e locker and disk brakes. The e locker did come in until 2011 I belI’ve.
I can think of another possibility. You could swap in both axles and use the metric bolt pattern wheels all the way around.
 

Old Goat

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Here is an 08 axle into a 93


Good to scan through other threads, to see what problems they had and over came.


Goat
 

david85

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The superduty E-Locker will bolt into any sterling 10.25" differential going all the way back to 1984. All you have to do is route the wires to power the solenoid actuator. If you know how to set up gears, you can have an E-locker in your existing axle.


And don't get scared by the electrical plug I used. There are simpler ways to route the wires.

As for the rear brakes, I found that when working properly, I can chirp all four tires on dry pavement with the E-brake (4wd engaged). When they work right, they are very effective.

 
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