rear end change

[tinlizzy]

I have seen on several places that a pilothouse can be installed on a dakota frame.  Has anyone ever put a dakota rear end under a 1948 pilot house?  I wanted to change the one I have which is a 4.11 for a better road gear ratio.  I have a 1986 dakota truck from salvage yard.  Any suggestions?

thanks 

lee

[Tooljunkie]

10 hours ago, tinlizzy said:

I have seen on several places that a pilothouse can be installed on a dakota frame.  Has anyone ever put a dakota rear end under a 1948 pilot house?  I wanted to change the one I have which is a 4.11 for a better road gear ratio.  I have a 1986 dakota truck from salvage yard.  Any suggestions?

thanks 

lee

Anything is possible. Just depends on skill level and tools. I cant imagine its a bolt in. My plan is to swap in a mid 70’s full size pickup rear end. Leaf spring saddles will have to be relocated and something will need to be done with driveshaft. A good friend is a machinist, so driveshaft modification wont be the hard part. 
same thing goes for a dakota rear end. When i get to it, i guess i should document my process. 

[41/53dodges]

The most common swap is a Jeep Cherokee axle, it's approx. 1" narrower than stock, same ujoint, same driveshaft length, and same lug pattern as stock. Plus there's a mind boggling number of gear ratios and lockers available if you need a little extra traction. 

When I did mine, I just buzzed the old perches off and grabbed some trailer perches from farm and fleet

[Dodgefran]

I'm in the process of swapping a 93 Dakota 1/2 ton rear end onto my 38 Dodge Humpback Panel.  The overall width is 2 inches wider than my original rear end.  So I'll have to move the perches and replace them with a less wide perch.  I went to Tractor Supply and found some perches that are used on trailers.  They'll fit fine.  Go for it.

 

 

 

 

[tom'sB2B]

I ditto the above suggestions. I used the axle out of an '89 Jeep Cherokee. The only other suggestion I would make is to consider whether you will keep the original parking brake or use the parking brake from the new axle. Some fabrication issues depending.

Best upgrade other than disc brakes and duel MC. IMHO

[Radarsonwheels]

Throw it under there. Brakes are much easier to work on and all the stuff said above checks out. 

 

I had an ‘89 dak axle under my big block truck but thought better of it after I got carried away hopping up the power. Fit fine under the tubs.

 

dunno which one you have but probably an 8.25 chrysler corporate axle? Is it sure grip? And what ratio? The 8.25 is cheap so you might come out ahead making sure you use the right one- don’t waste time on a 2.94 ratio one legger with a lot of endplay in the pinion! 

 

Also watch out for those trailer perches they are just meant for locating an axle that only holds up weight not resisting the torque of a driven axle. I have a set on the shelf that looked too flimsy to use and that was when I was putting a jeep zj axle behind the 225 flathead!

 

By the way a jeep zj 90s grand Cherokee axle is almost the same thing- possinly narrower? but with disc brakes stock and I think came with 3.21 or 3.73 gears- and often sure grip! The discs off it went on my 9.25 axle with a very little work so stealing discs for your 8.25 at the junkyard is another cheap easy project to think about. 

 

good luck!

[tinlizzy]

The rear end I have is from 1986 truck but believe the rear end in the truck is later model such as 8.25 not the 7.25 unsure as to ratio.  My truck has a Spitfire from 48 Windsor, 25", 251 cubic inch.

 

[falconvan]

I’m doing a Dakota rear end in a 58 Dodge truck; fits nice.

[5027 steve]

On 11/3/2019 at 7:17 AM, 41/53dodges said:

The most common swap is a Jeep Cherokee axle, it's approx. 1" narrower than stock, same ujoint, same driveshaft length, and same lug pattern as stock. Plus there's a mind boggling number of gear ratios and lockers available if you need a little extra traction. 

When I did mine, I just buzzed the old perches off and grabbed some trailer perches from farm and fleet

What year jeep Cherokee????

Edited December 12, 2019 by 5027 steve
Spelling

[5027 steve]

On 11/3/2019 at 7:17 AM, 41/53dodges said:

The most common swap is a Jeep Cherokee axle, it's approx. 1" narrower than stock, same ujoint, same driveshaft length, and same lug pattern as stock. Plus there's a mind boggling number of gear ratios and lockers available if you need a little extra traction. 

When I did mine, I just buzzed the old perches off and grabbed some trailer perches from farm and fleet

What year Jeep Cherokee 

[Tooljunkie]

Jeez, i just had a cherokee In the shop yesterday for some brake work. Never thought of measuring it. 
im sticking with the 9-1/4 rear. 
8.25 is plenty strong, cant do much with 500 hp unless you add weight to back end.

7-1/4” peg leg is a grenade with the pin pulled. 

[Tooljunkie]

11 hours ago, 5027 steve said:

What year Jeep Cherokee 

Wait! Same u-joint?

i thought the u-joints were hard to find. At least through all my searches i havent found a current useable number. 

[Old CWO]

14 hours ago, 5027 steve said:

What year Jeep Cherokee 

 

Use a Chrysler 8.25 from a 97-01 XJ Cherokee.  There were 8.25s in XJs before 1997 but they are 27 spline,  97 and newer are 29 spline.  Might as well use the stronger set up since it's easy to find.

 

Some Cherokees had the Dana 35 - that is not the axle that you want.

 

 

[Old CWO]

3 hours ago, Tooljunkie said:

Wait! Same u-joint?

i thought the u-joints were hard to find. At least through all my searches i havent found a current useable number. 

 

regular old 1310 series u-joints

[Bobacuda]

I put a 1990 Dakota full diff (8.25) under my 1953 B4B.  I had to cut off the old spring hangers and weld new ones (from Northern Tool) on the top in the appropriate places.  The u-joint was the same.  I tried to use the Dakota e-brake, but my 53's factory lever could not get enough "mechanical advantage" to make it work.  I removed all of the e-brake hardware and fine-tuned my original e-brake.  Modern brakes, easy to find parts for, no LH lugs.

 

I also put the front spindles (I had a bad spindle and hub) and brakes from a 1979 Sweptline.  Nice, new brakes with easily available parts and I eliminated the LH lugs as part of the process.

 

My only complaint is I ran the smaller diameter brake lines from the MC to the wheels - I think I should have used the large size line and downsized at the wheels.  However, it all works fine.  No complaints, so far.

[Merle Coggins]

7 hours ago, Tooljunkie said:

Wait! Same u-joint?

i thought the u-joints were hard to find. At least through all my searches i havent found a current useable number. 

 

On your ‘49 Fargo, probably not the same u-joint. In mid ‘50 they changed to a different u-joint that is still used to this day, and is common with many of the Jeep axles. 

[Tooljunkie]

28 minutes ago, Merle Coggins said:

 

On your ‘49 Fargo, probably not the same u-joint. In mid ‘50 they changed to a different u-joint that is still used to this day, and is common with many of the Jeep axles. 

Ok, now i really havent run any numbers to actually confirm the year. Previous owner advertised it as a 49. But the u-joints are held in with u-bolts as in the 1310 series. If that’s the case, Bonus! Easy to adapt and simplifies my diff change. 
thanks for the info! 
 

next is running my serial number to prove without a doubt what year it is. 

Edited December 12, 2019 by Tooljunkie
Added words

[pflaming]

I also used a Cherokee rear axle, 3:73 ratio. I easily cruse with the big rigs and can pass them with ease. Would have chosen disc brakes had I know, but truck brakes very good. I have Rustyhope discs on the front. The only way to go. Best to you. 

[Tooljunkie]

Question answered, i should have checked it sooner. 1951,not 1949. 
will see if there was any difference in u-joints. 

[48ply1stcar]

On 12/13/2019 at 4:10 AM, pflaming said:

I also used a Cherokee rear axle, 3:73 ratio. I easily cruse with the big rigs and can pass them with ease. Would have chosen disc brakes had I know, but truck brakes very good. I have Rustyhope discs on the front. The only way to go. Best to you. 

Is your axle swap have it's own thread?

[pflaming]

No, you might find the inner thread on the Phoenix site. But the axle swap was pre Phoenix (fire). 

[Tooljunkie]

On 12/12/2019 at 11:43 AM, Bobacuda said:

I put a 1990 Dakota full diff (8.25) under my 1953 B4B.  I had to cut off the old spring hangers and weld new ones (from Northern Tool) on the top in the appropriate places.  The u-joint was the same.  I tried to use the Dakota e-brake, but my 53's factory lever could not get enough "mechanical advantage" to make it work.  I removed all of the e-brake hardware and fine-tuned my original e-brake.  Modern brakes, easy to find parts for, no LH lugs.

 

I also put the front spindles (I had a bad spindle and hub) and brakes from a 1979 Sweptline.  Nice, new brakes with easily available parts and I eliminated the LH lugs as part of the process.

 

My only complaint is I ran the smaller diameter brake lines from the MC to the wheels - I think I should have used the large size line and downsized at the wheels.  However, it all works fine.  No complaints, so far.

Can you please elaborate on the  sweptline  brake and hub swap?

on a king pin front end? 

[Bobacuda]

The Sweptline trucks use I-beam with king pins, same as the Pilothouse trucks.  I think I first read about this swap on a Sweptline forum.  Anyhow, it was just a matter of disconnecting the brake line, the steering ends and then removing the king pin.  This removed the spindle and the hub.  I did this to both trucks, then I installed the Sweptline spindles with new king pins on my truck.  Make sure you get spindles with the same diameter king pin - the first set I got were from a Sweptline model that was supposed to be a "gas miser," and the pins were smaller.  The set that worked for me came off a full size, 1/2 ton '79 with a slant 6.

 

After the spindles were installed, I put the brake backing plates back on and replaced the brake components.  I ran all new brake lines, and I regret not using the original diameter lines.  I used the size that the '79 and the '90 Dakota used.  I have always wondered if this affects the amount of pressure I have to apply to stop the truck. 

 

Anyhow, I put new bearings and seals in the hubs and had the drums turned when putting it all back together.  If the set you get has left hand lugs, this is a great time to change them out.  Since I have a Dakota diff in my truck, I have eliminated the LH lugs.  Its all hidden behind the hub cap, so no one ever sees it.

 

Fixed my bad hub problem, I now have brakes that are easy to get parts for and are easy to adjust.

Edited January 10, 2020 by Bobacuda

[Bobacuda]

ARGH!

 

Tooljunkie - My most humble apologies, I meant to say '69 Sweptline, NOT '79 Sweptline…

I also apologize to anyone and everyone that felt I was wasting their time and efforts.  I make typos, but that was ridiculous.

 

OK, I am sufficiently red-faced.

Bob

[5027 steve]

Ok so I just went to our local junk yard to try and find a rear end ......... used the listings i found here and the only thing they could tell me is they had a Spicer 35 or a spicer 44 out of a Cherokee..... I guess i'm looking for advise please ....Thanks Steve