I have a 2002 Ram 2500 4x4 CTD, It has a D-60 front without the disconnect setup, so the front end and the front d-shaft always turn. As you can imagine its not the ideal setup, it wears parts out and cost MPG and I just dont like it, So I got to thinking of how to remedy the problem. I would like to somehow use different knuckles on the dodge frontend, that would use ford outers, so i could have real bearings and locking hubs. Does anyone know if its possible, to do something like this? I have a F-350 frontend, for a doner but i really dont want to tear my daily driven dodge apart to see if it would work. Any ideas?

Knuckles won't work. (unless you cut off the inners, then maybe).

Dynatrac does sell a kit for about $1500, which is all bolt on.

You can build your own, you need to adapt the spindles to the stock knuckles (I think the large hole is the right diameter, just need to drill the mounting holes), and use Ford hubs and such. I am not sure what it would take to fabricate a caliper stand, although maybe you could use the stock one if you found the right ofset rotors. If I was doing this I would use TTB Dana 50 parts since they are the same and readily avilable, however, if you already have the 60.....

The opposite side to this, is you are making it substantially weaker, far less user friendly for servicing, and more complicated. Very little gas savings will be realized, the wear on the r+p is virtually nothing, about all you save is the CV on the driveline....

I have broken my 60 once, (with stock shafts)

http://www.trailseeker.com/gallery/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1302&g2_serialNumber=1

http://www.trailseeker.com/gallery/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1298&g2_serialNumber=1

http://www.trailseeker.com/gallery/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1318&g2_serialNumber=1

Which inclines me to believe the stubs are much stronger then stock 30 spline Ford 60 outers, and hubs of course since a stock Ford/Chevy/Dodge 60 breaks the stubs and hubs before the inners. This of course is obvious since the Dodge stuff is 33 spline.

I just found this post while looking for dodge axle info....

Anyways. The 50TTB stuff sounds like a good idea if you to have hubs and bearings.

I am looking at the dodge 60 for my 78 pickup. They are a LOT cheaper and wasy to find.

What are the inner shaft lengths? Are there any factory 35 spline shafts that might fit?