jlsubthumper

Soooo, I am looking into 3/4 or 1 ton Mega cabs, and my friend has an 05 2500 Quad cab. He went to order a off road diff cover for his front axle, and ordered a Dana 60 cover. When it arrived to his disapointment the front axle was not a D60, but a Chrysler front axle. Does anyone know what years they switched the axle? and if it is just in the 2500? just wanted to shed a little light on the situation.

-Thanks
Sean

ptgarcia

2003 I think. American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) builds 3rd gen axles. Diesel trucks have 11.5" in the rear and 9.25" up front.

jlsubthumper

Hmmm, so is that a D70 in the rear then? and the only 3rd gen with dana axles is the Powerwagon?

2003Ram

No Dana's in 2003 and up. That includes the Power Wagon.

ptgarcia

No, the rear is an AAM 11.5. Powerwagon has an AAM 10.5 in the rear and an AAM 9.25 up front.

Purplezr2

Didn't some 3rd Gens Diesels come with the 10.5

ptgarcia

Yeah. I think some '03 SO with the manual tranny have the 10.5.

jlsubthumper

Well with that being said, are these AAM axles better or worse than the dana axles?

ptgarcia

Haven't had any trouble with mine.

2003Ram

See line one of my sig.

bob4x4

The fronts will bend if bottomed out good (aam)

Bob

mrblond

here is how I size up the AAM axles

rear
AAM 11.5---best, about 40% bigger then Ford or Cheve, much stronger.
Dana 80---good, pretty much equal to cheve 14 bolt corp

front is a wash
D60---good, not the same D60 you get from Currie
AAM 9.25---good

2003Ram

Could also be stated.......Not a good idea to jump a 7k# truck.

jlsubthumper

Are they "moddable"? can you get chromolly and 300M shafts for them? are they still full floaters?

PourinDiesel

You ain't gonna break AAM axles without 800+hp hooked up to a sled.
Or really jackarsing around on the street.

AAM is tough as nails.