Well, I took the truck to an alignment shop to get it ready for some new front tires and they tell me that the ball joints are bad again! The guy I bought it from had them replaced less than 40k ago (I've got the paperwork) and they're already shot! It's a trustworthy shop that I've used for years, so I know they're not jerking me around, it just looks like this truck eats ball joints like I eat chicken wings!
It gets me to thinking, does Dodge still make a medium duty commercial solid axle front end? If not, when did they stop making them? It seems to me that the W series spring leaf spring mounts could maybe be welded on without too much trouble. Perhaps a Ferd or Chebby beam axle could be used if there's nothing available in the wrecking yard from MoPar. I don't want to go too old as I wouldn't want to give up disc brakes.
Would it be expensive and difficult to do, yeah, - but have you priced ball joints for these things lately? And with a new set of kingpins in a beam axle, you could forget about front end problems for a very long time. Need an alignment? Can you say -- set the toe-in and yer done?
moT

 

I know the chassis cab version of the '94-? 4x2 Dodge CTD had a solid alxe. The suspension is different on the 2nd gen(coil spring, trailing arm), but if your looking to mod something to leaf springs that may be an option.

I liked the solid axle 4x2 for the ride height. Much better than the 4x2 regular cab. Did have a tendency to eat front tires though.




Den

 

Thanks for that posting, but I'm thinking leaf springs and a conventional old-timey beam axle.
That one you show still has those #@**%^# ball joints!
Maybe a school bus axle, but the track might be too wide?
moT

 

Dodge made medium dutys up to 1977 But...I doubt you will find one with disc brakes, most medium/heavys have drums untill you get into the '90's
My 2nd or is it 3rd expensive hobby (who's counting anyway! ) is playing with old Dodge heavies. If you think it's bad finding parts for our 1st gen's, try getting/finding parts for '60's early 70's HD Dodges... most people scratch there head and give you a look

 

How 'bout an axle off a Ford F-Super Duty? Those were a heavy duty version of an F-350 made for tow truck use. I think they still had kingpins in the early '90's.

 

Yeah, I was thing about that, I think Ferd based RVs and ambulances use a beam axle too.
moT

 

Just swap in a Dana 60 out of a late 80's to 91 (I think) Dodge CTD 4x4. They had kingpins. At least the one that I bought for my Jeep did. It was out of a 91 CTD. 4x4 conversions aren't too bad of a job on a 1st gen. Just cut the torsion bar mounts off the frame and weld in some shackle mounting points at the back. I know a guy that's done it several times.

 

I was thinking that too. Maybe find a decent used one off a 4x, it may even raise your weight rating. International used solid axles too, can't remember if they were kingpin or ball joints though.

 

Mid '70s( I had a '76) Dodge motor home chassis's have beam axles and Disk brakes. They have a four piston caliper and a standard eight lug wheel.

 

would a 2nd gen 4X4 front axel springs line up with the spring buckets on a 1st gen 2x4? If so it would make a sweet riding 1st gen 4x4

 

That's good to know, but I'm thinking that as SteamDave said, parts might be a problem with the older Dodges. Those RV/ambulance/shorty bus/cube truck Ferds are everywhere.

moT

 

does the guy you know that did the conversions have any pics of the conversions or know where to get a conversion kit?

 

Put in Moogs. The front end shop I've been using for 40 years won't put in anything else.

 

I know this thread has been dug up from the basement; however, my neighbor has a factory-original 1978-ish DRW D350 with a 2WD Dana 60 straight tube front axle and leaf springs.

This front axle is identical in every way to a king-pin 4x4 Dana 60 minus the differential and axles.

I am fairly certain it has disc brakes.

He has owned this truck for years and I think he may be the original owner.


For what it's worth, the F450 Ford Super Duty front axles have a weird 10-bolt 16-inch wheel.

They are a good swap option, IF you can find one and IF having weird 10-lug wheels on one end and 8-lugs on the other is not an issue.

 

You just gave me an idea, I bet Dynatrac or some other axle builder could whip up a front axle using Dana 60 ends, kingpins and a piece of full-length tubing without the diff housing.