lbsdiesel

I am rebuilding a 99 4 x 4. the front axle tube is bent (was in a wreck). Junk yard search says only 99 wil interchange. I have a 97 parts truck. Does any one know if the housing are the same 99 & 97? Can I just put my 99 guts into 97 Housing? Thanx for any help.

CTD NUT

97 and 99 have all the exact same axle components. 00 was the change to different brakes and most components are different from the knuckles out on the 00 - 02.5 trucks as result.....however, 94 - 99 front axles are all the same with the exception of steering linkage configurations...but the two different configurations that were used are interchangeable between the different model years.

lbsdiesel

Thank you, I just know that junk yards tell me 99 is (1) year only? Thanx again.

gunnie

not to hijack your thread but i also was wondering about '00 front axle, as i was told '00 was the only year that will fit. will '00 thru '02.5 work on a '00 2500?
thanks

Uncle jesse

i just went thru this whole ordeal and i found the 98.5-02 are the same it depends on if it has 4 wheel abs.... and i just hapen to have another fornt end for sale

CTD NUT

Huh? Not true.....00 was the first year for slip on rotors and twin piston calipers. Outer knuckles, caliper mounts, calipers, rotors and bearing hubs are different as a result. You can retro fit all these parts onto a 99 and down axle but is does require a complete swap of all parts from the knuckles out to do it. The only thing different about front ABS is that the bearing hub has an integeral wheel speed sensor but the ABS and non ABS bearing hubs are physically the same other than that.

The answer is yes....00 - 02.5 use the same front axle assemblies. The one exception is the 02.5 that has the CAD deleted from the housing.

Stamey

OK, CTD Nut, help me out.
(note, only talking about 4x4's here)
I know that the 99s have the ball joints that come in from the bottom and the 2000+ axles have the ball joints coming in from the top. I always figured that the ball joint direction could not be changed on a 99 axle, even if you have 2000+ knuckles. I am pretty sure the ball joint holes on the axle are not tapered, but the axle shape, if the ball joints went in from the opposite direction, would keep the ball joints from seating properly, right? Plus, with the way the clearances are designed on the axle housing, the threaded part of the ball joint would not have clearance from the axle shaft, I'm thinking.
I mean, if there's any way to do this I'm all ears, but I can't see it at this point.
http://www.stamey.info/Truck/SecondG...Comparison.htm

Thanks,
Chris

CTD NUT

Nope, I don't anything you don't already know! Excellent comparison pics by the way...

You are correct....the inner knuckles would have to be changed out to accommodate the different ball joint configuration of the 00 and up outers. At that point, it would be much easier to just swap the whole housing!