i have a 01 2500 6-speed with 4.10 gears and a buddy of mine has a 97 2500 auto with 3.55's. we are think about swapping rears and i was wondering is there much difference between his 97 axles and my 01 axles? i do know that my rear is a dana 80 where his is only a dana 70 but thats not a big deal to me. any input on this would be great. thanks

 

wouldnt yours have disk brakes? his would have drums.......

 

no, mine has drum brakes too. was that something that started in 2001.5 or something?

 

97 has 13" x 2.5 or 13x3 drums,the 01's had 12" drumsx3.5 wide.You will need to trim the outside of the 97 drums to fit your stock wheels.Also check to make sure the speed sensor/abs sensor is the same on top of the differential housing.Im not sure if they are. The driveshaft on your truck will need to be lenthened,and his shortened by about 1.5".I would never trade down to a D70 from an 80.Theres a reason 5/6 speeds trucks have D80s' they are tougher and if you ever have your foot fall off a wet clutch pedal with a load on the back,esp in granny gear,you may chuck a pinion on a D70.the D70 does not have that abuse factor for the 6speeds,thats why its only in a 2500 auto,no shock loading. Im not trying to scare you,just telling you what can happen.I,m sure Dodge durability tested the 70 with a manual,and if it was strong enough to get out of warranty on a hard use 2500, they would have used it to save money and weight. If the trucks are 4x4s,the front ends are different as well.