What to do with original front axle

Hello all,
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I have been lurking and learning for a while now... I am working on a 39 Dodge 1.5 ton flatbed. I will be repowering it with a Cummins 6bt 12 valve, so I have a lot of things I have to upgrade. I am planning a new rear axle and differential like the Dana s135, but the front axle is a conundrum. I want disc brakes and air ride suspension. I do not know if the front I beam drop axle can handle the extra weight of the new engine. I also do not know if I can just change out the spindles or if I need a whole new axle.<O
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I am not sure about an IFS because it will be a PITA and I am not sure how to fit everything with the larger than normal engine. The stock axle has about a 4-5” of drop that I need to keep to have everything still work.<O
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So the questions are, if I need to find a new axle or if I can make the existing one work? The second question is if I do need a different axle what would you suggest that can handle the weight and be tough enough for 1.5 ton truck? I will be driving this truck so I want have a nice ride.<O
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Thanks in advance!!<O
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-Ryan<O

 

Has anyone delt with this truck? Gene Climber in Oregon, are you here?? I know you are working on a similar job rated truck, how is that going?

 

On a 1 1/2 ton truck, the front axle is rated at 7000 lbs. You should bve alright with the stock spindles. If you get it dropped, get it magnafluxed as well. Might not be a bad idea to fill it as far as the spring pads.

 

Thank you for the rating information on the axle, that will be fine with the engine and most of the weight I would add to it is over the rear axle.

It is already a dropped axle, when you say to fill it, you are saying to add metal and weld it inside the I beam?

So is there any way to use the stock spindles and upgrade to Disc? I am going to keep large wheels and stuff, looking at 22.5" off a Bus. So I need large disc brakes with a large bolt pattern preferable 10 lug.

thanks!

 

Just a guess that the Dodge spindle diameters where the bearing races sit, will be too small for such large disc rotors that take 10 lug wheels.

It would be worth checking into that, but I doubt many truck wrecking yards will pull one apart just to look??

Some medium duty stuff is standardized as far as front axles, but i don't know where to find specs.

Swapping spindles is a iffy deal because the king pin angles very likely will be different...and then the camber will be off.

Lots of work as far as figuring the bearing problems, camber issues and also don't forget scrub radius being wrong. That would be the same as running the wrong offset wheels...the imaginary line through the king pin should intersect the road under the tire footprint, as close to center as possible.


I'd almost think it may be less mental stress to look for a modern donor axle??

Check out "Diamond T" in a search here...Scotty49? is looking for a same style setup for his truck. You may get some info from him.

 

You would add some 1/4"plate over the I of the axle to strengthen it. If it's a factory drop, don't worry about it.

 

could you source the front axle off a newer truck? say like Superduty ford (early ninetys, they called 'em superduties instead of 450's) I'd think that would handle the weight be easily.. All it was was a simple tube (regular 4x4 axle with out the pumpkin).. it'd be really easy to narrow and I'm guessing fairly easy to adapt bigger brakes too and the 22.5's... Had a 550 here in the shop that had the same axle too...

 

Bummer is that the truck had a stock drop axle making all of the stuff line up. If I go straight axle the axle would be too close to the engine and the tires would not be high enough in the wheel wells... the axle is about 9" below the frame rail when it is resting. Then it has about a 4-5" rise ot the king pin. The real odd thing is that the frame rails are only about 28 inches apart Measured on outside of rails... which is super narrow. I went out and even looked at other old trucks say maybe 40's and they all had at least 34 inches. Darn dodge for making oddball stuff

I am now looking at a axle set off a large truck, rear axle is a spicer 19060s which looks like a Rockwell with the square tube. I may just take the front axle as well it is a solid I beam type so maybe I will have to bolt that on and see what happens.

The Drums on the 39 are HUGE, they fill up the backside of the stock 20" roms with little room to spare, I would therfore assume that the spindles were equally overbuilt but you know what they say about assuming...

I do still have the Donar truck I tore the engine out of (1998 Dodge ram 2500) so maybe it has some more parts I can take.

Thanks for all of the ideas, keep them coming.

On another note, if there is anyone in the Beaverton Hillsboro oregon area that has a 200V welder that I could rent/borrow to box in the frame it would be great! Don't think the little 110V Mig will cut it. I can supply beer if you wanted to hang out and help...

THANKS!

 

Wow, it has been a while.

I did get the Dana 19060s rear axle, and a drop axle both from a 99 GMC Topkick (box truck) I had to shorten the front axle. I have welded up the bag mounts for the rear and am trying to finish the upper mounts and the 4-link mounts.

 

I would have advised keeping the original front axle and adapting modern spindles with disc brakes. It might take a little reaming to get the modern king pins to fit but that is about all. But whatever floats your boat.

 

Yeah, I really wanted to keep as much original as possible. I did not really see a good easy way to use the old one and when I bought the rear I also got the front. I also want this to drive and be reliable, I am not a mechanic by trade so going with a complete braking system seemed smarter for me.

Anyone want the old axles??

 

do you mind posting a pic of the "new" front axle you got. I tried your site to see if there were progress pics but its not taking new members

 

Huh, I thought that photo was up there... also you should be able to see stuff, just not join right now. we were having so many spam accounts we had to shut things down and find a better way to register new members.

I will post it here in a bit if I can find one.

 

I could not find the photo of the newer front axle after I had it shortened (they had to cut out almost 24" from the middle).

Here is the way it came, the springs, frame and everything were stripped off and I am using an air ride suspension.






And one for perspective... this is some big stuff

 

thats the better way to go. its nice haveing all your brakes and wheels match.

 

And it is especially nice having them all work this truck will be able to haul over 10-15 tons plus tow another 9 tons. I need to know it will stop when I tell it to.