I just put a Ford 10.25" dually axle out of a 1996 f350 2wd in the back of my 1979 f250 2wd. Currently the complete front end is out of 1978 f250 extended cab with 8100 GVW. I want to convert the front hubs to use the same style dually hub centered rims as the Ford 10.25" rear.

I have heard the early dually's of the same era as my 1979 use the the same spindles and calipers as the non dually heavy 3/4 tons, making it easy to swap hubs. But obviously they use the cone shaped lug nuts to center the rim. I would prefer all four rims to be the same.

Is their any dually trucks using the hub centered rims that I can swap hubs with? Or even complete knuckles if necessary?

 

I wish someone would do a true writeup to confirm this, but from what I can find, if you have a dual piston caliper front end, you can swap in the dually rotors and be done. If this is true, then it is no harder than just doing a bearing repack.

 

Yes, that is what I've heard too but the question is; what about using the newer style hubs that use the washer style lug nuts and the hub to center the rim?

 

I think the only way that you could do that is to use a newer dodge or chevy bolt on dually front hub. I don't think the newer ford brakes will bolt on to the older truck (dividing line is 80 and newer)

 

I went back to the 96 F350 I got the rear diff out of and yeah, everything looks completely diffrent up front. That being said I wonder if anybody has ever tried swapping the complete I-beam and radius arm assembly.

It wouldn't surprise me if it was possible, considering the rear axle was a direct bolt in with springs and everything. The only difference was I still have to swap the E-brake cables

 

Pictures? I want to see it.

 

I dont have pics of it installed at the moment and will probably start a seperate build thread documenting the install, once I upgrade my membership. I did test fit the leaf springs and 10.25" axle last week but pulled them back out to replace the centering pins on the leafs and clean up the perches. One more thing of note is the driveshafts are completely diffrent in size, length, u-joints and yokes.