I did a little digging, and could only find people doing DRW to SRW conversions. I had read an article a while back saying that the frame width's were actually different between the SRW and DRW trucks. I dont know if there was any truth to it, but they had a pretty lengthy article into it. Sounds odd to me though.....

I will try and find the article I read and post a link to it. My question is if this is the case what is the plausibility of converting over to DRW.

If the article I read is incorrect i assume it will just be a matter of new springs, hangers, and yoke size on the differential.

I had given up on the idea of converting my truck over to DRW due to the extensive cost of everything. I bought a set of H1 wheels and tires, and just assumed re-centering the wheels, but with the idea of just bolting them on as is, and the option to be able to just slap wheels and tires on to be a DRW sounds far more enticing.

Maybe I'm just going over bored with the whole thing though lol

Either way I'm probably replacing both axles to do my 4x4 conversion. I was strictly looking for 99-04 SRW axles with 3.73 gears. This was mainly due to cost. I can buy the newer body style axles as a set with the SD Dana 60 axle cheaper than I can buy one Dana 60 front. I may stay this course to keep costs low, but all at the same time I'm thinking might as well just set it up how I want it since I'm going to be going through all the trouble anyway........

 

Frame widths are the same, unless it's a cab and chassis truck. On them the frames are different along with the axle housings. If you get a drw housing out of a drw pickup truck it will bolt right in.


I put a drw housing out of an early 90's truck in mine. I used the 4.10's I had, but rebuilt the rest completely.

 

I appreciate the info! I thought it sounded a bit peculiar that they would be different.

 

as
Darrin said, there are 2 different dually rears.
the F350 cab chassis rear has narrow spring perches to fit the 33 inch wide frame of the Cab chassis trucks.
the F-350 dual rear wheel pickup has a 36 inch wide frame and as such, the rear has 36 inch wide spring perches.
so all you really need to do is find a rear out of a dually pickup to stuff under there.

 

to be honest the cab and chassis truck didnt cross my mind at the time, but the article I read simply stated you could not convert any SRW to DRW with out fabricating the frame because the tires would rub on the inside.

I thought it sounded off the wall, and asked around a bit to people who couldnt give me an exact answer, but helped fuel my disbelief in the matter. I assumed the article was incorrect, but do to paranoia I figured I'd ask you all, because I hold a lot more faith in the guys on this forum.

 

How much difference is there in the width of the axle? Since I bought the '97 F350 for a parts truck I have been considering converting my '97 F250 4X4 to DRW.

 

No difference if out of the dually truck, as stated above. That would be cool. Not too many DRW 4x4s running around.

 

if the parts truck is a dual wheel pickup, the only difference is the axle to axle flange width to allow for the dual wheels. on a dually i believe it is 3 inches wider if i remember correctly. the axle will bolt rite in, you will just need to trim the fenders to keep the outer wheels from rubbing.

 

Dually PICKUP rear axles are 6" wider than SRW

The cab-n-chassis dually axle with is almost the same as a SRW axle

Pickup frames are the same width SRW or DRW.
Cab-n-chassis frames are narrower


All you need to make your SRW truck to DRW is.....

-Dually pickup rear axle from a 2wd/or conversion adapters
-Dually Pickup bed from a 2wd/or conversion fenders to go on your SRW bed
-Dually front hubs to go on your axle in place of the SRW hubs/or conversion adapters
-6 dually wheels/ with the correct lug nuts

have a read. I converted my truck a couple of years ago
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...csb-build.html

 

I have to hand it to you Brad, that is an impressive job and write up

I will most certainly be giving that article another read through to make sure I did not miss anything!

 

Just my luck as the dually is 4:10 and the F250 has 3:55s in it. Guess it'll be time to look for a Dana 60 for the front.
Is it even possible to convert the D50 TTB to dually hubs?

 

I see lots of late models around here, but no OBS trucks. A friend tried to order a F350 DRW 4X4 in '97 and was told the only way to get 4X4 in a dually was cab and chassis.

 

Yep, that's what I did. No different than converting a 60. Just bolt the dually hubs on.

 

Is it just an adapter or the entire hub assy?

 

the D50 and D60 use same hubs.
here are arrowcraft aa4 front dually wheel adapters i used to convert the front of my f250/d50;