Hey guys,
Very new here and not sure if this is the right thread to post this but a little hep would be appreciated. I need to know as to what options do i have as far as axle swap from single to dually. Truck is 1995 F350 crew cab RWD that i am trying to convert it to dually

I have access to so many duallies but ford. I am from the other part of the world where we never got DRW fords

Here is the beast




Thanks

 

Welcome to FTE.

If you click on the FORUMS banner in the top left of your page, you'll see a section titled Older, Classic and Antique Trucks. In there, you will find a section that include your 1995 350. That would be the area to ask for help. You may just find someone who has already done this swap.

Also, check the Regional Chapters section. In there, you will find a section dedicated to the International Chapter. Join those folks. You might find someone close to you who has a source for your dual wheel axle.

 

Moved to appropriate forum

 

The pictures not showing for me.

The swap is fairly straightforward assuming you can source an axle. Where are you located, doesn't show on the mobile site im using.

 

His profile gives his country as "SA". Saudi Arabia? South Africa?

On the swap, I'm no expert but I believe that if you can get a dually axle it would just bolt on to your stock springs. I'd expect the driveshaft and brake lines / cables to hook up as well.

Then you need to deal with the rear fenders. But it looks like you have a utility box that was added. If it has room for the duals you're in luck.

If you want to be able to use the same wheels on the front and the back you'll need to do something with your front axle. I don't know about the 2WDs, but with a 4WD the "right" solution is to get the hubs for a 4WD dually. The easier and cheaper solution is to get wheel spacers. I'm thinking the same options would apply to a 2WD, but I'd also think the 2WD dually hubs would be easier to come by than 4WD dually hubs.

 

I am in Saudi Arabia. Reason why I am asking is that I was told that a 1980s c30 rear end is comparable and those I can get pretty easy and dirt cheap over here. I have navigated thru here to see if any topics were discussed in regard but couldn't find any.

 

An '80s Chevy C30 dually would likely have a GM 14 bolt axle. That's generally agreed to be a stronger axle than the Sterling 10.25" a '90s Ford would've had.

The biggest issue you'd have putting the Chevy axle under the Ford is the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS). That's in the Ford axle and the computer needs its input to control the engine (and transmission if it's an automatic). It also feeds the speedometer/odometer. I'm pretty sure that the 14 bolt wouldn't have a VSS, especially in the '80s. Maybe a newer one would that could be adapted? But I don't think so.

I think it might be possible to put a VSS in place of the speedo cable on an older Ford trans or transfer case. But your '95 trans won't have a place for a speedo cable either. So getting a VSS with the Chevy axle will require more help than I can give you.


Otherwise it shouldn't be too bad. The spring pads may or may not have the right spacing, and the pinion angle might not be perfect. But cutting off the spring pads and welding new ones on isn't hard. Similarly shock mounts might not work out, but a grinder and welder can fix that too.

You'd likely need to adjust the driveshaft length (I'm thinking the 14 bolt would take a slightly shorter driveshaft). And the ford driveshaft U-joint may or may not attach to the 14 bolt pinion yoke. But a driveshaft can be modified pretty easily.

Brake lines might need to be fabbed as well, but that's simple too.

The one other thing that won't work out well is the Rear Anti-lock Brake System (RABS). That also uses the VSS signal. But it's not completely necessary either, so if you can't get the RABS working it's not a huge loss.

 

Thanks Bob, that was pretty helpful. Ill might give it a shot just for the sake of sharing the attempt on here

 

You NEED a VSS for the trans to know when to shift.
Depending on if your truck is a cab n chassis or a pickup depends on which axle you would need.

A cab n chassis has 34" wide frame rails
a pickup has 36"

There is a pickup dually axle and a there is a cab n chassis dually axle.

I much as I am anti spacer, this may be your best bent if you cannot get and axle

 

Here is a source for the spacers Diesel Brad was talking about. This company has been around a long time.
https://arrowcraftproducts.com/dually-adapters-8-lug/

 

Problem is that I'll be running semi wheels to which they needed a different set of adapters.

 

I did not know there were different dually axles for pickups and cab & chassis.

Next weekend will throw that axle on there and see how it goes

 

I know one difference between pickup and cab-and-chassis axles is the spacing of the spring pads. But as I noted above, that can be fixed by cutting off the old pads and welding on new ones.

I could easily imaging shock mounts also being in different locations, but again, easy fab work.

What I don't know is if the track width is the same. If it's not there isn't much you can do about it (other than spacers if you need to go from the narrower one to the wider one). But the difference in track width (if there is a difference) is likely to be pretty small, and might not be much of an issue.

 

If he has the 34'' cab and chassis frame he does need to change the axle just bolt on dual wheels. The pickup axle was wider to clear the wider frame and springs of the pickup.

 

Dually pickup is a wider axle overall than the dually cab-n chassis