Swapping whole axles
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2021
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Swapping whole axles
I can get my hands on front and rear axles for $1000 off of 2003-2005 4x4 F250/350 that folks are parting out. My 2002 F350 has 3.72 gears and I tow 10k on occasion and would like to go higher. Here in California it would cost me nearly $4000 to re gear as I've shopped around. I know I'll get back lash for this post, but is it worth the effort?
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2021
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Yes I run 35's and if money was not a big deal I'd go 4.88 too. For a truck that sits monthly till I do tow, then I'd rather invest $4k in stock market as Im a few years out from retiring.
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From: Media PA
Do it.
My old Excursion came with 3.73s and it struggled towing the 9,500lb toyhauler and I wanted to move up to 35” tires from the stock 31.6” tires. Found a set of complete axles with 4.88s and a rear locker for $1200, fairly simple swap out and the single best mod I ever did for that tow rig EX.
My old Excursion came with 3.73s and it struggled towing the 9,500lb toyhauler and I wanted to move up to 35” tires from the stock 31.6” tires. Found a set of complete axles with 4.88s and a rear locker for $1200, fairly simple swap out and the single best mod I ever did for that tow rig EX.
Thread Starter
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 34
Likes: 3
Do it.
My old Excursion came with 3.73s and it struggled towing the 9,500lb toyhauler and I wanted to move up to 35” tires from the stock 31.6” tires. Found a set of complete axles with 4.88s and a rear locker for $1200, fairly simple swap out and the single best mod I ever did for that tow rig EX.
My old Excursion came with 3.73s and it struggled towing the 9,500lb toyhauler and I wanted to move up to 35” tires from the stock 31.6” tires. Found a set of complete axles with 4.88s and a rear locker for $1200, fairly simple swap out and the single best mod I ever did for that tow rig EX.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 1,585
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I can get my hands on front and rear axles for $1000 off of 2003-2005 4x4 F250/350 that folks are parting out. My 2002 F350 has 3.72 gears and I tow 10k on occasion and would like to go higher. Here in California it would cost me nearly $4000 to re gear as I've shopped around. I know I'll get back lash for this post, but is it worth the effort?
On that note, your 2002 should be leaf springs in the front if 4x4 and the 05+ 4x4 front end is coil spring/ radius arms, so while it can be done, its not an easy direct swap. As for the rear ends, all those are an easy swap, but the 05+ is a different width than the 99-04 (the 05+ is about 3 inches wider than the 99-04 wheel mount surface to wheel mount surface).
To answer your original question, yes, it is often way cheaper (and also way easier & less time consuming) to swap complete axle assemblies than it is to swap gear sets, assuming there are OEM axles assemblies with your desired gear ratio in the junkyards anyway.
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Last edited by Antonm23; Oct 30, 2025 at 11:10 AM.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Jul 2021
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I think you have the years crossed. 99-04 is one axle generation and 05-12 is the next. Meaning the years you listed in your original post (2003-2005) wouldn't all be the same as 2004 is the split year.
On that note, your 2002 should be leaf springs in the front if 4x4 and the 05+ 4x4 front end is coil spring/ radius arms, so while it can be done, its not an easy direct swap. As for the rear ends, all those are an easy swap, but the 05+ is a different width than the 99-04 (the 05+ is about 3 inches wider than the 99-04 wheel mount surface to wheel mount surface).
To answer your original question, yes, it is often way cheaper (and also way easier & less time consuming) to swap complete axle assemblies than it is to swap gear sets, assuming there are OEM axles assemblies with your desired gear ratio in the junkyards anyway.
...
On that note, your 2002 should be leaf springs in the front if 4x4 and the 05+ 4x4 front end is coil spring/ radius arms, so while it can be done, its not an easy direct swap. As for the rear ends, all those are an easy swap, but the 05+ is a different width than the 99-04 (the 05+ is about 3 inches wider than the 99-04 wheel mount surface to wheel mount surface).
To answer your original question, yes, it is often way cheaper (and also way easier & less time consuming) to swap complete axle assemblies than it is to swap gear sets, assuming there are OEM axles assemblies with your desired gear ratio in the junkyards anyway.
...
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2023
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Another thing to note, Ford used two different front ends in the 99-04 range (they used both Dana 50's and Dana 60's). Both axles use the same unit bearings, same brakes, and have the same axle tubes, so both carry weight equally well. The superduty Dana 50 (used in most 99-03 F250's and all 2000-2005 Excursion's) is basically a Dana 60 housing with a Dana 44 size ring gear and pinion. The F350's and up superdutys always got a Dana 60 and certain optioned F250's did as well, everything 2004 and newer is dana 60, so it you want a leaf sprung front dana 60, easiest is to just pick a 2004 year model axle.
Nothing really wrong with a dana 50 other than limited aftermarket support, like if you want a locker, everyone and their brother makes one for the Dana 60, but for the dana 50 there are like two options. The Dana 60 will handle more torque (obviously, it has a larger ring gear), but its not like the Dana 50 is overly weak or problematic. Factory gear ratio options are the same (pretty sure anyway) for both super duty dana 50 and dana 60 axles.
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From: Media PA
The only factory gear ratios that I know from that era were 3.73, 4.10 and 4.30.
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