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i have a 1990 f-250 with a 7.3 idi that i want to make a dually. a guy i work with has an early 80's dually, that is in bad shape. i know that the axles wont interchange. but are the front wheels put on with adaptors or are the rotors made withe the extensionson them. i looked at them and they look like they are adaptors that bolt to the rotor from the inside which leads me to think that i can take them off and bolt them through the back. has anyone ever done this or does anyone think that i am waisting my time?
p.s. the guy only wants a case ob beer for the truck
Those should be adapters that bolt on the front axle so you can put the bud wheels on it. You can also just run the wheels you have in the front now without changing anything.
As far as the rear axle goes measure your frame and his and then measure the backplate to backplate on both axles.
If the dually was a cab and chassis from the factory the frame will measure 34" and the axle will not fit yours.(Spring perches are 3.5" closer together than yours, but the backplates are the same distance apart)
If it came with a flare fender pickup box the frame will measure 37 1/2" and the housing will fit yours.
Your single wheel pickup has a 37 1/2" frame outside to outside.
If you can swap the housing for the dually rear end, use your gears in the housing with those axle shafts.
Some of the older Ford where offered a kit from the factory. name of it was Centerion (not the right spelling)... if thats it. they do bolt onto the rotor and extend the wheel to the outside aprox 6" this allows for the back setting on the bud type wheels....
If it is that kit, its a stinker, the part that bolts onto the rotor has offsets to it... when you go to put it on you have to hold something up next to it to check the run out... if crooked have to take off and turn to another set of holes & etc untill it is at the straighntest point....
(they can be a stinker) just retired 49 yrs from auto and pickup service.....
Not one of Fords better Idea's but they still offer them......figure......
if they are true bud wheels, they will have a male and female bolt on pattern and you will need the correct lug nuts for them...(do not use your old ones if they are this way) they will bolt on but the degree of angle on the lug nuts will not be right and they will keep coming loose on you....
Last edited by Tireman1; Dec 10, 2004 at 03:56 PM.
thanks for the help guys, I should pay better attention to what i am writting what i really want to do is take those adaptors off the front and use them on the rear of my truck. looked at it again today and it looks like they will work but the rims will be out near the end of the axle (where the center sticks out on the floating axle)hopefuly the bolt pattern will be the same going to try to fool around with them tomarrow, i will let you know how i make out. i wil check later to see if you wrote back to tell me it wont work or something like that, thanks again
looked at it today and it wont work, turns out the front adaptors are bolted on from the back which leaves no way to put them on the back axle. because you cant get in side the drum to tighten them down. i guess the onlty way to do it is to buy the adaptors
Find a dually axle housing is the best way. The adapters put a constant off center load on the rear wheel bearings. The outer bearing winds up supporting most of the weight.
I agree with Dave go with a true dually axle those adaptors are wheelbearing killers. If you want a axle that is going to carry some weight go with a dually axle.