dually conversion questions

tyler2k

New member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
134
Reaction score
0
I have a 97 f250 extended cab 8ft bed, I'm looking to do a dually conversion and solid front axle. I have a junked 97 f350 with a dump body that I believe is cab and chassis, can the rear and front axle be swapped? I plan on ditching the bed and building a flat bed I don't know if that matters
 

Strokersace

Well-known member
Joined
May 20, 2011
Messages
4,878
Reaction score
36
Location
Towanda, KS
I have a 97 f250 extended cab 8ft bed, I'm looking to do a dually conversion and solid front axle. I have a junked 97 f350 with a dump body that I believe is cab and chassis, can the rear and front axle be swapped? I plan on ditching the bed and building a flat bed I don't know if that matters



Front will work fine. The c&c rear axle can work, but the frame widths are different as are the spring perches on the axle as well as other items. If you’re handy with fabrication, you can surely make it work. But the rear axle won’t be plug and play like the front.
 

tyler2k

New member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
134
Reaction score
0
is it super involved, I got the c&c truck for free and plan on towing a 5th wheel in the future that a f250 isn't enough for I need the dual wheels
 

Bugman

Active member
Joined
Aug 20, 2011
Messages
1,292
Reaction score
6
Location
Gypsum, Co
I would start looking for a F350 with the dual wheels.

No matter what you do to that F250 it will always be a F250 and if something should happen after you convert it over to a dual wheel truck while towing the 5th wheel it will be on you. Odds are your insurance company will deny the claims and you will be sunk.

But other than that it has been done but you need to be able to fabricate and weld to get everything to fit right and even then you may have problems.
 

Diabolic

New member
Joined
Dec 4, 2014
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
Besides the axles and springs, what’s the real difference between the F250 and the F350?
 

Jonnydime

Active member
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Messages
2,319
Reaction score
8
Besides the axles and springs, what’s the real difference between the F250 and the F350?

Absolutely nothing. Except the door sticker LOL. As long as your are registered for the weight you will be fine. My F250 is registered at 13,300lbs gvrw.
 

Bugman

Active member
Joined
Aug 20, 2011
Messages
1,292
Reaction score
6
Location
Gypsum, Co
Absolutely nothing. Except the door sticker LOL. As long as your are registered for the weight you will be fine. My F250 is registered at 13,300lbs gvrw.

You really need to talk to your insurance carrier about that.

It doesn't matter what you register a vehicle for as far as weight is concerned, the factory capacity is the capacity that you need to go by as far as laws are concerned. And if you get into a wreck carrying over the factory capacity and it was due to the weight that you were hauling odds are your insurance company will decline any and all payments.
 

Jonnydime

Active member
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Messages
2,319
Reaction score
8
You really need to talk to your insurance carrier about that.

It doesn't matter what you register a vehicle for as far as weight is concerned, the factory capacity is the capacity that you need to go by as far as laws are concerned. And if you get into a wreck carrying over the factory capacity and it was due to the weight that you were hauling odds are your insurance company will decline any and all payments.

I’m not gonna argue but think about this the dot won’t put you out of service until you are more the 6,000lbs overweight.
 

Bugman

Active member
Joined
Aug 20, 2011
Messages
1,292
Reaction score
6
Location
Gypsum, Co
I agree it is a argument that neither one of us will win and it will go on forever.

I am just talking what your insurer will do and not the DOT.

Insurers will look at any reason to get of of paying a claim and running a F250 overloaded will be one of the first things that they look at.
 

Ad8 PRODIGY

New member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
7,742
Reaction score
0
Location
Orange County, NY
is it super involved, I got the c&c truck for free and plan on towing a 5th wheel in the future that a f250 isn't enough for I need the dual wheels
Strokersace is on the right path but not 100 correct.. i learned the hard way the c&c rear axle is narrower overall. Went to put it in mu f250 frame, bought new leaf perches, cut the old ones off and welded the new ones on and got it under the truck. Put inner dual on and was about a half inch out from getting it in to the hub. Tires (granted they were 285/75/16s) rubbed the leaf springs bad.

Better off finding a pickup f350 sterling 10.25 and swapping it directly in with no modification.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

tyler2k

New member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
134
Reaction score
0
im located in central Jersey. and my truck has the extended cab the other one is only single cab. basically im looking to tow a 05 keystone raptor fifth wheel. my father tows it with a 97 chevy 3500 dually with added airbags, I'm gonna guess the f250 won't be enough
 

wildbill963258

New member
Joined
Dec 10, 2014
Messages
577
Reaction score
0
Location
In Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Put 1 ton springs in the back and box the frame that's a whole lot easier than making your truck a dually, I could be wrong but I dont think theres much if at all of a difference of towing capacity between 1ton dually and 1ton srw.
 

wildbill963258

New member
Joined
Dec 10, 2014
Messages
577
Reaction score
0
Location
In Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
My 96 that I had it was a 250 but the company that owned it before beefed the rear suspension up so much that the only way it rode smooth was if you had about 3k lbs in the back of the truck and that would honestly be the easier and safer way than doing a drw conversion
 

tyler2k

New member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
Messages
134
Reaction score
0
I believe I have 350 springs already, if there is a difference, I was thinking maybe airbags could help to. im not sure the exact weight of the trailer but the thing is huge
 

C2tuck

Active member
Joined
Nov 30, 2016
Messages
1,042
Reaction score
11
Location
North Texas
acad65b2455280aef8a6c718b8ccaa87.jpg


Guess I need a dually...15-16k loaded granted it’s not an old body style.
 

psduser1

Active member
Joined
May 22, 2011
Messages
3,815
Reaction score
20
Location
on the road
That's only about 25-2800 lbs on the pin.
A GOOD set of tires, and airbags, youd be in business, if you aren't trying to pull it as an everyday thing.
Just up the maintenance schedule on the differential, and keep track of the brake condition.
The DOT and insurance question is a separate issue, depending on the state you operate in.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Top