C3500 '93 or '04 axle?

[1ton-o-fun]

Ok guys and gals, I'm looking for some opinions... First, my truck is and will always be a truck. Not a racecar, not a show queen. I love both of those things, but mine is just a pick-up truck.
I'm going to be swapping in a 2004 6.0 LS and 4L80E. My truck came with the 14 bolt ff 4.10 geared rear end. Donor vehicle has the oddball dana with disc brakes and 3.73 gears. Keep the 4.10 rear or swap to the dana?

 

[Erik the Awful]

KISS principle. Your current diff is strong enough, why make it complicated?

 

[1ton-o-fun]

My thinking was maintenance/replacement parts... but even THAT could be screwy.
30 year old drums or 20 year old relatively rare disc's?
At minimum I would be looking at a hybrid u-joint or modify my drive shaft, right?

 

[stutaeng]

Did you confirm the Dana 70(?) is that wider axle to get rid of the factory narrower rear axle vs front? I believe that's only on 4x4 models only. The 2wd look pretty even tire track width with front and rear.

Tough call on the swap, since it has 3.73s. I would prefer the newer axle with discs and 4.10s on that truck....so swap it AND re-gear it would be my vote.

 

[1ton-o-fun]

Both the van and my truck are 2wd. From the research so far, the rear axle in the '04 3500 Express van is "a modified version of a dana 60" . "A 60 with a 14 bolt cover".
Makes the KISS method sound appealing. I guess tuning for a gear ratio change would be easier than u-joint/drive shaft mods.

 

[someotherguy]

The LQ4 has power but you gotta wind it out to get it; I'd leave the 4.10 in there strictly on better gearing for your truck than a 3.73. My opinion, anyway..

Plus, the drum brakes on your 10.5" FF are monsters.

Richard

 

[RichLo]

My vote is also for keeping the 14b FF with 4.10s.

Plenty of aftermarket support for that axle to do whatever you want down the road... disk break conversions, Good real Detroit locker for cheap, etc

And LS's like to rev so the 4.10 should fit the engine better also.

 

[stutaeng]

Both the van and my truck are 2wd. From the research so far, the rear axle in the '04 3500 Express van is "a modified version of a dana 60" . "A 60 with a 14 bolt cover".
Makes the KISS method sound appealing. I guess tuning for a gear ratio change would be easier than u-joint/drive shaft mods.

Dana 60 with 14 bolt differential cover? Are you sure on that? The vans were not consistent on the axles like the trucks, not sure why they sourced different axles. I think the axles used were Dana 60, Dana 70S(?) and the mighty 14 bolt: both 10.5" FF and 9.5" SF. I didn't know they used 14 bolt covers on Dana 60s.

Also, I believe the 14 bolt version in the vans is narrower WMS vs the trucks. Check/measure what you have. If the donor axle is narrower, the swap becomes moot.

Edit: this obviously is regarding the 8 lug vans only...

 

[Supercharged111]

I'll never understand why folks with heavy duty drum brakes fantasize about disc brakes.

 

[454cid]

I wouldn't bother with the Dana axle unless you're also going to swap to the GMT800/610 front brakes.