Changing bolt pattern on a dodge straight axle

[onetondodge]

Hello,

So as you may know I have a parts truck for my current build that I would like to turn into some sort of a hot/rat rod. I have been bouncing around a s10 frame swap and keeping the original frame and running gear.

My main question is; how do I change the bolt patern on the front axle to accept a modern rim bolt pattern? also, how difficult is it to install disc brakes upfront?

I like the idea of running the orginal frame, I don't really want to put some ifs clip on it, I would rather just run an s10 frame if I wanted to run ifs. Can anyone give me some ideas on what it takes to update the original frame to more modern standards. I would just assume I need disc brakes at highway speeds.

Any help is appreiciated,

Thank you,
Paul

 

[Willowbilly3]

In houston you definately want good brakes, crazyiest drivers there. If you have any fab skills you can adapt discs pretty easy. Get some S10 2wd rotors and calipers, get the cheapo weld on brakets from Speedway and modify them to fit your spindles. The scane length (distance between the inner and out bearings) will probably be too long on the sondles so you will need your local machinist to spin out a couple spacers. Your local bearing shop will fix you up with bearings if you give them inner and outer dismensions.

 

[Motorhead]

Are you set on using the Dodge axle? There's not much available for old Dodges. If I were you, I'd find an axle out of a Ford F100 and buy a Speedway disc conversion kit for $250. It's pretty beefy and uses parallel leaf springs like your Dodge.

 

[CORPO]

I agree with Motor head swap the axle out, this will by far be the easiest way to achieve what you want.

 

[Unkl Ian]

What year truck ?

Hit some of the streetrod brake places, they might hake a kit.

 

[Unkl Ian]

Find out what this guy used:
http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14324 [cl

 

[onetondodge]

Thanks guys,

I am really struggling with coming up with something I want to run, I do like the idea of keeping the original frame/suspension style.

I am not set on keeping the original axle, so I think a ford axle would work well and solve my initial problem. Good idea.

Thanks for your input, this defenetly gives me a better idea, I was not thinking outside a very small box. I will keep ya'll up on this in my dodge build

Thanks,
Paul