2500 to 3500

[buelldude]

What is the difference between the rearends between these two trucks? If you needed to use a rearend from a 2500, could you put it in a 3500(yes I know the wheels are diff)? Is there a diff in length, what about parts in the rearend? How about the frontend, what makes the two different? I know this maybe a silly question but, I would like to know. Thanks for any and all answers, even if they are to say dumba$$. Sorry about posting in the wrong area. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[ 09-20-2002: Message edited by: buelldude ]</p>

[mdrag]

buelldude,

Moved to 2500HD/3500 HD Trucks & Drivetrain forum.

mdrag

[Heartbeat Hauler]

I'm pretty sure everything is the same except for the springs. Same frame, front and rear axles...etc. Different leaf springs is all.
JP

[Bad Dawg]

I have a similar question. I have been wanting to find a mild lift for my 3500 (4") when Alcoa finally has their wheels available, and to level the truck out. I have already cranked the torsion bars up 4 cranks and with my air bags and all it still sits raked. I have called every suspension company I know of and no one has got anything for the 3500 duallies. So I was thinking that with the tail sitting up in the air mayby just using a lift for a 2500 in the front might level things out.

RCD told me there is a problem with the stock "spacer" on the front end of the duallies that caused problems with ball joints. I thought all the lift kits simply lifted everything together? They also said that the 2500 have the Dana 70s and the 3500 had the GM 14 bolts with larger axel tubes. Anyone know about this stuff? :confused:

[buelldude]

I would like a good answer to this question, both of them now, please!!!!!!!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

[mdrag]

Bad Dawg,

I don't know the answers to all of your questions, but the rear ends of the 2500HD and the 3500 are both the same 14 bolt diff, the 2500 is a different rear end.

I've noticed that my truck has slowly settled in the rear so there is less of a pronounced rake. Your sig indicates you have added one extra OL leaf per side in the rear AND the 15K winch/Transformer/brushgaurd upfront - I would think both of those changes would exaggerate the problem....

[Bad Dawg]

mdrag,
Your right about the winch and mount adding weight to the front but it didn't push it back down by much at all...after all it IS a Chevy 1 ton HD! 8^) As for the rear extra leafs in the overloads, the overloads don't even touch when the truck is unloaded.
Yes, the 3500 is a 14 bolt. I didn't know about the 2500HDs. Ok, now to the front end....Do the 2500HDs and 3500HDs have the same front end, other than the spacer for the reversed dually wheel?

After talking with the local 4x4 shop here in Boise we are thinking that we could go ahead and put the 2500 Fabtech (or whoever)lift in the front and get rid of the spacer and run regular wheels in the front to move them back inboard (I guess the lift kits move the wheels outboard about an inch)and only add rear spring spacers the size needed to level the truck. Of course the down side is having to carry two different spares, a regular wheel and a dually wheel. Or....how hard is it to remount the spacer in the event of a flat in the front?

If the only difference between the 2500HD and 3500HD are the dual wheels in back and the front wheel spacers why are the suspension companies saying their kits won't work on the 3500 duallies? If it is because of the front spacer why wouldn't removing them work? Could they have different spindles? Would that matter?