Hubs

[jimmy_stikx]

Is there a way to convert the hubs that the wheels bolt to, to be able to mounted on, say dana 60/44 axles with the 6 or 8 lug pattern?

[w30bob]

Hi Jimmy,

I'm sure some of the guys on here have gone down that road, so I'm sure they'll chime in. What comes to mind when I read your question is that the center section of the Budd wheels on our M's are removeable. And the center sections of say a 16" Chevy/Dodge/Ford dually wheel fits the Dana......so I'm sure it can be done.

regards,
bob

[Tanner]

I think what Jimmy is asking is if the stock Dodge M37 hubs can be modified to mount on newer axles. The answer is - Possibly - but the cost would be high for no real gain.

You can modify complete Dana 44/60/70/etc or GM/Ford axle assemblies to mount up to the stock Dodge springs, but it'll cost money & time to do it correctly.

Or - if you're simply trying to use different tires that are more readily available, you can drill out the rim rivets on stock M37 wheel centers & install them into new rim bands/shells, then weld into place.
But you'll need to have a wheel shop do it for accuracy -



'Tanner'

[jimmy_stikx]

Sorry for the late reply.

I was hoping more for updated and easier to find brake parts and ring and pinion below 4.89 and still being able to run the locking rings.

[k8icu]

It sounds like your looking for an axle swap. I don't believe you can just change the hubs on the M37 Dodge axle. You will have to swap axles. The most common swap is to get either axles off of a younger Dodge or off a Chevy. But the Dana 60 front axle is not a direct bolt in. You will have to move your passinger side spring to get the axil to sit right under the truck. Its isn't a swap and go setup. The rear is basically a swap and go set up, but you still have to center the axle and slightly move the spring perches to get it right. Oh and with an Axle swap you can't run the original locking rings, but you could run HMMWV Bead lock rims.

The axle combinations are as follows Dana 44F front Dana 60 rear. (Mid 70s Dodge W200)
Dana 60 front Dana 60 Rear (Mid 80s Dodge w200 or is it 250 in the 80s?)
Or K-30 Chevy with Dana 60 front and 14 bolt Corp rear.

Good luck

[jimmy_stikx]

Thanks, I guess I need to crunch the numbers and see which will be affordable now and in the long run with my M, just upgrade the brakes, or see about a junkyard axle swap (hopefully grabbing the rims with the axles).

[jimmy_stikx]

Found a place that sell CUCV axles for decent, going to call about their ones with the 4disc brake with rear e-brake and their shipping. They still have the tall gears too. Unless parts for the d60f/c14 are super cheap, I'll probably go that route.

[k8icu]

Just remember it's not a plug and play swap. You're going to have to carefully adjust the front springs to match the new axel. Also CUCV axles are 4.56 ratio.

[jimmy_stikx]

Yeah, I reread the info on the site. The taller ones are for another axle from something else.

[jimmy_stikx]

Can the perches be moved on the front axle to keep the stock suspension? If not, what's the best way to mod the suspension?

[k8icu]

The front axles like a Dana 40DF or Dana 60 the perch on the drivers side can be cut and rewelded to move as needed, but the perch on the passinger side is the rub. It is casted into the diff housing and therefore can't be moved. When installing a modern axle on the front of a M37 you have basically two options. Move the passinger side spring to the out side of the frame or have the axle housing cut and rewelded to adjust the for the offset. Here is a link to my website where I show how I made the adjustment for my truck. http://www.leathernaturally.com/m37project.htm Not saying my way is the right or correct way just the way I did it.

[Kaegi]

just throw a hydravac booster on the stock brake system and it will be as good as anyuthing else. learing how to adjust the stock brakes is important too. takes some learning buts does not costs 1000s of dollars like convertng everything over does. plus stock diffs are way stronger than any D44 and the pinions are way stronger than a 60. only weak point is coarse spline axles and they rarely break. I have only broke one is over 20 years of offroading these trucks.

[k8icu]

That may be true, but if one wants a lower ratio and convert to disk brakes it is IMHO cheeper to replace the axles with modern take offs than it is to upgrade the original axle. I have about $500.00 total in two axles with 4.10 gears and all around disks. You can't do that on stock axles. And they are from Dodge!

[jimmy_stikx]

Those are all of the reasons why I want to re-axle.

[Frank Irons]

M37 hubs can be adapted to the Dana axle. Inner bearing is the same, outer bearing has to be replaced with a larger bearing. Spacing of the bearings has to be considered also. The M37 hub has 6 studs to bolt the axle shaft to and the Dana has 8, this can be changed by plugging the old hole pattern and drilling and tapping the 8 hole pattern. The WMS(wheel mounting surface) dimension also has to be considered, the M37 is considerably narrower than most Dana axles. I did this on a Power Wagon but the PW's tread width is 2.5 inches wider than the M.

Frank