I swap in Power Wagon axles

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Quasimoto
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:09 pm

I swap in Power Wagon axles

Post by Quasimoto » Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:25 pm

I have been saving for a while so I could upgrade my 2005 Ram 2500 with Power Wagon Axles. With them in now I figured I would start a thread for the swap.

It all Started with a 2500km trip to go pick up a set of used Diffs with 50,000 km (31,000mi) on them from a wreckers out side of Vancouver. When I got the Diffs home I gave them a check over inside and out, plus a coat of paint. I also recieved the stock pigtails with the Diffs so I checked to make sure that the lockers worked and which wires I was going to use to power them.
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I also figured that if I was going to go this far I would also upgrade the steering linkage and add a steering box brace at the same time.
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So then it was into the shop to get started.
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After putting it on jack stands and pulling the front wheels I cleaned and sprayed every bolt I could find with penitrating lube.
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I undid the abs wires and hung the calipers out of the way. I decided to remove the sway bar completely, because I run diesel coils on a hemi and don't need it.
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The Draglink needed a little heat to pop out of the pitman arm, but the panhard bar came off fairly easy. The bottom bolt on the shocks was undone and the Coils were held up into the coil buckets with bungee cords.
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In order to get the drive shaft disconected I had to lift the truck up to get enough angle at the bottom yoke ear to fit a ground down torx bit inside the ears into the screws.
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Before I let the truck back down I put some jackstands by the transfercase crossmember and threw my stock tires on. I undid the trailing arms and roled out the diff (Remember to disconect the diff breather).
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I then transfered the tires and breather over to the new diffs and rolled them into place and rehooked up all the arms, linkages, shocks, brakes, driveshaft and steering brace.
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The next day I worked on the back.

It was again put up on jack stands, wheels removed and everything sprayed with lube.
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The shocks, brakes, driveshaft and airbags were disconected. I cut the ubolts and ebrakes cables because I was going with new ones (DAM RUST).
Jackstands were put under the frame at the back of the cab and the diff was rolled out.
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The new diff was rolled in and hooked up.
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On day 3 it was time to wire them up. I built a switch panel that would fit were the cubby was on the dash.
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I installed an extra fuse panel for the switches behind the panel on the side of the DS dash.
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I ran wires from each diff to behind the battery. Because I am using the factory pigtails I hooked power to the YL/OR and ground to the YL/LG on the front. The rear got power to the YL/WT and ground to the YL/GY. When I tested the lockers I found that because I shared the power to the 2 switches that when both lockers are on it would pop a 10 amp fuse but not a 15 amp.
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Now with that done I will be going from the 35's to 37's shortly and a snorkel is also in the future.
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I hope this helps any one that plans to do this also.
Last edited by Quasimoto on Sat Sep 15, 2012 5:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2005 Dodge 2500HD 4x4 Quad Cab
5.7 Hemi, Auto trans
Lockers and 4.56 Gears
5" lift springs on front, 3" Blocks and Air Bags w/ 3" spacers on rear
38x15.5R18 Toyo Open Country Mt Tires, 18x12 Fuel Hostage wheels
Bushwacker Extend-A-Flares, Westin Sportsman one piece grille guard
Kargo Master Canopy rack, Front receiver hitch
11,000 lbs Portable Winch
Led lighting (360 degrees)
Big Steel - Sport Canopy, DAC truck tent, 8x10 Tarp Awning
CB radio, UHF 2-way radio, Garmin Rhino GPS / GMRS handheld radio and 3w Cell booster
205L (55gal) Aux Fuel Tank
Bed in canopy w/ storage drawer
AFE Cold Air Intake w/ 4" Exhaust

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ldgregory
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Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 8:29 am
Location: Albuquerque, NM
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Re: I swap in Power Wagon axles

Post by ldgregory » Sat Sep 15, 2012 5:19 pm

Dude!!! Nice work! Nice looking truck too.
2005 Dodge Power Wagon #9-05-0536

Join the Power Wagon Registry

Mods: 35" BFG KM2s, Locker Bypass, Blacked Out Cab Lights & 3rd Brake Light, Airhorns, Custom headache / rotating light rack, Interceptor Bug Deflector w/Eyebrows, Lund in-channel Vent Visors, UbiquiRack, Mounted shovel and axe in bed with Quick Fist clamps, Silverstar replacements for fogs and driving lights, Hella 500s behind the grill, Inclinometer, Mopar rock rails (didn't have them when I bought it), 1500W inverter with secondary battery in bed, tinted windows, chopped muffler.

Next Mods:
Wetsuit/BC drying hanger, high idle, black badges

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verdesardog
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Posts: 989
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 11:24 am
Model Year: 2006

Re: I swap in Power Wagon axles

Post by verdesardog » Sat Sep 15, 2012 10:21 pm

I like that idea, I would need different gears for my cummins powered truck.

How much did that cost you all together?
2006 Big Horn 2500 Ram CTD. IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE LIVING LIFE IN PEACE
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Quasimoto
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:09 pm

Re: I swap in Power Wagon axles

Post by Quasimoto » Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:41 am

For the axles, steering upgrades, all the small parts and oils, it was right around $5000.

As well as 3 days of my time, to do the swap and wiring.
2005 Dodge 2500HD 4x4 Quad Cab
5.7 Hemi, Auto trans
Lockers and 4.56 Gears
5" lift springs on front, 3" Blocks and Air Bags w/ 3" spacers on rear
38x15.5R18 Toyo Open Country Mt Tires, 18x12 Fuel Hostage wheels
Bushwacker Extend-A-Flares, Westin Sportsman one piece grille guard
Kargo Master Canopy rack, Front receiver hitch
11,000 lbs Portable Winch
Led lighting (360 degrees)
Big Steel - Sport Canopy, DAC truck tent, 8x10 Tarp Awning
CB radio, UHF 2-way radio, Garmin Rhino GPS / GMRS handheld radio and 3w Cell booster
205L (55gal) Aux Fuel Tank
Bed in canopy w/ storage drawer
AFE Cold Air Intake w/ 4" Exhaust

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mattjmartin
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 12:05 pm
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: I swap in Power Wagon axles

Post by mattjmartin » Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:17 am

awesome :cheers:

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