10.5 to 11.5 Rear Axle Swap?

[aheiser]

Not wanting to hijack another thread, figured I'd start a fresh one. The fact that I can't put 4.88s in my 2012 is leading me to think about this. If I could source a full rear 11.5 from a 2014+ power wagon, how doable would this be? I'm thinking I'd have to cut off all the extra bracketry from the coils and control arms and put on new shock/spring mounts. I think I also read that while the width is the same, the diff is longer and requires shortening the driveshaft a couple inches. I'm hoping the elocker in the 11.5 would be "compatible", and just plug right in, without throwing problem codes.

Anything else that I might be missing? I suppose I could also use a 11.5" axle from a non-PW of the same era as my '12, and wouldn't have hack all the coil system brackets off. But I'm thinking at that point I'd have to go ARB or something in the back whereas I like the factory elockers (been lucky, mine have always been pretty trouble free). Might depend on what I can find...

[Retired BLM Rig]

The 2012 has a 4 pin locker connector and the 2014+ has a 6 pin locker connector but it only uses 5 wires.

2012 Rear Locker Connector

2014+ Rear Locker Connector

You can see that they both share circuits:

• T523 = 5V+ sensor reference voltage

• T526 = 12V+ locker actuator supply voltage

• T527 = Locker sensor switch signal going back to the SmartBar

• T528 = 12V- locker actuator ground

The new circuit that was added is T538. I've never tested that wire to see what it provides, but I suspect that it's a dedicated ground for the sensor, as opposed to sharing the ground on T528. You would have to test to confirm. The connectors are easy to change with a small screw driver and a 1mm terminal release tool (aka 1mm paper clip).

[aheiser]

Great thanks! I was just reading other threads about the bypasses and was hoping you'd chime in!

Good to know. Sounds like I'd need a 6 pin repair connector to plug into the 14+ axle and would need to either modify/splice my existing truck wiring, or potentially build a small adapter of sorts. I'm hoping it could be as easy as just joining the two ground pins (including the supposed ground T538 pin) at the 2012 truck's T528 connection/pin. Fortunately, it appears as though the other voltages/signals should be the same, and my '12 would be happy with the connection.

Thanks!

[jeep_boy02]

If sourcing a bolt in 11.5 you might get lucky and find a PW locker for sale somewhere from a wrecked one.

Or ... probably the most realistic route, instead of an ARB and having to add the compressor and associated lines and wiring, go with an Elocker. Could probably tie into factory wiring then and not have to add another switch.

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[aheiser]

Good points all around! Can anyone confirm if the width was always the same on Ram 2500 10.5/11.5 rear ends?