Lug Pattern Swap/ Tubular Drop Axle

[statikinthestixx]

Has anybody out there ever done a lug pattern conversion?
I found an Instagram user (@jsquared89) (not sure if he is a forum member or not) who has a 64 shorty, it's light blue with a white roof, small block powered, with (if I remember correctly) a CV IFS swap. It's a super clean little truck. What caught my attention about it first and foremost was the wheels. He's running the stock spare wheels from a 2002-2009 Ram 1500, its a 20x8 16 hole steelie, with the 5x5.5 lug pattern. He painted his white, and is using a hub adapter from the 4.5 to 5.5 in. lug pattern. I know for certain I want to find a set of those wheels and I don't mind running lug adapters for a short while, but if possible I'd like to simply make the switch to a 5x5.5 lug pattern. Has anybody ever done this? and if so which route did you take?

I'm pretty set on keeping this truck as old school as possible, so the straight axle will be staying. I know theres all kinds of benefits to going IFS but I just can't bring myself to do it with this truck... maybe on a different one down the road... But my question with that is, would it be worth it to keep searching for a parts truck with everything on it and have that axle dropped 3" (I know a guy who can do it cheap) or should I have a tubular drop axle made then use GM/Ford style parts from a gasser kit? I.E. buying kingpins/spindles/hubs etc. from a 55 Chevy (or others of the like) kit and putting them on a custom axle? I'm having a really difficult time finding fresh kingpins/etc. for sweptlines, but I'd really like to keep it all Dodge if possible.

Sorry if this is a long post, I just don't have a lot of time lately to get on here with school and other priorities.
Thanks in advance
-Statik

[BigJimG]

The rear would be the easiest. Grab any 1986 or later full size truck 9 1/4 rear. 2000+ would give you rear discs.

Fronts get a little more interesting, the only vehicles I know of that used a 5x5.5" lug pattern and non unitized bearings were 85-93 B/D150's and 73-93 E/F 100/150's. The good thing is there are a lot of these in the junkyard to choose from. It MIGHT be possible to use the rotor from one of those trucks and mixing bearing sets be able to bolt them on.

The Ford rotor for the outboard bearing uses the same shell as ours with a different bearing cone (Dodge bore .75", Ford bore .8661"). For the inboard bearing, the bore is extremely close (Dodge bore 1.375", Ford 1.3772) but with a shorter cone length.

The Dodge rotor has similar cone lengths, but different bores for both the inner and outer. In theory the shells are interchangeable, where you would use the cones to match the spindle and the shells to match the rotor.

There might be enough material in the Dodge rotor to machine the inner out to the earlier size. The inner bearing bore would need to be increased from 2.480" (late) to 2.5625" (early), but you would still need to mix/match the outer bearing like the Ford above.

Both Rotors have a diameter of 11.75" Similar thicknesses.

IF either of these would bolt up (got a good junkyard to pull from for test parts?) You still would have to figure rear oil seal & Brakes. Neither the Scarebird or RamMan setup are designed to use these rotors, so either one might need to be modified to work.

It would be a very interesting project if you had the time (and I would suggest a spare mock up axle). Post pics if you do it.

I would just take the easy way out for the fronts and run wheel adapters with one of the previously mentioned disc brake conversions...