Jess,
I take it you want to put a set of tubeless tires on our ride, like all of us 3/4tonners would.
If ya switch to 6 bolts on the front and 8 bolts on the back ya better be carrin' two spares, no? Something to conceder also is whether you still want to maintain a 3/4ton load rating with your truck.
From all the discussion on this subject, and there has been a whole bunch, I have reached the conclusion that there are only three really good solutions for the 3600 dilemma.
One-Buy or have a set of adaptors made up by a reputable shop. (My first choice)
Two-Have a good set of older centers installed into newer tubeless rims.
Three-Have one of the wheel builders make you up a set with all new parts.
The Dodge and Ford 8 bolts patterns are the same, but the center hole is bigger so the center register is lost, also the center line offset is wrong on all the newer rims. With a well-made set of adaptors you can space the wheel out and still maintain the center register, again my first choice because it’s the cheapest and you still maintain most of the 3/4ton capability of the truck. I say most because if your spacing the wheel out you will lower the load capacity of the axle assembly, (bearings, spindles, etc.)
Of course if you only want a daily driver and don’t intend on hauling gravel, you can always deal with the problem the way you were originally addressing it, that is, swap the axles, but then you will have a 1/2ton front end and 3/4ton back end rated truck.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
