YEP.

Pat, was going that route myself. But Gear Vendor said they do not make a yoke to fit the larger u-joints that are used on the 550 drive line?

RT930
Also there is a company out that makes a filler spacer to fit between the bed and cab. Just can not remember their name. I am going that route on mine right now. Have the bed and yes it it will fit right up to the 550-450 frame (with some drilling and a new bolt kit). The rear in that 450 is a Dana 80 check the tag and it will tell you the Ratio. It will probably be alittle noisey in the cab, they did not do that good of a insulation package on them (cab and chassie) back then.

Pete

There is also an axle ratio code on the sticker that is in the drivers side door jamb. Easy to decipher with a Google search once you know the code.

Well that would suck? I talked to them within the last year and they said they had a kit for it. I've also talked to two guys with 550's that have a gear vendors in them................kinda confirmed the idea for me. Maybe they used a smaller F350 front u-joint and weld yoke when they shortened the driveshaft? I never asked that question. I'll have to check with gear vendors again and see what they say. Thanks for the info.

Good info, thanks Pat. That is a good idea on the yoke swap... Will give them a call again. To do a gear swap is a pretty expensive ordeal (thou cheaper than the Gear Vendor).

who gives a chit why? they just are! nothing anyone can do about it but change the calibration.

Yoke swap should be pretty easy really to get the GV unit in there...

As for the gear swap, dana 80 stuff is readily available for 500-600 bucks. Swap the ring and pinion and your done, unless I'm missing something?

Xactly

Catmans just a widdle madd hes buying a real truck a FORD... LMAO

Just got off the phone with them and it looks like I'm going to live with the 4.88's..........no Gear Vendors for me He said that their output yoke uses a 1350 u-joint so for a 550 they do switch the front driveshaft weld yoke and u-joint to the 1350. He also brought to my attention that the max combined load capacity for the unit is 25,000 lbs and said that if I did any long distance towing even approaching that wieght this isn't the product to use. Apparently it'll make too much heat for for the fluid capacity of the unit and even with the optional $450 "commercial cooler" he said it won't be reliable for my intended use................long haul towing with heavy loads.

Thanks for bringing this u-joint deal up because the first guy I talked to at Gear Vendors never made any mention of it. I would have bought the unit, been pissed off when I found out about the smaller u-joint but probably still went ahead because I already had it in hand, and 6 months later ended up stuck on the side of some back road in Spider Breath Utah with a 20k lb boat behind me and a busted overdrive that would take 3 weeks to get parts for...........all while listening to my wife commend me over the phone on how "smart" she thought I was for doing all things I do to make the truck "better"! I could see it all happening clear as day so thanks for saving me lots of $$ and hassle

Think I'll keep it simple and just live with a 65 MPH top speed instead

Nope I don't think you are missing anything. Ring and pinion swap on a 2WD Dana 80 truck should be straight forward and not too expensive relatively speaking.

I think Throttle Fever was refering to a ring and pinion swap on a Dana 110 rear / 60 front 4x4 truck that could get pretty expensive.................maybe approaching Gear Vendors $$