Rear Diff ID Help

[vandiesel]

Does anyone know the cost to re-gear? I have 4:10 with my 7.3 and 34" tires. I downshift on even the slightest grade. I haven't hooked up the 4 place trailer yet and headed up to the hills but I imagine I will never see 4th gear. I would like to go to 4:56 based on carringb's guidance. How involved is it? I hear all the locker speak and true track vs. non etc etc. I'm just not sure what I am looking at here.

Brad

[Ford_6L_E350]

Regearing can cost between $400-800. Maybe more if bearings or carrier are bad or you want to add a posi.

Mike

[Gnarvan]

The folks at Quadvan quoted me somewhere around $800 to do both front and back.

[UJOINT]

There may not be a True Trac or E Locker available for that axle, so you better do a little digging.

[carringb]

Lockers are pretty available for the dana 60. The E350's usually come with 32 splines, but some did have 35 splines and NAPA does sell 35 spline axle shafts for the E350 Dana 60. 35 spline axle shafts should open up for carrier options.

[Gnarvan]

Originally Posted by carringb

The E350's usually come with 32 splines, but some did have 35 splines and NAPA does sell 35 spline axle shafts for the E350 Dana 60. 35 spline axle shafts should open up for carrier options.

Is there an easy way to tell how many splines came with my Dana 60's? If I understand this correctly I will need the 35 spline axle shafts in order to have more choices on differential upgrades. I may drive down to Quadvan today and talk to them about options.

Thanks

[Ford_6L_E350]

The Dana website lists your axles as: 39260-7 39260-8

Chances are they will cross to a 32 spline axle. Check with a good parts house to be sure.

Here is the website to decode a Dana axle:

http://www2.dana.com/expertforms/deabill.aspx

Not all permutations are listed. I had to truncate your PN to 605487-1 to get it to come up.

Mike

[carringb]

my differential has the e450 10.5" trak-lock carrier, but with the e350 carrier bearings to make it work with the 32 spine shafts.

[Gnarvan]

I went down to NW Quadvan in Portland this afternoon and had a long talk with John. John took the time to explain all the issues with upgrading my Dana 60's. He seemed to think the odds were pretty good that I had a 35 spline axle. Something about Dana using 35 splined axles on pretty much all their stuff till around 2004 when they came out with the semi-floating setup.

The only way to make sure is to pull one of the axles out and count the splines. Even if they are 32 splined axles he has heavy duty replacement 35 spline axles available. He talked me back into a Detroit True trac for both front and rear, which is what I originally wanted prior to deciding on an e-locker front.

The only serious issue he could think of that could give me grief is if I had one of the Dana 60 front axle housings that have Dana 50 guts in them.

Now all I need to do is find the money to make the change.

NW Quadvan had 3 vans up on the lift when I was down there. They also had a pile of Aluminess stuff for me to drool over. John really helped me understand what I needed to do to make the change. I'm going to enjoy doing business with these folks.

[BMWBILO]

[quote="Gnarvan"]I went down to NW Quadvan in Portland this afternoon and had a long talk with John. John took the time to explain all the issues with upgrading my Dana 60's. He seemed to think the odds were pretty good that I had a 35 spline axle. Something about Dana using 35 splined axles on pretty much all their stuff till around 2004 when they came out with the semi-floating setup.

The only way to make sure is to pull one of the axles out and count the splines. Even if they are 32 splined axles he has heavy duty replacement 35 spline axles available. He talked me back into a Detroit True trac for both front and rear, which is what I originally wanted prior to deciding on an e-locker front.

The only serious issue he could think of that could give me grief is if I had one of the Dana 60 front axle housings that have Dana 50 guts in them.

Now all I need to do is find the money to make the change.

NW Quadvan had 3 vans up on the lift when I was down there. They also had a pile of Aluminess stuff for me to drool over. John really helped me understand what I needed to do to make the change. I'm going to enjoy doing business with these folks.
[/quote

Good luck with your van, I hope it goes well for you. One thing you will have to
determine is if your van has a Dana 60 or a Dana 44 in front. Advanced 4x4 is
famous for using a Dana 44 up front. Whatever front axle you have it will be
something odd and probably not an axle that was intended for a Ford.