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09-22-2012, 03:47 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Issaquah, WA
Posts: 11
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Fat Gal needs a new rear end
Our Sportsmobile came originally equipped with a Dana 60 semi-floating axle and a Trac-Lok LSD. The loaded travel weight of the van alone pushes the GAWR of the D-60. My work requires towing a 12,000 trailer with some regularity. The Trac-Lok has already given out, taking the spider gears with it. So far, the replacement ARB locker seems to be doing fine but that doesn’t address the wheel bearing load.
A new DynaTrac would be wonderful but with quoted prices for either their Pro 70 or Pro 80 approaching $8k it is just out of the question. It looks like a second-hand Dana 70 will have to be the way to go.
I am looking for some guidance on selecting an appropriate axle. Ideally, it would have the following characteristics:
• 3-1/2” tube diameter
• 70-3/4” wheel-mounting-surface (WMS) to WMS length to match the front ProRock 60
• Disc brakes
• ABS reluctor (tone-ring) in the differential to interface w/ the existing 3-channel system
• SRW hubs
• 8 on 6-1/2 wheel studs
• Parking brake drums as part of the brake disc.
From reading posts of several knowledgeable people on this forum and others, it appears that finding an axle from an E-350 cut-away would be the best choice.
At this point, I have located two possibilities. Both are advertised as being Dana 70’s with the 10-1/2” ring gear installed. The only difference is the model year. Unfortunately, I have not been able to personally look at either and have had to rely on the wrecking yards guys to provide information. I was given the VIN of each donor vehicle but can’t get the BOM from either axle. The “Axle Code” for each is “56” but that only leads me to them being non-posi.
The first is out of a 2006 and has a WMS to WMS length of 66-1/2”. This is the same as the currently installed semi-float. The second is out of a 2005 and has a WMS to WMS length of 72-3/4”. This is 2-3/4” longer than the current axle with the Correct-Track spacers installed.
Can any of you guys give me some insight into whether these axle descriptions sound valid and original for their respective donor vehicles? Assuming that they are the same except for the length, I am inclined to go with the 2005 axle and get rid of the Correct-Track spacers and their associated bending moment.
Any and all thoughts would be appreciated.
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09-22-2012, 03:53 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 5,300
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
Also look at 99+ E350 extended Wagons. Starting in '03 though, not eve all EB wagons got the FF, so verify before buying for that application.
__________________
2000 E450 dually V10 wagon
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09-22-2012, 04:41 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Issaquah, WA
Posts: 11
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
carringb,
I was hoping that you might be online!
Can you tell me anything about the different reported lengths WMS to WMS?
Terry
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09-22-2012, 04:47 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Washington - Ridgefield
Posts: 4,728
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
The wrecking yard (Santa Clara Truck Wreckers) that several of us have used knows rear-ends. I simply told them what I wanted and for what year, and they built it for me. They knew what was needed for the ABS, etc. $1500 included changing the ratio and a new Limited Slip Diff. Dropped right in.
Since my brakes were fine, and the wrecking yard brakes were an unknown, I reused my brakes. Doing that also meant I didn't have bleed the brakes. Brakes off the D60SF went right on the D70FF, but the parking brake cables did not. Had to use the D70 cables.
Mike
__________________
Alaska to Key West, Labrador and more
Prostate cancer survivor. See Thread Prostate cancer and Sportsmobiles
2015 VW GTI 2020 Fiat 124 Spider
2012 E250 Hitop camper
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09-22-2012, 05:54 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bay Area ,CA
Posts: 761
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
It sounds like you want a Dana 70. You might try looking for a Ford 10.5 instead of calling it a Dana 70 as they stopped calling it that in 1997 as far a s I could find out. The axle casting number should be 267
BTW a Dana 60 even a FF is called 9.75 casting number 248
From my searches for one to fit my 2008 I think you need a 2000-2007 to get the tone ring sensor in the diff.1999 while they do have disc brakes have different axle flange angles. Oh and as far as I can see the brakes are all the same FF and Semi until 2008 and newer.
It might be difficult to find one that has a factory limited slip but you can always install one. I would pick either the correct gear ratio or a limited slip if you cannot get both. The limited slip units ARE NOT the same in FF and Semi floats. There are only a limited number of Limited Slip (be it Lockers or whatever) that fit the D60 and D70s.
Here is the Dana BOM (tag number) cross reference guide.
http://www2.dana.com/expertforms/deabill.aspx
Here is another good site for information.
http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_catalog ... d_pinions/
As for the wider vs narrow sized axles, the Track (not WMS to WMS as I count not find the WMS dimensions for sure but the track is from the Econoline manual) for a regular van is 66.4 and the track for a E-350 Single Rear Wheel cutaway van is 72.1. The E250 SRW cutaways are the same as a regular van. I think if you are going to use wheel adapters from 8x6.5 to 8x170mm you might want the narrower one as the cube van one is really quite wide. I know others on here have done it and maybe its fine, but almost all cars, vans and trucks have a slightly narrower rear track for cornering reasons.
Good Luck...
...Jamie
__________________
2008 Ford E-350 V-10 EB
Transformer Interior
U-Joint Off Road 4x4 kit in the garage
2004 F-350 Dana 60
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09-22-2012, 07:32 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 5,300
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
The Ford/Sterling/Visteon 10.5" axle is not the same as the Dana 70. To adapt that axle to the vans, you need to relocate spring perches to fit the wider van frames. U-Joint sells a spring perch kit to do this. Bolt Pattern on the Ford axle is metric, so that matches the newer 4x4 conversions.
__________________
2000 E450 dually V10 wagon
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09-22-2012, 09:18 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Preston, ID
Posts: 1,213
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
If it were me--knock wood--I would see about a Dana 80 from a late Dodge 2500 w/Cummins. Should have the appropriate ABS stuff. Will need mucho mods and custom work, but they ain't rare.
Z
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09-22-2012, 10:40 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
Posts: 1,288
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
The 2005 with 72 3/4" spacing sounds like the animal I got from Santa Clara Truck Wreckers (great place like Mike says). It's width is a tad wider than the front, but I really wanted to get rid of the spacers. The axle dropped right in and has been great. A few clutch issues with the new Powr-Lok LSD they put in, but got that straightened out and SCTW stood behind their work 110% (just stay away from the metallic clutch plates in the LSD).
Phil
__________________
Phil
- 2005 EB50 6.0PSD - SMB 4x4
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09-23-2012, 01:18 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bay Area ,CA
Posts: 761
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
Quote:
Originally Posted by carringb
The Ford/Sterling/Visteon 10.5" axle is not the same as the Dana 70. To adapt that axle to the vans, you need to relocate spring perches to fit the wider van frames. U-Joint sells a spring perch kit to do this. Bolt Pattern on the Ford axle is metric, so that matches the newer 4x4 conversions.
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Maybe its the 10.25 I meant the Dana 70 not the Sterling from a F Series and the casting numbers are correct for a D70 or a D60. But just like the D60 if you call some places even for diff parts and you use the word Dana in for a late 90s up van they look and cannot find parts for them. Ask for Ford 9.75 and they can find parts for a what we call Dana 60.
Also you should be able to use the BOM id thing I sent a link for to help you figure out what to search for. Sometimes with that chart you can go up or down a few years put in E350 and see what numbers come up. That chart can also help you with part numbers as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pjpvi
The 2005 with 72 3/4" spacing sounds like the animal I got from Santa Clara Truck Wreckers (great place like Mike says). It's width is a tad wider than the front, but I really wanted to get rid of the spacers. The axle dropped right in and has been great. A few clutch issues with the new Powr-Lok LSD they put in, but got that straightened out and SCTW stood behind their work 110% (just stay away from the metallic clutch plates in the LSD).
Phil
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I wondered if getting a SRW Cutaway axle would be wider than the front, thanks for telling us that.
Could you tell any difference in the way it drives after the swap?
...Jamie
__________________
2008 Ford E-350 V-10 EB
Transformer Interior
U-Joint Off Road 4x4 kit in the garage
2004 F-350 Dana 60
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09-23-2012, 07:43 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Issaquah, WA
Posts: 11
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Re: Fat Gal needs a new rear end
Quote:
Originally Posted by pjpvi
The 2005 with 72 3/4" spacing sounds like the animal I got from Santa Clara Truck Wreckers (great place like Mike says). It's width is a tad wider than the front, but I really wanted to get rid of the spacers. The axle dropped right in and has been great. A few clutch issues with the new Powr-Lok LSD they put in, but got that straightened out and SCTW stood behind their work 110% (just stay away from the metallic clutch plates in the LSD).
Phil
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Dittos to Jaime's reply. Did you notice any negative affects on the handling? I did some research on some racing and suspension engineering web sites and there was no correlation between front track / rear track ratio and handling characteristics but it is still a concern.
My understanding from Sportsmobile was that they repositioned the shock mounts higher for ground clearance purposes. Did you have to make that change on your axle?
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