Rear axle mods for a 11400 lbs e250

[Francisco Coddou]

Hi, i have cuted my quigley converted 4x4 2013 5.4 e250 van and made a camper for it:

I know i was going to have some overweight, but after loading all of the camping stuff i ended up on 11.400 lbs, 7700 on the rear axle, i think its a semi floating d60 that should have something like a 5500 lbs rating.
I also only have 3.73 gears and something like a 34"tire.
I'm in Chile, so geting a f350 axle would not be easy or cheap.
Is there any way of reinforcing my current d60 or is just money down the drain?
What would be the recomended option for my situation?
Should i go for 4.10 or 4.30 gears?

Thanks and sorry for the poor english, we speak spanish down here!
Cheers!

[Lilnuts2]

Due to it's design you really can't do much to "beef up" a Dana 60 semi float. Your going to have to look for a Sterling from a F350 or possibly it looks like you could run a dually rear axle. But then you would have to carry 2 different spare tires. Even a FF Dana 60 or 70 would be getting up to maxed with that weight.

[Dearranged]

That looks like a nice build job you did.

I'd look for a complete drive train change out. You also need better brakes.

You're into dual rear wheel territory or something similar. I had a slide in camper on a F350 pickup that weighed similar and upgraded the rear springs to 5000# each side along with the biggest sway bars I could find front and rear and still didn't like the way it handled because the weight was so high but it was much more manageable. You really need floating axles, you'll kill those semis.

I also had a Class c rv on the ford E350 chassis with the V10 and the 5r110w tranny, don't know what yours uses, it had the 4.10 rear gear. With the V10 I was really needing the 4.30 the E450 offered at highway speeds, and with the wheezer of a 5.4 you'll probably need them also.

And you're really at the limits at the 350 series from my experience.

[carringb]

Since you have a Quigley 4x4, you really should just go with a Sterling axle, so that the rear wheel-bolt-pattern matches the front without using adapters.

If you really want the same bolt patter, you can run a Dana 70 from an E350 cutaway with the rear fuel-tank. This is rated for 7,800 pounds. But you still be be under-rated at the rear-tires.

And yes.... you want 4.30 gears. This was a factory ratio on the Sterling axle.

[Francisco Coddou]

I could find a sterling 10.5 from srw f350 here in chile, would i need to move the leaf spring supports? Are there any preferences on the donnor truck years? Rsc or abs sensors? Brakes?
I would get all the spare parts to rebuild it and 4.3 gears plus gears tu match the front, in terms of cost would it be cheaper than a ujoint prepared 10.5 axle?
Thanks

[Lilnuts2]

What year is your van?
If it's a non rsc van and
If you have a differential speed sensor then a 99 to 04 F350 axle has the same sensor.
Yes you have to move the leaf spring mounts.
Another thing to consider it finding tires that are rated for your weight.
Having had heavy slide in truck campers, I would highly recommend a dually axle with 4:30 gears and just deal with the 2 different spares or convert the front wheels to dually style

[Francisco Coddou]

It has rsc, its a 2013 van, i think i have a 8x170mm wheel bolt pattern, according to ujoint the bolt pattern on their 10.5 is different than the one on my front axle, they said i should look for a full floating d60 van axle, they might think i have a 165mm original bolt pattern.
The full floting d60 would be weaker than the sterling 10.5 right?

[Lilnuts2]

Sterling 10.5 weight rating is
6,830 up until 2005 and 7,280 to present.

[Francisco Coddou]

Originally Posted by Lilnuts2

Sterling 10.5 weight rating is
6,830 up until 2005 and 7,280 to present.

Thanks, i really dont want drw, i'll look for a 2006 and up srw f350 axle, should i use the wheel spacers that i already have on my d60? Can i reuse my current rsc abs sensors?

[BW3340]

If you're going to commit to SRW I'd feel comfortable with a 10.50 but make sure you at least get 12 ply tires, GAWR's are said to be lowered by the manufacture due to factory tire spec.