'94 Dodge B350 highroof

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Originally Posted by Pntyrmvr

Suggest you find a set of GM van hinge pins with the holes in the bottom of them for grease fittings.

Did not know these existed. I'll keep them in mind. Thanks for the tip.

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Got my axle cart built today. This will permit me to get the new one from trailer to garage for prep, the old one from van to trailer, and the new one from garage to van. Still need to build the hoist for getting it out of the trailer.

[marret]

Looks good. Reminds me of soapbox derby.

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Here it is slightly modified and test-fitted to the axle to be moved. Imagine that it's right side up and there's no trailer in sight. I might get to work on the hoist this weekend.

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The axle cart worked as I hoped and the Dana is now in the garage being prepped for the install. This is how I'll get the old one out and the new one in.


Axle preppage commences.

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Van is now up on six jackstands in preparation for the axle swap. It might be a week or so before the weather cooperates.

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Well, we've been discussing things and decided to put the van project up for sale. I'll be posting an ad soon and link to it in this thread.

I'm at the point with the van on stands and the rear wheels off, ready to swap out the rear ends when I made a discovery; The newer Dana 60 full floater (AKA Dana #2) looks like every other one I've seen while the one on the van (AKA Dana #1) is different. It looks like the axle flange is outboard of the brake drum and the lug studs are 5/8" x 18 TPI instead of the more common 9/16" x 18 TPI. This is probably not a big deal but is yet another surprise.


Here's the van hub in closeup. Dana #1. Note the flange and the size of the studs.


Here's the replacement D60 FF from the junkyard. Dana #2.


I bought individual studs to fit the respective lug nuts in order to display the difference and to be handy samples when I need to search for other parts. I've done lots of research and can find no mention of this wrinkle with Dana 60 rear axles. No mention of any difference in stud sizes or of the flange anomaly. Admittedly, I'm no Dana expert but you'd think I'd have heard something about this.


If I were going to keep the van and proceed, there are some options:

1) proceed to swap in Dana#2 and drive the van while keeping two different spares; one for the stock studs on the front and a second to fit the rear studs (if the wheels are actually different for the two hubs). Cheapest and easiest.

2) swap in Dana #2 temporarily while having Dana #1 rebuilt by a pro and swap Dana #1 back in later. This axle looks different and "special" enough that such an approach might be worthwhile. Most difficult, time consuming and expensive but perhaps the best solution if Dana #1 is really that special.

3) most likely, swap in Dana #2 but first buy 16 new 5/8" x 18 TPI studs, have a machine shop press the old ones out of those axle shafts, drill out the holes to the correct size and press in the new studs and drill out the brake drums to match. Moderate difficulty and expense.

We'll see how this goes. The project is at the point where if I take the next step the van will not be driveable until the axle swap is completed. Right now I can slap the wheels back on and drive it. If I get no takers on the sale I might continue with the axle swap, or I might just donate the van and get on with all the other projects in the queue.

Thanks for following along this far.

[Pntyrmvr]

I read something a while back, don’t recall where, about different diameter knurling being available for various stud sizes.

In other words you need to find a listing of wheels studs that will give you the thread diameter and pitch you need for your wheels while still fitting the axle flange at the knurled end.

Don’t give up. You’re almost there.

You do know they make u joints with different widths so that driveshaft A will fit into rear axle B. The auto industry does this stuff all the time.

Also, pull the hub off he old housing and see if it will fit on the new housing.

Also, buy a factory service manual and the parts CD ROM for your van will ya. Rock auto probably has the CD. Someone on the web will have the factory service manual too.

[campism]

Originally Posted by Pntyrmvr

Also, pull the hub off he old housing and see if it will fit on the new housing.

Also, buy a factory service manual and the parts CD ROM for your van will ya. Rock auto probably has the CD. Someone on the web will have the factory service manual too.

I can't pull the hub off the van axle without removing the axle, from what I can tell.

Rock Auto only shows the Haynes manual for this van, which I already have. I'll investigate the CD or the factory shop manual but am likely to continue moving doggedly and stubbornly ahead, thinking I might at least drop the tank and troubleshoot the gas gauge sender while the van is up on jackstands and while I'm waiting for ad replies.

No response on the first ad yet so will try others on CL or FB Marketplace.

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I still never found the BOM codes stamped into either of these axles. The only ID I have for them is info on the axle tags.

Van's original AKA Dana #1: 605516-3

Junkyard replacement AKA Dana #2: 606107-2

The Dana Media Page gives the right year and van model for each but not the specific details I need to know.