What axles in '80 Trailduster?

[VT_Toy]

Friend of mine has a '80 Trailduster he wants to get rid of for a few hundred bucks. He claims it has a front 60 but I'm not sure. I haven't seen it yet. Is it possible they had a special package?

If it doesn't have decent axles to hold up to abuse from the 360, what 1-tons swap in easy?

Could be a cool ride, the top comes all the way off :cool:

[GRMhick]

search under my name, I have posted this too many times. and they are the same axles as under a w-100.

[steved]

80 was a changeover year...you could still get an 80 RC with fulltime 4wd or you could get an RC with parttime 4wd (with auto hubs).

Traildusters and RCs were only ever based on a 1/2 ton truck (I think)...D44 front, D60 semifloater or Corp 9.25 rear. I think some might have even been slouched with an 8.25 in the 2wd version. I have never seen a D60 front axle under one (factory anyhow...it is a common swap).

As far as axles...someone pick this up if I drop it...any pre 93 axle will fit under it...they use the same ujoints (small), same spring widths, and same track widths.

steved

[GRMhick]

Originally posted by steved
80 was a changeover year...you could still get an 80 RC with fulltime 4wd or you could get an RC with parttime 4wd (with auto hubs).

Traildusters and RCs were only ever based on a 1/2 ton truck (I think)...D44 front, D60 semifloater or Corp 9.25 rear. I think some might have even been slouched with an 8.25 in the 2wd version. I have never seen a D60 front axle under one (factory anyhow...it is a common swap).

There is no semifloating dana 60 for the most part in dodge trucks (99.8%, I beleive they came in rare high performance trucks.. maybe warlocks or red express's with big blocks).
8.25" came in both 2 and 4wd (same axle that is used in jeep cherokees). dana 60 fronts were never used in 72+ dodge half tons

Originally posted by steved
As far as axles...someone pick this up if I drop it...any pre 93 axle will fit under it...they use the same ujoints (small), same spring widths, and same track widths.

steved [/B]

Small U joints? Umm, I am sorry, but no. They use the same 297-x or 760-x joints as 90% of all other dana 44's. The small U joint for the dana 44 is a 260-x, which mainly was used in pre-72 open knuckle chevys, but never in an open knucke dodge 44.

Let me do the break down one more time for the 74 and newer half ton trucks
74 had 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern, dana 44 front, 8.75" rear (strong, drop out 3rd member), but had 4 wheel drum breaks.
75-80 had a dana 44 front, and 9.25" rear, with 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern, full time unit bearing hubs, etc.
80.5-84 had 5 on 5.5 dana 44, 9.25" rear. These axles had the same housing as the 75-80, but with different knuckle outs (whcih bolt right onto the older trucks).
85-93 had 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern, dana 44 front, 9.25" rear, same as above, but have a central axle disconnect.

All these axles were avaliable with 3.23, 3.55, and 3.90 gears from the factory. A good number of them have a factory trac loc int he rear axle.

Garrett

[warlock440]

Originally posted by Hick


80.5-84 had 5 on 4.5 dana 44, 9.25" rear. These axles had the same housing as the 75-80, but with different knuckle outs (whcih bolt right onto the older trucks).

Garrett

The only years that used the 5 on 4.5 lug pattern were the 74 thru 79 as far as 4wd's are concerned.. The 2wd's did use 5 on 4.5 up to at least 93 but 79 was the last year for the 4wd's..I have had both an 80 ramcharger and an 80 1/2 ton extended cab..both had D44 front axles with 9.25 rear axles..

[GRMhick]

My bad, typed that so fast I put 4 insted of a 5 for 80.5-84.

Oh,and from what I know, 74 trucks had the drum breaks and 5 on 5.5, but ramchargers has 5 on 4.5 (there wernt any RC's with a divorsed 205, and drum breaks)

Garrett

[steved]

You MISSED what I was even talking about! And your post hadn't shown up when I posted it the first time (what happened there??) or I wouldn't have wasted typing it in the first time since someone already went to that effort.

Yes, there was a semi-floating D60 REAR!! A true D60 REAR. Did I mention it was a REAR. I found an early RC with one in NM...Grants, NM to be exact! I also found one in an old Ford p-u in Gallup (hey, I get to roam the boneyards while I'm working!)But, I'll agree with you...it's in an old service truck of some sort (does the forest service use puke green out there???), so maybe special applications?

And as far as small joints, I was talking DRIVESHAFT, if your swapping axles do you really care what axle joints you have if the driveshaft won't even bolt up?? I wouldn't!

And, some 2wd versions came with an 8.25" Corp. I checked this out to be sure last night on a friend's RC. This might come in handy if your swapping rears...and that 2wd is real cheap!

Just chiming back in! :flipoff2: all in good fun (lol) And since we are on the subject...the earliest RC was a 74 right?? Was it 4wd? And if so what did it use for a drive line?? They didn't really push the 203s until 75 from what I remember. Maybe it was only offered as a 2wd or it was a late 74 production using the 203 case???

steved

[tv_larsen]

Originally posted by steved
They didn't really push the 203s until 75 from what I remember. Maybe it was only offered as a 2wd or it was a late 74 production using the 203 case???

I've seen several 4wd '74 RC's and TD's, all had a 203 t-case. Maybe they were late '74s, but I don't think so. They all had the full removeable top including the upper door frames.

You're dead on, on the axles. In the driveshafts Chyrsler used Detroit style 7260 and 7290 ujoints. The 7260 measures approximatly 2 1/8" from c-clip to c-clip, the 7290 measures about 2 5/8". RCs and TD's have used both. Usually the 7290 is used in the front CV, the 7260 is ususlly used on the front axle pinion and t-case rear output. And I've seen the rear axle pinion use both sizes frequently.


Originally posted by Hick
75-80 had a dana 44 front, and 9.25" rear, with 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern

Garrett, to be honest, I've never in my life seen an '80 with ft4wd. '79 was the last year of the 203, I'm quite sure of it. But maybe I'm wrong.

[GRMhick]

I know all about the 8.25". I have one in my 77 2wd. And are you saying to look out and swap this axle in? I have also seen this axle in 1978 and 1979 4x4's, but not really in any other year.
As for the semi floating 60, yes I know they are out there, but as I said, they are very rare, and 99.8% of trucks dont have one, so it normally isnt even worth it to mention that axle.
I have seen a fulltime 1980 with my own 2 eyes, but to be honest, I cant really tell the difference between it and a 1979. What I am guessing happened, is since 80 is kind of an odd ball year, and chrysler was going bankrupt, they used what they had left from 79, then transistioned in the new parts. Are the part time 1980's that you have seen a removiable top?

As for the 74 RC, from what I have seen, they used the 205 in trucks, but not in rc's. I dont even think it was an option to have a 205 in a rc in 1974, but I have been known to be wrong.

Garrett

[tv_larsen]

Originally posted by Hick
I have seen a fulltime 1980 with my own 2 eyes, but to be honest, I cant really tell the difference between it and a 1979. What I am guessing happened, is since 80 is kind of an odd ball year, and chrysler was going bankrupt, they used what they had left from 79, then transistioned in the new parts. Are the part time 1980's that you have seen a removiable top?

All 1980 trucks look exactly like the 1979 except the center of the grill is painted black.

So yes, every '80 RC I've ever seen has had a 208 t-case, 5 on 5.5" bolt pattern, and a removeable top. No 1980 RC's that I've ever seen had the later non-removable top body style. Some people confuse build year date with model year.

1980 was not really an "odd-ball" year. It was the second to last of 3, maybe 4 years of transition for Dodge. It was the last year of the old body style, and the first year of the 208 t-case. '78 and '79 were also transition years and many parts changed in those years.

In '78 they changed to the later steering style (steering shaft, steering box, drag link), and the wiring resembles the early 80's wiring. It is also the year the big block died in the light trucks and cars.

In '79 the floor boards became one piece, the hood changed, the steering column mount changed, and the wiring and emissions became even closer to the early '80s style.

In '80 the transfercase changed to the 208, bolt pattern grew to 5 on 5.5", conventional spindles and auto hubs were used.

In '81 they completed the transition by changing the body style it's self and making the RC and TD tops non-removeable.

Of course I'm sure there were many other small changes every year.

[steved]

What I was saying was avoid the 8.25" axle...and I think my friends RC is an 87?? The only thing I have seen these axles used in was 2wds. If it was used in a 4wd...talk about light duty! And for the D60 axle...yeah, they are rare...but they still exist and you know what would happen if someone not knowing a SF D60 was offered would happen across one like I did...I doubt they are much stronger than a 9.25" corp...but they do have the pressed on axle bearings from what I remember and not c-clips. Did they really offer a 8.75" in the RC...or did I read that wrong? That would be kinda neat!

I have also seen an 80 (model year) with a ft4wd setup...probably using up what left over parts they had sitting around. I had a 94 like that...93 rear suspension setup (the only year for it), 94/95 combo fuel pump, 93 exhaust to clear the 93 suspension, etc, etc...and that was the 94 body style and definately a PITA to get parts for. The 80 I looked over also had a removable top.

I have never seen an RC with anything but a 203, 208, or 241 t-case...just was wondering if they had snuck something cool in there while we weren't looking!

steved

[GRMhick]

Originally posted by steved
Did they really offer a 8.75" in the RC...or did I read that wrong? That would be kinda neat!


I dont remember if I had seen a ramcharger with an 8.75" or not, but I have seen a dodge pickup with a 8.75" and 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern, so I wouldnt be too suprised if there were a few ramchargers floating around with an 8.75" in them too.

Garrett