I am putting a Dodge D60 in the front of my truck (I know, dodge '60's suck, but it was CHEAP). I am wondering if many people find they damage the housings on these things. I am considering trussing it, but it is FRICKIN HUGE already, so I don't know if my ranger is gonna weigh enough to stress the housing that much.

Also, assuming I do truss it, or end up welding susp tabs on it or something, I am planning on using E312-16 rod, with preheat, to TIG weld CR 1018 or 1020 steel to it.

Is there a better rod I should use to weld on it? The 312 rod is supposed to be fairly high nickel content and weld well on castings, but I don't know, this is a 20 year old chunk of cast iron that has been soaking in oil its whole life after all.

I am considering making something that will bolt to the leaf spring perch to hold my coil spring, but if I can weld on it effectively, then I won't worry about making it bolt on and I'll just weld it in.

Thanks for the help

Mike

imo the ford housings are weaker than chevy or dodge. They are way thinner where the tubes press in. I have seen 4 ford housings break.

isnt dodge on the pass side diff.? dont you have a ford? aint that awn the driver side?

Originally posted by SMART ASS
isnt dodge on the pass side diff.? dont you have a ford? aint that awn the driver side?

Yeah, I am running a divorced NP205 behind my stock BW1354 transfercase.... 2.71:1 x 1.96:1 equals lower than atlas II

low buck gear reduction, but more parts to break.

It is not a great solution, but hopefully it will get me back on the trail soon without the damn D35 breaking hubs all the time, and the full width axles should keep me rubber side down a little more than I have been.

i havent heard anything about the dodge housings being weaker, can someone tell me why this is? Im looking for an axle and would like to know if this is indeed something i need to take into account, my rig will be fairly light (on the top-unsprung weight is gonna be alot)

thanks,
Josh

Just curious... what year Dodge?

only aspect of the dodge housing i don't like is there are two studs that are in the pumpkin, they're prone to breaking and when they do good fawking luck replacing them :eek: :eek: Mr Freshman broke those too (what doesn't he break?) and his housing is basicaly worthless now. He plasma cut the metal out, then tried to weld it up... gawd it's a mess. Oh but are you even gonna mess around with leafs mike?

look at it this way... they all came in 3/4 and 1 ton's they can't be that weak!

Originally posted by Aggro
imo the ford housings are weaker than chevy or dodge. They are way thinner where the tubes press in. I have seen 4 ford housings break.

I'm thinking '78/9 Ford D60s have different housings and tubing than '86+. My buddy needed 3" and 3.5" ubolts on his '78 Ford D60 housing (driver's side spring pad next to diff) while I need 3.25" and 4" on my '87 Ford D60 (u-bolts flipped on both). Can anyone else confirm this or am I just smokin' it?

Originally posted by Danger Ranger
only aspect of the dodge housing i don't like is there are two studs that are in the pumpkin, they're prone to breaking and when they do good fawking luck replacing them :eek: :eek: Mr Freshman broke those too (what doesn't he break?) and his housing is basicaly worthless now. He plasma cut the metal out, then tried to weld it up... gawd it's a mess. Oh but are you even gonna mess around with leafs mike?

The only thing I have ever seen that guy do is break parts (course I haven't hung out w/ him much). I will not be using the leaf perch, but I imagine since there is only like 3" of tubing between the pumpkin and the steering knuckle that I will have to weld some portion of the bracketry for the suspension links, trac bar, coil spring, and shock, to the pad for the leaf spring. I am planning to weld onto the tube AND the casting, and gotta figure out exaclty how I want to do it.

As for suspension, I will be running my old 8" TJ coils, with a set of 14" stroke billstein shocks, and some links that will act very much like a wristed radius arm. I will be starting out with tractor links :lame: but if I start breaking them (trailer rig obviously) I will upgrade to real heims.

Al Kaholic, I wasn't meaning that the housing was weaker, I was talking about the fact that it is a straight cut front end, as opposed to the reverse cut fords.

There are benefits to the straight cut gears though, the pumpkins have 4.10's in them now, but eventually I will be changing. Reider racing sells a set of 6.88 or so gears for both the D60 and D70, and I have heard rumors of 7.10:1 being available....:cool:

I think 1st gear in my tranny will end up being the part that breaks :nuke:

Anyway, main question is, should I truss the housing? And what rod should I use to weld it?:

Originally posted by foley




There are benefits to the straight cut gears though, the pumpkins have 4.10's in them now, but eventually I will be changing. Reider racing sells a set of 6.88 or so gears for both the D60 and D70, and I have heard rumors of 7.10:1 being available....:cool:



dana 60 and dana 70 both have 7:17 to 1 gears available from spicer..and yes I had a set and sold them.The bolts in the top of the housing on the dodge are smaller in diameter than the chevy version.hope this helps.:D

Originally posted by onetonwillysands10


dana 60 and dana 70 both have 7:17 to 1 gears available from spicer..and yes I had a set and sold them.The bolts in the top of the housing on the dodge are smaller in diameter than the chevy version.hope this helps.:D

7.17 :smokin: that rocks! What'd they run you?

As for the studs, I don't have much issue with them, they are just scenery for the setup I am gonna be running.

AARON:


Tell freshman to get a set of "repair helicoils" from McMaster Carr. They are setup for being threaded into an oversized hole. He ought to be able to hawg out the slag from cutting the studs, thread in a couple of these bastards and be done with it.

I think they are even available in a spiral lock type thread.

Originally posted by foley


7.17 :smokin: that rocks! What'd they run you?


....mmmmm.. i don't know. I bought the gears, which were new, for a dana 70 front and rear, a pair of brand new dana 60 F internal style bearings hubs, 2 sets of spicer 35 spline drive flanges(internal style), a pair of brand new brake calipers , 3 sets of inner and outer wheel bearings, a set of dana 60 lockouts that were new, and 4 brand new big style dana 60 inner axles with new u-joint and new 35 spline stubs with one extra set of new 35 spline stubs all for $400 dollars:eek: ...so maybe 20 bucks.:D I sold them for 50..spicer still makes them.I can give you part numbers if you need them.just pm me if so...and sorry I don't know of anymore deals like the one I got.Hope this helps.:D

im in the process of building a 79f350 front 60R.
Aggro...your gettin me all worried with this talk of hte ford housings being weak...
i plan on shaving the pig as well.
is housing stregnth going to be a concern a need to adress on a light truck like my xj, or is that gonna be a problem just for fullsize guys?

Just a FYI, anything over 5.38 Dana says are for Industrial apps only, meaning they are cut for strength, not being quiet...I have sources for industrial Dana parts including the 3/16ths D60 covers..Mike

Originally posted by Gozuki
Just a FYI, anything over 5.38 Dana says are for Industrial apps only, meaning they are cut for strength, not being quiet...I have sources for industrial Dana parts including the 3/16ths D60 covers..Mike

quiet is not an issue, I don't plan on putting many miles on the gears anyway... but 3/16" covers sound pretty interesting, what would a set run me for a D60 and a D70?

interested in the covers too

Chiming in to show interest for a 3/16's cover

and they already look to be slightly thicker than 1/8" (but not .188). I figure that with one of these : http://www.baertrax.com/pics/bf1.jpg I should be ok for now.

I would really appreciate those numbers on the 7.17:1 gears. Are there any restrictions on these guys? Will they work with an ARB in the front? (I want the ARB since I won't be able to unlock the driveflanges, and there are times when it is nice to be able to turn).

Also, I know the ring gears are all SUPPOSED to be the same, but is there any reason I should think it may be slightly larger in diameter? I am of course THINKING about shaving the pumpkins, and if I do I don't wanna shave it for the 4.10's that are in it, and then find out that the 7.17's don't fit.





As for the original question on welding the housing, I have been doing some research, and have found recommendations for welding rod all over the place, from 70S-2, 308L, 309L, and then my original E312 with the flux knocked off. I have also gotten pre-heat recommendations anywhere from 450F to 600F, and Post heat from 450F to 1200F

Any thoughts anyone? I am thinking as soon as I get a good listing of ideas from people I am going to have to make a webpage up of the knowlege I am collecting here.

I will be TIG welding this stuff, and so far the best weld I have gotten has been a pass with Sil- Bronz rod followed by a pass with 70S-2. Unfortunately all of these practice welds were with no pre or post heating, since I only had the welder out, so the results will probably change.

thanks for all the great help guys, it is really cool.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Good lord that's one beefy diff. cover

Originally posted by foley
and they already look to be slightly thicker than 1/8" (but not .188). I figure that with one of these : http://www.baertrax.com/pics/bf1.jpg I should be ok for now.

I would really appreciate those numbers on the 7.17:1 gear

need to know the BOM number or the number stamped in the ring gear..Reider racing should have exactly what your looking for or tell if they are available for you model 70/60.:D

I can't speak to the 7.17's but I am running 6.17's in the Rock Taxi, and I set them up exactly to specs. They are quiet, run reasonably cool and are apparently pretty strong. I had them up to 70mph on the highway this weekend, while logging a couple of hundred miles on them a 55 mph too, with no problems. I am sure the 7.17's will generate more heat, but for a trail rig, there will be no issues.

The thick diff covers (I run them front and rear) seem to hold more heat and not disapate it as well as the thin. Again not a problem.

Ed

Every now and then

another, yes that axle is bent.

last one for now

Originally posted by emsoffroad
Every now and then

I don't even want to know how you managed that one, looks pretty painful

I don't even want to know how you managed that one, looks pretty painful

But I do, how in the fawk did you do that???

Originally posted by foley


Also, I know the ring gears are all SUPPOSED to be the same, but is there any reason I should think it may be slightly larger in diameter? I am of course THINKING about shaving the pumpkins, and if I do I don't wanna shave it for the 4.10's that are in it, and then find out that the 7.17's don't fit.



i think lower gears are smaller in diameter, so going lower shouldnt give you a problem with fit


- jake

Originally posted by JeeperJake


i think lower gears are smaller in diameter, so going lower shouldnt give you a problem with fit


- jake

mmm....last time i looked the gears don't change in outer diameter between different ratios...otherwise the teeth would be weaker and it would require a different carrier..just a thought:D

so im a dumbass...educated me in how the sizes differ. i know that structurally, lower gears are supposed to be weaker. do i at least have this right?


- jake

Originally posted by JeeperJake
so im a dumbass...educated me in how the sizes differ. i know that structurally, lower gears are supposed to be weaker. do i at least have this right?


- jake

But my understanding is that the gears SHOULD be the same diameter. To make changes to the gear ratio they primarily change the number of teeth on the pinion. The less teeth on the pinion, the lower the gear ratio, and the smaller the pinion gets. Smaller pinion=weaker pinion. They make up for the difference by making the ring gear thicker in its distance from the carrier face of the gear to the tooth face of the gear.

Any changes in outter diameter of the ring gear should be minor, and due to variations in tooth design for the various numbers of pinion teeth.

I am not sure if any of this is correct though, and I am also not sure how much difference the "minor difference" in ring gear diameter's is.

well then why would you be worried about lower gears fitting for shaving? wouldnt they be the same when it comes to shaving the pumpkin?

- jake

Like I said, my understanding is they SHOULD work. But it is a REALLY expensive mistake to make, so I wanted to ask the question before I did it. I would hate to have a D60 that I cannot put gears lower than 4.10 in because I am stupid :D