Hey Guys,

I am doing a gear swap on a set of axles that came off of a 1983 Econoline 350 van 4x4.

The front is a 35 spline Dana 60, and the rear is a 30 spline Dana 60 or 70. I thought it was a 60.

Anyway, I started on the rear and pulled out the 3.54 gears, and installed the 4.56s with detroit locker.

I pulled out the old pinion, and installed the new pinion using the same shims that were on the old pinion, under the new bearings.

I bolted the new ring gear to the locker, pressed on the bearings using the same shims that were on the original carrier, and then installed the carrier into the housing.

The ring gear is so far away from the pinion, it's freaky. You can spin that pinion yoke and the pinion doesn't even touch the ring gear. What is up with that?

I compared all of my bearings, and everything that I pulled off is the same part number as to what I pressed on. The ring is just so far away from the pinion, there aren't enough shims in the world to bring them close together.

What could be up?

Do I really have a 70, and I am trying to install 60 gears in a 70, and they are too far apart to work? What is the same between the 70 and the 60, and what is different?

I'm perplexed! :eek:

Adam

sounds like you have a dana61 maybe

did you make sure you got the detroit locker for a 4.56 gear set? just another thought

My receipt says that I did get a detroit locker for the 4.56 gears, and the ring gear bolted on straight...

I can't tell by looking at the detroit locker which one I got.

I always thought that the carrier difference was the bolt pattern for the ring gear. It went on AOK. Could there be a difference between the carriers as to where it puts the ring gear?

Any other ideas, guys?

Adam

Aaahhh, yes, the curse of the Dana 61. Do yourself a favor, STOP. Run the BOM number off of the right side axle tube, on the back, and see what you have. My 61 front needed a ring gear spacer and a series 3 carrier. To give you an idea the series 2 carrier for a 60 will take up to a 7.17, and the series 3 is even further over.
BTW to tell a 60 from a 70, they both use the same cover but the 70's pig hangs below the cover a bit. Carrier bearings are different 60 to 70, sooo I bet you have a 61.

You were right, I got a 61! Just checked it off of the dana web site.

SO, where do I get the ring gear spacer and the longer ring gear bolts?

Do I have to change the detroit locker carrier? Agh, I hope not....

Adam

Last time I talked to Sandy about this, it was decided that I could run a 60 4.56 and up carrier with a .277 ring gear spacer and make my 5.38's work. Now, go and try to find a .277 ring gear spacer. I have heard(and read in the archives, *search*) that a .25 spacer will work, AND that it won't work. I could never find out if the .027 could be made up in shims or not(I'm no gear expert), but personally, I don't really care to find out by my own experience, hence the scrapping of the 61 in my garage(also due to the axle not having the larger ID spindles, which is the only reason I shelled out $50 for the 61 in the first place).

You're venturing into largely unchartered territory(although I know a few on the board have done it, redruM is one of them). Sandy told me nobody knows jack about 61's, and after spending quite a few hours on the phone, I found his analysis to be right.

Oh, and to sort of answer your question, I believe redruM said he got his spacer from DTD.

I need the 3.54 gears for the 70 rear. you still got them?

what axles are stock under the E-350's?

I have a D70 out of a 75 E350 single rear wheel van. Its a standard D70 35 spline.