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The dana 70 thread

536K views 739 replies 248 participants last post by  cj8scrambld 
#1 · (Edited)
Welcome to the 70 bible. I don't claim to be the be-all, end-all, expert on these, although I have learned quite a bit about them while assembling this. If you have good info to share, post it up. If you want to know what version of the 70 you have, read this and look for yourself.

I want to add more info about the Super 70 (the 70-1SU?) to this, if you have any or know where to find any good info, please share with the class.

Identification...

The 70 uses (basically) the same cover as a 60 (everyone knows how to spot a 60 right?). The bolt pattern is the same and for all practical purposes the covers are interchangeable. As far as I know the easiest way to tell a 70 from a 60 is the lip on the bottom of the pumpkin. Most stock 70 covers will cover all the way to the bottom of the 70 housing, but the mounting lip is about 1/2" wider than a 60. With a 60 cover on a 70, the thicker lip is very obvious, but with the stocker you may have to look closer.

There are a lot of different versions of the 70, for the most part the parts are pretty interchangeable between them. They came in trucks, vans, and industrial equipment in a wide variety of widths, with bolt patterns ranging from heavy duty 6 lug, the standard 8x6.5”, and up to 10 lug, and have several different spline counts available. Almost all of them are 8 lug, with 35 spline or 32 spline shafts.

The tubes are fatter than a 60, and thicker than a 14 bolt. My 70-B uses 3-9/16" tubes (a 60 front or rear is typically 3-1/8"). The 70-HD has 4" tubes. Tube thickness seems to be ½” on pretty much all of them. The tapered down sections are rolled smaller, so the wall gets thicker in these sections.

Here is a pic of a 70-B, showing both the lip on the bottom (that is a high pinion 60 cover on it), the lip on the top, and the taper down on the tubes (note that I cut the stock brake flanges off). The wider lips are not normally so obvious, because factory 70 covers have wider flanges, so look closely when your axle hunting.

The lip on the bottom can be shaved down for the same ground clearance as a 60. I reccomend using a saw to remove most of the material, then finishing it out with a grinder.



Here's a better view of the taper down...



Variations...

There are several versions of the 70:

*70 (.500" pinion offset, used from late 1950's to '71 according to dana) these would likely have the lower spline counts, least desirable
*70-B (.625" offset, '71-82) Probably the most common version. Generally 35 spline, but checking is the only sure way.
*70-U (.625" offset, '82+) There seems to be less of these than the 70-B. Known as the "Teardrop 70" because of it's smooth underside. Shares all bearings with the 60
*70-2U (unknown offset) same pinion and carrier bearings as U, but big wheel bearings.
*70-HD (.625" offset, '68+) These come in big trucks, lots of them out there but many in weird widths.
*70-3HD (.969" offset, '87+) Out of newer trucks, not a lot of low gears available for these ones.
*70-High Pinion (unkown offset, 2000ish+ Kodiak/Top Kick K4500/K5500 fronts) 10 lug high pinion 70, with 1550 joints (a 60 uses 1480) 5.13 gears are the only ones available for these axles.
*70-1SU (.625” offset) Super 70. Little info available, Dana lists only available ratios as 4.10 and 4.56. Teardrop housing and HD tubes and outers.

Often the variation will be cast into the housing, but not always, and in the case of the 3HD, it may be labeled as 2HD according to rocklobster87. The only way to know for sure is to check the BOM number. It is a 6 digit number, typically starting with a 6, stamped into the axle tube just to the right of the diff, when looking at the cover. Go to www2.dana.com and look it up to see what you’ve got.

The 70-U uses a smaller pinion bearing than any of the others (the same as a 60) All the others use the same inner pinion bearing. Carrier bearings and outer pinion bearing are the same as a 60. Wheel bearings vary, and can range from the same part numbers as 60’s and 14 bolts, to bigger.

The carrier bearings on the 70, 70-B and 70-U are all the same size (same bearings as a 60 carrier). The HD carrier is .125” narrower than the others, and can be use in the other 70’s with the addition of a 1/8” spacer. This leads me to assume that a normal 70 carrier won’t fit in a HD.

Because of the different pinion offsets available, it’s important to know exactly what you have when looking for gears and carriers.

If there are other ways to distinguish the variations with visual checks, post up what you know and pics if you can so we can make this as complete as possible.

Differences and similarities with the 60...

The std 70 uses some of the same bearings as the 60, the outer pinion bearing is the same one (splines and seals are also the same as a 60, so yokes are totally interchangeable), but the inner pinion bearing is significantly bigger. The carrier bearings are the same as a 60 also.

The inner wheel bearings are bigger than a 60, but the outers are the same. Here is a pic of a 4.10 pinion out of a 60 and one out of a 70. The bearing in front of each pinion is the inner wheel bearing. Which is the 60 and which is the 70 is pretty obvious.



Here's another view...



Shafts...

There are also different axle shaft spline counts available. The 35 spline is the most desirable (and I believe the most common too). Off the top of my head, here's the list, 16(?), 23, 30, 32 and 35 spline. Can anyone confirm these, I'm like 80% sure about those #'s.

Donor vehicles...

There are just about a million different applications that came with Dana 70 axles. There are too many to make a useful list. There are links to Dana's backdoor website below that list most of the applications. There is a ton of info in them, so make sure you're in a comfortable chair if you choose to navigate through them.

Misc info...

The ring gear diameter is 10.5"
The 35 spline versions are the same spline as the 35 spline 60’s and 9 inches we are all used to
The pinion nut requires a 1-5/16” thin wall socket, and should not be torqued beyond 300 lb/ft
The axle shaft flanges are typically larger than 14b and 60’s, and often use tapered cone washers on studs :smokin:
The oil capacity is about 3 quarts, Dana recommends 80w90 gear oil
The housing is ductile iron (a high quality type of cast iron)
The input torque rating is 7000 lb/ft max, 1750 lb/ft continuous for most (all?) versions from what I have gathered, the main differences are in the GVW rating.
Swapping SRW hubs on a DRW housing will make the axle effectively wider, not narrower.
Disk brake swaps are pretty much just as straightforward as they are on a 60. ¾ ton GM D44/10bolt front rotors, and the common 7-1/16” GM calipers.

Helpful Links

Dana BOM lookup page
Dana 70 Maintenance Guide
Dana 60/70 Powr-Lok LSD Service Manual
Dana Ring and Pinion Pattern guide
Dana shim kits
Ford application guide 1995-2005 (70 info p.34 to p.39)
Dodge application guide 1999-2001 (70 info p.40 to p.44)
Dana axle application/BOM guide 1979-1998 (all models, not just 70)
Dana axle application/BOM guide 1967-1978 (all models, not just 70)
Dana Light Axle General Information Guide, about a million applications and their BOMs (for all models, not just 70), from 1979-2005)


I'm planning on updating this post with anything you guys have to add, since it's missing more info than it has. It should make a pretty handy reference for all us 70 fans.

-Redd
 

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#99 ·
so are gears the same for all d70's? im lookin at some 5.86's and there is no distinction between the versions, it just says d70. is it just the carrier that is different? Ive got a 70HD.

thanks for the info
 
#101 ·
can anybody confirm or reject this? will gears for a 70U work in a 70HD?
 
#103 · (Edited)
Dana 70B questions related

I removed a duelly Dana 70B from a 1987 F350 superduty dump body (Not sure if it was orginally in that truck or not but it was when I got it.) The carried is marked C34835-96 followed by 70B. My problem is finding a right hand hub for it as it is different than all the other Dana 70's I've looked at. Does anyone know for sure what years Ford trucks came with the dually Dana 70B? Also, the regular Dana 70 detroit locker and 35 spline axles went right in this unit with no problems? Any help would be appreciated.:confused:
 
#110 ·
I am looking into shafts for my rear 70 right now, but I have a question or two hopefully somebody can answer. I snapped my drivers side shaft and have been unable to get the broken piece out of the detroit as of yet (My grandad and brothers pulled the shafts for me since I am overseas right now). The passenger side shaft measeured 39 5/8" long, but I am stumped on how long the drivers side should be. Here is a link to the shafts I have found so far.

37-39.5" shaft
http://www.ringpinion.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProdID=5423

34-36.5" shaft
http://www.ringpinion.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProdID=5422

I have a Dually Chevy D70 if it matters.
 
#111 · (Edited)
I can't remember the official measurement but both shafts on a 70HD are the same length.

Edit: I checked the Dana expert site and the Spicer axle shaft part number is 41100-1 -

Specs for aftermarket shafts
length = 39.69"
spline length = 1.63"
flange dia = 4.47"
bolt pattern = 8 x 3.56"


All of the above info is for 83 K30 dually pickup w/D70HD.
 
#115 ·
I can't remember the official measurement but both shafts on a 70HD are the same length.

Edit: I checked the Dana expert site and the Spicer axle shaft part number is 41100-1 -

Specs for aftermarket shafts http://www.ronsmachiningservice.net/servlet/the-43/NEW-DANA-60-70/Detail
length = 39.69"
spline length = 1.63"
flange dia = 4.47"
bolt pattern = 8 x 3.56"


All of the above info is for 83 K30 dually pickup w/D70HD.
Ha ha, I just read your post, but I had already ordered the Yukons from Ron's about two weeks ago (Insert 'great minds joke!). He had a :smokin: price on them and he had some super fast shipping, and that was even after he e-mailed me to make sure he was sending out the correct shafts. He said they have the shorter shafts available also, just call or e-mail him about them.
 
#112 ·
found a dana 70 with 7.17s, and a powerlock. this thing has locking hubs on the ends of the axles... dodge type with 8 bolts retaining the external hub. its a wide bastard... didnt get a measurement, but will have it shortly.
 

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#116 ·
Hey grumpy, does it have some sort of sprocket setup instead of a yoke?
Looks kinda like some D44's I have seen under street sweepers on road construction jobs.
 
#117 ·
Need some help identifying this one. It's from a Freighliner chasis Utilimaster step van. The only stamped numbers I can find are on the front side of the driverside axle tube, and they don't seem to apply to a BOM.








The shafts have 6 studs/nuts instead of the 8 bolts. It also has the big six lug hubs.

 
#118 ·
I was gonna say an old dodge military truck with the lug pattern until I saw the disk brakes, got me stumped.
 
#121 ·
i found the BOM on the rear side of the passenger axle tube.

since its a freightliner van, i would think that they used a budd wheel and could pick and choose their pattern upon assembly, and might have gone to the 6 lug hub for weight(GVW) reasons. the disc brakes look heavy duty as hell and are no doubt a factory option. It would be nice to be able to keep them.
 
#124 ·
Finally got around to putting the rotors on the hubs and got the wheel studs pressed in. I had to use a 41/64 drill bit. It drilled a .638 hole. I used Dorman studs PN# 610-429 The studs measured .642 and .643. They seemed to fit pretty good and snug.


Thread: 5/8-18
Knurl Dia.: .642"
Length: 4.10"


 
#131 ·
i have a rear dana 70hd with 4" tubes out of a 88-90 K30 crewcab dually, i want to convert it to a SRW, is this possible? where can i find a srw hub?

Yeah you can, just need to cut the tubes down & get shorter axles.

Here's a 70HD I narrowed to be used in an old Toyota Land Cruiser, that's why the diff is offset. This one is gonna use SRW hubs to make it the same width as a SRW axle.
 
#129 ·
ol blue i think you should measure your rear..I think you have the extra wide dually rear...Its already extra wide, i think like 70ish wms to wms..The housing is wider..You may want to source a rear from a van as the rear you have may bee too wide unless you run h1 hummer wheels.
 
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