F 450 vs 250 Dana 60 tech - Load bearing stuff

kblackav8or · 03-20-2006, 05:25 PM

I did a few cursory searches here and didn't find what I was looking for. Here is the problem. I have a 2000 F-250 SD, Powerstroke, 6 speed 4x4 lariat. A few years ago I decided that the 3400lbs of weight I was packing around in the bed known as my Alpenlite Camper was a tad heavy for SRW. I traded an old car trailer for a Dana 80 from the same year F-350 dually. Eventually I finished the dually conversion with adapters and fenders. Now I have added a 28 foot Pace Pursuit to the mix. I am not so worried about moving it forward but more about stopping it and having safe tires so I am looking to go the next step. Just doing 19.5 tires will handle the weight but not braking issues. I figured it out that if I max out the trailer and have the camper loaded I could weigh about 21k total. My plan is to move up to F450/550 brakes and wheels. I think the Dana 80 is fine, just need to move up to the bigger brakes/hubs/19.5's out back.

Front axle - I am pretty sure I have the Dana 50. Near as I can tell since they are rated the same that externally they have the same parts from the tubes out as the 350 Dana 60. My axle guy confirmed this and showed me how they are the same except the diff, inner axles, ring/pinion. The rest is the same. What I want to do is piecemeal my way to a full up F450 front end. I have the dually adapters now to go from 8x170 to 8x225. If I buy an empty housing for about $600, knuckles? brake brackets? calipers? the rest should just transfer right? I would be left getting all the internal diff parts/inners and would be good to go from there?
Does anyone have a link to a parts breakdown?
Better idea on dealling with brakes and weight?
A different truck is out of the question. I have a guy who wants to give me 24k for mine, I was going to turn around and get a used medium duty Ford or International and civilize it to do what I want. Wife shot that down...
Sorry for the long newby question.
Kevin

Fordtrucks · 03-20-2006, 05:32 PM

Can you just buy an aftermarket breaking system?Like bigger 6 piston calipers and drilled rotors and maybe a bigger break booster?What about a Jake break?Was that a trailer you were wanting to pull?Get trailer breaks on it.You can make this work without adding bigger axles.

kblackav8or · 03-20-2006, 06:02 PM

The trailer has brakes but having a camper on makes the truck weigh over 10k without any extra. BTW drilled rotors are a bad idea on a truck, Superduties don't have boosters, they use hydroboost from the power steering pump. There is no such thing as a Jacobs Brake for the Powerstroke though there are some exhaust brakes that might help. If you have never ventured into the rockies or out west, we have steep and long hills on our highways here in the west that make stuff in the midwest and east look pretty lame. - Grapevine, Cabbage Hill, Tehachapi Pass, I-70, Siskyous. I drive 2 of those everytime I take the family home for a visit to family. I am in overkill mode. So far I haven't found any aftermarket brake systems other then better rotors that would really help.
A parts breakdown with numbers would be a big help.

u2slow · 03-20-2006, 06:58 PM

The F450 D80 is a completely different housing than the F350 version... bigger shafts, spindles, hubs, brakes, etc. It will be a little more work than just swapping hubs or brakes.

kblackav8or · 03-20-2006, 08:20 PM

If I can get 19.5's on there that will be the main thing. I just can't win at this. I guess the later 450s don't even use an 80 but a Spicer 110. A used medium duty axle starts to look pretty attractive at some point. Dana/Spicer makes a 2 speed with something like 4.89 and 3.70 ratio's. 14k rated. Maybe this is hopeless.

Mr. Pink · 03-22-2006, 07:51 AM

I vote for sitting down with your wife and explaining what safe braking is worth to her and have her imagine stopping your fully loaded rig under less than ideal circumstances. Then sell the thing and get a Kodiak, Topkick, International or whatnot to yank your trailer around all day like its nothing and stop it too. I would research stopping distances loaded for the medium rigs, it may not be much better than what youve got, an F-450, F-550 might be the ticket for you. I worked on a couple of the Big F's, they are pretty stout but I want to say you can't get 4wd with them??

MuddyV8YJ · 03-22-2006, 07:59 AM

i know youre getting the smaller components all upgraded, but what is the GVWR, CVWR, and axle weight ratings for the truck? Just thinking if you get in an accident or something, and youre over weight, you'll be SOL for any type of compensation.

clc900 · 03-22-2006, 08:24 AM

id like to hear about your D80 conversion. I want to get rid of my SRW 10.5 and put in a DRW Dana 80 but use it as a SRW. I know the D80 will be wider but it shouldnt be a lot wider is it?? The only thing diffrent that I can think of will be the driveshaft will have to be shortened because of the longer pinion on the d80. Any thing else?? I have a 1999 SRW F350 and want to put in a 1999 DRW D80 from a F350.

Thanks

03-20-2006, 05:25 PM	#1
kblackav8or Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Member # 69692 Posts: 6	F 450 vs 250 Dana 60 tech - Load bearing stuff I did a few cursory searches here and didn't find what I was looking for. Here is the problem. I have a 2000 F-250 SD, Powerstroke, 6 speed 4x4 lariat. A few years ago I decided that the 3400lbs of weight I was packing around in the bed known as my Alpenlite Camper was a tad heavy for SRW. I traded an old car trailer for a Dana 80 from the same year F-350 dually. Eventually I finished the dually conversion with adapters and fenders. Now I have added a 28 foot Pace Pursuit to the mix. I am not so worried about moving it forward but more about stopping it and having safe tires so I am looking to go the next step. Just doing 19.5 tires will handle the weight but not braking issues. I figured it out that if I max out the trailer and have the camper loaded I could weigh about 21k total. My plan is to move up to F450/550 brakes and wheels. I think the Dana 80 is fine, just need to move up to the bigger brakes/hubs/19.5's out back. Front axle - I am pretty sure I have the Dana 50. Near as I can tell since they are rated the same that externally they have the same parts from the tubes out as the 350 Dana 60. My axle guy confirmed this and showed me how they are the same except the diff, inner axles, ring/pinion. The rest is the same. What I want to do is piecemeal my way to a full up F450 front end. I have the dually adapters now to go from 8x170 to 8x225. If I buy an empty housing for about $600, knuckles? brake brackets? calipers? the rest should just transfer right? I would be left getting all the internal diff parts/inners and would be good to go from there? Does anyone have a link to a parts breakdown? Better idea on dealling with brakes and weight? A different truck is out of the question. I have a guy who wants to give me 24k for mine, I was going to turn around and get a used medium duty Ford or International and civilize it to do what I want. Wife shot that down... Sorry for the long newby question. Kevin

03-20-2006, 05:32 PM	#2
Fordtrucks Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Member # 54152 Location: Rapid City,South Dakota Posts: 861	Can you just buy an aftermarket breaking system?Like bigger 6 piston calipers and drilled rotors and maybe a bigger break booster?What about a Jake break?Was that a trailer you were wanting to pull?Get trailer breaks on it.You can make this work without adding bigger axles. __________________ 93 F150 ex cab short box. 460/4 speed/4x4.

03-20-2006, 06:58 PM	#4
u2slow Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Member # 4243 Location: Salt Spring Island, BC Posts: 2,851	The F450 D80 is a completely different housing than the F350 version... bigger shafts, spindles, hubs, brakes, etc. It will be a little more work than just swapping hubs or brakes. __________________ '95 F350 Crew, PSD/stick, locked both ends

03-22-2006, 07:59 AM	#7
MuddyV8YJ Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Member # 29638 Location: CP, NY Posts: 428	i know youre getting the smaller components all upgraded, but what is the GVWR, CVWR, and axle weight ratings for the truck? Just thinking if you get in an accident or something, and youre over weight, you'll be SOL for any type of compensation. __________________ "Life's tough. It's tougher if you're stupid." [QUOTE=Grim Reaper]Cause of death: Natural selection. :laughing: [/QUOTE] Girls fake orgasms, guys fake relationships

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03-20-2006, 06:02 PM	#3
kblackav8or Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Member # 69692 Posts: 6	The trailer has brakes but having a camper on makes the truck weigh over 10k without any extra. BTW drilled rotors are a bad idea on a truck, Superduties don't have boosters, they use hydroboost from the power steering pump. There is no such thing as a Jacobs Brake for the Powerstroke though there are some exhaust brakes that might help. If you have never ventured into the rockies or out west, we have steep and long hills on our highways here in the west that make stuff in the midwest and east look pretty lame. - Grapevine, Cabbage Hill, Tehachapi Pass, I-70, Siskyous. I drive 2 of those everytime I take the family home for a visit to family. I am in overkill mode. So far I haven't found any aftermarket brake systems other then better rotors that would really help. A parts breakdown with numbers would be a big help.

03-20-2006, 08:20 PM	#5
kblackav8or Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Member # 69692 Posts: 6	If I can get 19.5's on there that will be the main thing. I just can't win at this. I guess the later 450s don't even use an 80 but a Spicer 110. A used medium duty axle starts to look pretty attractive at some point. Dana/Spicer makes a 2 speed with something like 4.89 and 3.70 ratio's. 14k rated. Maybe this is hopeless.

03-22-2006, 07:51 AM	#6
Mr. Pink Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Member # 40383 Posts: 219	I vote for sitting down with your wife and explaining what safe braking is worth to her and have her imagine stopping your fully loaded rig under less than ideal circumstances. Then sell the thing and get a Kodiak, Topkick, International or whatnot to yank your trailer around all day like its nothing and stop it too. I would research stopping distances loaded for the medium rigs, it may not be much better than what youve got, an F-450, F-550 might be the ticket for you. I worked on a couple of the Big F's, they are pretty stout but I want to say you can't get 4wd with them??

03-22-2006, 08:24 AM	#8
clc900 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Member # 4352 Location: Michigan Posts: 575	id like to hear about your D80 conversion. I want to get rid of my SRW 10.5 and put in a DRW Dana 80 but use it as a SRW. I know the D80 will be wider but it shouldnt be a lot wider is it?? The only thing diffrent that I can think of will be the driveshaft will have to be shortened because of the longer pinion on the d80. Any thing else?? I have a 1999 SRW F350 and want to put in a 1999 DRW D80 from a F350. Thanks