92betsy

Hey guys, been a long time since I can remember posting. The truck has been down for almost 3 years with a busted IP, and a good sized chunk missing from the axles pinion shaft teeth. The person that told me no every time I went to fix it has left, so now with her plus her car gone I need another reliable vehicle on the road just in case as I work 50 miles from home.

I just got a new IP that should be in this week, as well as plenty of new parts to put on sitting in the garage, coil springs, ball joints, shocks, and some other items. All this plus the new IP have set me back a bit, but I still need tires and to rebuild the axle. The quote I got from the shop was $2,500 for the axle rebuild which I am planning on doing as I have the cash right now, and it is worth it to me to get the truck going, vs selling it and buying something else. My dad bought it in 96', and I got it in 06' from him when I was 23, even took my driving test in it, so the attachment is almost Christine strong.

Anyway the question I have is that my truck needs the axle, but also fenders, and doors along a few other items. I found local a 1985 d350 with a decent 360 in it $2,000obo, and good body parts I need, decent axle with super singles already on it, a bit of a plus as my truck has earned an easy life as a street truck after many years of abuse.

Figured I could try offering as low as $1,600, and go from there with them if I decide to get it. I know the body parts I want will all swap, but what differences would be with the axles? All I can find is that it's a dana 70, but haven't found anything online to verify if they are the same housing, and innards between the 85' d70, and the 92's 70? If I can get it, and swap all over without issue, I would throw all my crap body, and axle on it, and sell it for 1,200-1,500 and make up most of the cash on it. If the axle won't work then I'll forget about it, as that is my main concern. And i am a little chicken when it comes to rebuilding an axle by myself, and have 1,400 in parts, plus a housing turn to trash real fast.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

MrFusion

$2500 for an axle rebuild???!! FRIG that Mr. Leahy! I bet Ollie Foster could ship you a known good one for half that. I see them frequently on CL for $300 or less.

Measure the housing spring perches and Wheel Mount Surface to WMS to see how close they are. I bet they're close. Spring perches are cheap and easy to weld on if you need to move them. As long as they don't rub I'd run them.

Just be careful of chassis cab rears. They came in a bunch of different widths and are generally narrower than regular dually rears.

PapeCAT

only differences on the axle for the 1985 might be the detroit / chrysler pinion yoke. It would need to be swapped out with the dana spicer 1410 that came on your 1993.

Perches should be the same 1972-1993

92betsy

Thanks guys, all the ones I have found local for sale are non LS, 2nd gen, or cab and chassis. I want LS again for obvious reasons, so I am picky on that. 2,500 is not much above what I was expecting, but still high enough I was speechless when they told me. If I knew anyone that would help/teach me the rebuild I would make it worth their while, but I don't know any mechanic types anymore. Only axle work I have done was swapped the pre-assembled pumpkin out in my 68 C30 in high school. So a lot different. I'll try to go check the truck out after work tomorrow night, and make a final decision then.

Thanks again.

edwinsmith

What about the axle ratio?

thrashingcows

My crewcab was a 1984 and a originally a D350. It only had a Dana 60, so not sure if the gasser your looking at would be a Danan 70 or not. I was under the impression that the D70 was not used in the ram's until the cummins motor was used in 89.

If it is a D60 you could still run it. I ran mine, with the small yoke behind my cummins/nv4500 for 3 years with no problems at all. It was 3.54 open gear though.

The brakes are smaller on the gasser dana as well, but believe if you swap the backing plates, and matching hubs and axles you should be able to move your 1st Gen stuff over.

92betsy

Well guys I never got the truck, changed my mind on it. Instead found a axle in good shape for less than a grand, which is out of a 92 d350 as well, with 3.54s like I already have. So saved some on the axle vs the $2500 I was quoted, ending with more to spend elsewhere on the truck for now. So as long as everything runs good after I install my new pump that should be finally done tomorrow, and the axle, I should be pretty set on having her back on the road soon. New filters and fluids are already in, as well as new shocks, and battery so about there after 3 years.

Thanks for the help guys.