Part time Hubs DIY.. 2000 to 2007 Dodge Diesel 3/4t
 

THIS KIT ONLY WORKS ON THE DANA 60 4500LB AND the AAM AXLE
PARTS NEEDED

USED PARTS:
Early 90s Ford F350 Dana 60 complete hubs and spindle
(Try to get it all: Brgs, seal, nuts, and locking hub. Get it used from a wrecking yard, and if you can tell them you want to dismantle it yourself so you will know how to put it together).

Chevy 1ton Dana 60 outer axle stub shafts 12inch 30 spline. 1978 through 1988
(If you don’t want to get out of the truck to lock/unlock the hubs you could probably get the auto hubs at this time off of the Chevy Dana 60)

NEW PARTS:
10 of 7/16x2” studs grade 8 They will be coarse on one end and fine thread on the other.

10 of fine thread locking nuts 7/16 don’t use nylock nuts.

2 new seals for the hub

2 new seals for the spindle (must fit the Chevy axle stub shaft)

New brgs for the hub maybe??? Clean up the old brgs and they may be good.

2002 Dodge 1 ton rear rotors x 2

2 ABS rings from the Dynatrac kit, if needed.
(You may have to tell them you bought the truck with their kit all ready on it and both rings are bad from rocks hitting them, only way I could get them for my truck)

2 new axle u-joints for your year truck

4 of 5/8 coarse thread grade 5 bolts with at least a 1 ¼ inch threaded shank or 5/8 all thread grade 5 coarse thread

Lucas wheel brg grease, my favorite, resist water very, very well. (Water is the biggest killer of u-joints, ball joints, tie rods and anyplace that normal grease will go. I have a 1985 beater Nissan truck owned since 1990 and have never replaced anything I previously listed because of water resistant grease)


TOOLS NEEDED

Metal lathe or friend who has one, or take the hub to machine shop. Lathe needs to have at least 6 foot bed or it won’t have a big enough head to handle the Ford hubs (They are big)
Spindle nut Socket for the Ford F350
Welder
Hacksaw or Sawzall
7/16 coarse thread tap (starter tap)
7/16 coarse thread tap (bottom tap)
Vise
6lb hammer
allen wrench’s assorted sizes
14mm and 16mm socket short and 12pt
small screw driver
pry bar
hammer, rubber or wood hammer head
½ drill
3/8 drill
drill bit for the 7/16 tap (sorry I forgot what size it was, getting old I guess)
5/8 drill bit with ½ shank
1 ¾ inch socket
¾ breaker bar
Wire cuters or dikes or alternative lifestyle cutters. (whatever you call them)
Snap ring pliers external
3/4 x8” brass drift

That is all the tools that I can think of at this time, I may be adding to the list as I do the write up. If youre going to do this and have the tools or access to them, then the first parts I would buy is the ABS rings, because they were the hardest to get and took the longest to get to me, everything else was a local purchase. Next I would get the hubs, rotors and ABS ring as you will need to take them to the machine shop to have the hub turned so the rotor and ABS ring will fit/press onto the hub.

I will continue the write up later this week hopefully this doesn’t deter anybody that is wanting to do this.

AT THE MACHINE SHOP


Take the Ford hub, ABS ring and Dodge rotor to the machine shop, without the wheel studs and no grease inside, leave the brg cones inside it makes for easier centering on the lathe.
The hub will need to be turned so the rotor slips on from the outside, this requires two places to be machined (Ford rims had a bigger diameter hole for their hubs) Machine the hub down right in front of the flange were the rim would butt up to, so the rotor will slip on (you can check the fit by installing the rotor on backwards, it needs to slip on easy) Next machine the outer diameter of the flange so the TOP HAT of the rotor slips over it. The outer edge the flange will have to be beveled slightly for the rotor to sit flush with the flange.
A couple of things were accomplished here 1- Now your Dodge rims fit. 2- Original caliper can be used and your using a OEM rotor from Dodge. 3-Rotor fits on from the outside allowing for easier replacement and brake work.

Now for the ABS ring (if needed) Machine the hub on the outside where the hub seal is located. The outside diameter needed to be machined is 2 thousands bigger than the inside diameter of the ABS ring (press fit)

To install if you don’t have press: Place the hubs in the freezer (unless you live in Alaska like me than just place the hubs outside) put the hubs in a garbage bag(so wife won’t get mad at you, unless you like greasy burritos and pizza) with the opening up giving quick easy access. Next turn on the oven to 450 degrees and place the ABS rings inside. Once the rings reach temp take one out with a pair of pliers (HOT, HOT) open up the freezer leaving the hubs inside and drop the ring onto the hub might need to slightly tap the rings on with a small ball peen hammer, do the same with the other ring. You have to be quick about doing this or the rings will contract.

Now your machining is done unless you don’t have a 5/8 drill bit, than at this time have the machine shop drill out all the lug stud holes to 5/8, this will allow you to use your original studs and lug nuts.

TEAR DOWN


SAFETY FIRST:
Unless your using a lift, than use wheel chocks and jack stands always. If you think you need gloves and safety glasses than you do. No modification is worth it if you die or are injured.
At this time I will state that I’m not a engineer and these modifications are upon you to do and I will not take any responsibility for your mistakes.

Tools that I forgot:
Cold chisel x 2 smaller the better
Antiseeze
½ drill bit
Torch Maybe??
WD 40 Maybe??

Chock the rear wheels, set the parking brake and place the front axle up on jack stands. Remove the tires/rims, at this time take the pry bar and pry on the caliper and compress the caliper pistons (look at the caliper and study how they move and you can figure out where to pry) by doing this it makes it easier so that later you don’t have to compress the piston with a c-clamp, its also quicker, less time consuming this way.
Remove the two bolts with a 16mm 12pt socket that hold the caliper and tie it up with string to the coil spring, keeps it out of the way and keeps it from dangling off of the brake hose, which is bad.
Remove the rotor, if this has never been done before then you may have little tin washer things still holding it on, just cut them off with a pair of dikes (alternative lifestyle cutters) throw the tin washers away, not needed. (only needed on the assembly line to keep the rotor in place until the caliper is installed)
Remove the cotter pin from the big nut on the end of the axle shaft, remove nut 1 ¾ socket. Take the 6lb hammer and tap the end of the axle shaft and see if it moves in, if not than its rusted in and it will be a ***** to remove the hub.
Steer the hub to one side and you will see two 14mm 12pt bolts next to the axle u-joint, remove these. Steer the hub to the other direction and you will see the other two bolts, remove these also, take the hammer and cold chisel and start tapping the cold chisel between the hub and outer knuckle, you will have to keep working from side to side. If its rusted in than you will need a torch and WD 40 and heat up the outer knuckle only, your trying to use heat to expand the inner diameter of the hole in the outer knuckle. Once heated “lightly” spray WD 40, the heat will draw the WD 40 into the crack between the hub and outer knuckle. Keep working the cold chisels and hammer from side to side and the hub will eventually come out with a combination of heat, WD 40 and chisels.
Once the hub is out, pull out the axle shaft.
Place axle shaft in vise and remove the axle stub shaft with u-joint leaving inner shaft without the u-joint on it.
If you have never removed a u-joint don’t forget there are snap rings holding it in place, you will need to remove these first. Do the tear down on the other side the same way.

Excellent write up, Pics or drawings would top it off nicely. Especially for the machining work.
Wonder if it would work on my dually.:o

Dually would definitly be different. It would take a totally different hub.

THE INSTALL

More tools I forgot:
Angle grinder. Use safety glasses at all times
Triangle file or 5/8 die coarse
¼ drill bit
Needle nose pliers
Feeler gauge
¼ thick x ½ wide x 1 3/4 inch long plate of steel
Zip ties

Take the Ford spindle put some antiseeze on the back side of the flange around the lip this well assist in installing and removal and then tap with hammer into the outer knuckle, the groove that is on the outer section of the spindle were the threads are, needs to be near the top. There is 5 bolt holes on the flange of the spindle, two of them will be on the bottom running parallel with the ground, these two bolt holes will be very, very close to the bottom two holes on the knuckle. (Center the bottom two holes on the spindle between the two holes on the bottom of the knuckle)
Take your ½ drill and ½ drill bit and drill into the knuckle about 1/16 deep on all 5 bolt holes. (This will give you perfect center on all the holes when you go to drill for the smaller holes that will have the 7/16 studs in them).
Remove the spindle. Take the 5/8 tap and tap the two bottom holes on the knuckle.

Cut 4 1 inch long pieces off of the 5/8 bolts or 5/8 all thread, clean up the thread with a small triangle file or 5/8 die, next put a slot on top of each of the 5/8 studs you just made with the hacksaw. Take two of the 5/8 studs and screw them into the two bottom holes on the knuckle with a screw driver using the slot you just cut. Leave the studs flush with surface. The other two studs are for the other side.

THE NO TURN AROUND POINT IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO STOCK YOU WILL HAVE TO BUY NEW OUTER KNUCKLES

Weld the two studs in place, weld to the outside half of the two studs not all the way around or on the inside. Grind the weld flush, use some/amps heat when welding, you want the penetration.

Why are we welding the 5/8 studs in place. The two bottom holes that you will drill for the 7/16 studs are to close to the two bottom holes of the knuckle that you just got done welding and will not have any meat to hold them into place. Those two holes are probably the two most important holes out of the five. THINK PHYSICS

Reinstall the spindle, if you did your grinding correctly it should sit flush. Make sure all five holes on the spindle match up to the five centering holes you did earlier. Take the 3/8 drill and ¼ drill bit and drill about 1 ¼ deep leaving the spindle still installed as a reference to make sure your drilling straight. Take the drill bit (forgot the size, I think it’s a 5/16 drill bit, not real sure) needed for the 7/16 tap and run it through all 5 holes. Next using the starter 7/16 tap, tap the holes blow out the holes and then run the 7/16 bottoming tap through all 5 holes.

Why are we drilling the knuckle and not drilling and tapping the spindle. The spindle is almost as hard as the drill bit on the Rockwell hardness gauge. I know cause I tried to tap one of the holes on the spindle and ruined a tap. Besides five 7/16 studs are stronger then four 13mm bolts.

Install five 7/16 studs. Use two lock nuts back to back on the stud to tighten them into place.

Remove the spindle. Install the Chevy outer axle stub shafts to the inner axle shafts using the new u-joints. Grease the u-joints at this time with Lucas grease. Install the axles into the axle tubes taking care not to shove hard or you will ruin the inner axle seals and leak all your gear fluid out. Grease the inner spindle brg with Lucas grease also put some grease on the spindle seal and both sides of the bronze washer. Next install the spindle and tighten down the five locknuts.

Take the Ford hub and pack some Lucas grease in between the two brg cones, pack the two brgs with grease, install the hub seal, dab some grease also between the two lips of the seal, makes seal last longer. Install hub and outer brg. Tighten (tight, your trying to seat the brg) the inner nut while turning the hub, stop turning the hub, back off nut ½ turn and retighten between light and firm. Install the funky washer with holes in it lining it up with the little tit on the inner nut. Install the outer nut and tighten real tight.

Here is the tricky part: ABS.
Your going to make a adapter plate that welds to the spindle flange and places the sensor over the ABS ring
Take a piece of ¼ thick x ½ wide x 1 ¾ inch long steel plate and drill two holes spaced and sized for the ABS sensor take your measurements off of the old hub for the size and spacing between the holes. Make sure that where you place the holes in the plate that the sensor hole will line up directly over the ABS ring. You will use a longer bolt and nut to secure the sensor to the plate.
Mount the sensor to the plate, attach the needle nose pliers. Lay the sensor on top of the sensor ring with a 10 thousandth feeler gauge in between sensor and ring and do 3 small tack welds, remove sensor and lay a good bead across the plate and spindle flange. Let plate cool. Reinstall sensor and check to see if you have 10 thousandth clearance adjust as necessary to get the correct clearance. Attach the ABS sensor wire to the knuckle with the zip ties

Intall the part time hub or auto hub if your old like me. Don’t forget the snap rings.

Slip on the new rotor and install the calipers.

Do the same to the other side.

Remember to lightly pump your brake pedal before trying to drive off. You need to bring the caliper pistons out and put the pads up against the rotor. The brakes may pull a little at first to one side or the other until the pads get broke into the new rotor. It may also feel like the brakes do not stop you as well, the pads need to be broke into the new rotors. Before you drive off make sure you check the brake fluid.

If the ABS light stays on then the sensor may be getting old and you can adjust the plate closer or their is debris sticking to the bottom side of the sensor.

I hope I didn’t forget anything. Sorry that I kept listing more tools that were needed later in the article but I’m old and forgetful. As I wrote this up then I would remember how I did certain aspects of the job.

JOOPS, Thanks for the write up. Will this work for the '94-'99 CAD Dana 60 front axles? From your poll post, I'm guessing it won't. I just noticed you have a 2002 truck. Awsome work and thanks for sharing you hard work. Regards, Glen

I'm not sure for the 94 through 99 if it will work. I think the two areas that would cause problems would be with the brake rotor and the axle stub shaft length.

wow im going to have to start reading, thanks for the info

Here it is again, for everyones enjoyment

are you better off going with a EMS kit?

has anyone else actually done this conversion?
looks like a ton of chasing all sorts of different parts.

It may look like a ton of chasing parts. If you go to a wrecking yard and the local parts store with a list of everything needed you can more than likely pick up everything needed in one day.
Here is the nice thing about this conversion. Anywhere you go in North America you will be able to find the parts except the ABS tone ring.
Even the EMS kit can not say that about its hub and spindle which are custom.
Granted the Hub in this kit is a standard Ford D60 Hub that is machined to accept the ABS ring and Dodge rotor and rim. Once it is done, even if a hub goes bad you can pick up a new/used hub anywhere and take it along with the old hub to any machine shop and have the new hub machined for cheap.

J OOPS, just out of curiosity, why did you use Ford stuff? The reason I ask is because of the 5 bolt pattern, would it have been better to grab either Dodge or Chevy spindles, etc to get the 6 bolt pattern?

Here it is again for people who are asking.

Jim, any reason you used the Ford stuff?

Chevy and Dodge use a 6 bolt spindle, and are approx .600 narrower per side, which would put you very close to the same track as original.