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Posted by Tom in Indiana [166.198.202.220] on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 04:09:58 :
As you guys know, I'm slowly acquiring what I can to put a 360 and Dana housings in my '50. I saw an add in the local Craigslist that sounded too good to be true: a complete rear Dana 70HD, factory disc brakes, 4.56 gears, 67" WMD and 41" perch spacing for $125. The only drawbacks were that it was a 10-lug pattern and open carrier (non-powerlok/sure-grip/posi). Since I'd heard that converting to 8-lug was not too awful difficult, and knowing our trucks were open carrier from the factory, I went ahead and bought it. I haven't checked the BOM to see what it came out of yet, but my guess would be a motorhome. In the process of getting it home and into the garage, I've learned the true definitions of both "weighs a ton", and "massive". I thought 60s were big; they're nowhere even close. I'd use it for a bomb shelter, were I able to squeeze into it.
Finding a 10-lug front is not gonna happen, is it? Did I just end up buying trade material, scrap, or is it really something that I can pretty easily coax underneath my truck? With my tire, transmission and camshaft choices, 4.56 gears are ideal for driving it every day, yet still have the ability to pull my mother-in-law's house down if the need arises. I know that a '77-79 Fjord 3/4-ton Dana 60 is basically a direct bolt-in and there are a BUNCH of them around here (reason being the trucks are junk, anyway), but I have only found 4.10 gearsets in all instances. If I was running 35" tires, that'd be perfect. I'm not, and I won't be, unless someone donates a new set of TrXus' for the cause. $1500 for new skins, I ain't got! My 39.5" ones are basically new, and look just right (or wrong, according to the purists) for it.
I'm at the junction of giving up on ever getting the truck dependable enough to daily drive and actually seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. About a month ago, I told my wife I just wanted to sell all three trucks and buy a newer, diesel, 4x4 truck that I'll hate, but at least I'll not have to constantly get crushed by disappointment and setback upon setback. I hate having every decision turning out to be the wrong one. What I need to know is, what do I do from here? I can get a front D60 from a '70s Dodge for $300. That's simple enough, given the money becoming available. Someone out there has the skill, time, money, and resources to get blank Dana hubs/rotors, that can machine them to accept the factory WDX/B/C/WM bolt pattern. It's a small audience who would purchase them, but the machining and blanks would be easy and inexpensive. Granting someone would do it, my problem would be instantly solved, along with many others of us who would prefer to have better axle options while keeping the 5-lug pattern.
Getting back on topic, what do you guys recommend? I'm going to Danas, regardless. My "yard truck" '54 will get the originals from my '50, for safekeeping. If it would just be better to sell both salvageable trucks(the '47 isn't saveable, but has a completely intact drivetrain), buy a body and a newer frame to set it on, and shortcut a bunch, then... anyone want to buy a couple? I LOVE my '50. The only thing I want to be able to do is drive it every day, and if I want to drive an hour away, I can do so. In an hour. I'm lost, and need your advice. Many thanks to Bill in PA and Ron for the encouragement and kind words over the years- I'll never forget it. Caio!
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