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Alright so the fun is just starting! I figured I would post up a build thread since there arent really all that many hardcore build threads on WF, maybe I can motivate some people! This is my first time ever attempting anything like this. I have tons of help here from the club but if anyone has any advice I am more than willing to listen!
I have been running a trussed Dana 30 with 37's for the last 10000 miles, and I just dont feel comfortable with that and there is no way I am going smaller than 37".
a tube buggy guy from the club had a spare unmolested Dana 60 laying around. I figured that would give me some confidence! I paid a little more than I wanted to for it, $1100, but if you read on you will see that it was worth it. It was pulled from a 91 F350 SRW. has everything from wheel to wheel.
we picked it up in the kandy van/tow rig. it barely fit!
Alright, now I have seen used gears before, and assuming the old ford had at least 300,000 miles on it like they usually do, it looks to me like these arent the original gears. they are 4.10's. Not sure how I feel about them.... I know I will have to regear my rear 44 which currently has 3.73's, but the little voice in me says I need to go ahead and pull out these great looking gears. Better in the long run.
when I opened her up not even a quart of oil came out, and it was leaking badly around the pinion. if I had left it pinion down overnight I am sure it would have been empty.
30 spline outers, 35 inners. I know eventually I will be upgrading to 35 spline outers, but since I am only running 37's for now, 30 spline shafts will be fine until I can come up with the cash. Besides, I really want to use these Superwinch locking hubs that came on it. Another thing that caught my eye, that grease looks brand new. It doesnt even look like it had a chance to get slung around. The wheel bearings themselves look great but Ill be replacing them anyways.
Found another goodie when I took the rotors off of the spindle, they were clearly machined recently and I dont think they drove a mile after. Hell even the brake pads are brand new! Pistons look awesome!
These U-Joints still have a few thousand miles on them!
Currently I am stuck trying to get the lower kingpins off of the knuckle. its a pin with a cap that mounts flush to the underside of the knuckle with 4 bolts. It is so flush that I can not pry it out and I really dont want to damage the cast. Ill probably make a tool to allow me to twist it using 2 of the 4 bolt holes. The upper kingpins look great. I wouldnt be surprised if they were new.
And that is where I am on the teardown. My plans are to have dynatrac hook me up with ABS, regear it to 513-538, new joints, fab my own double tri 4 link, ARB locker, hydro assist, tie rod, complete bearing and seal rebuild, King 14" coilovers and maybe Artec's new truss. This will be a long slow build on a tiny budget but it will get done right. Further on down the road I plan on installing a 14b rear, because a 44 back there is just silly!
I have been running a trussed Dana 30 with 37's for the last 10000 miles, and I just dont feel comfortable with that and there is no way I am going smaller than 37".
a tube buggy guy from the club had a spare unmolested Dana 60 laying around. I figured that would give me some confidence! I paid a little more than I wanted to for it, $1100, but if you read on you will see that it was worth it. It was pulled from a 91 F350 SRW. has everything from wheel to wheel.
we picked it up in the kandy van/tow rig. it barely fit!
Alright, now I have seen used gears before, and assuming the old ford had at least 300,000 miles on it like they usually do, it looks to me like these arent the original gears. they are 4.10's. Not sure how I feel about them.... I know I will have to regear my rear 44 which currently has 3.73's, but the little voice in me says I need to go ahead and pull out these great looking gears. Better in the long run.
when I opened her up not even a quart of oil came out, and it was leaking badly around the pinion. if I had left it pinion down overnight I am sure it would have been empty.
30 spline outers, 35 inners. I know eventually I will be upgrading to 35 spline outers, but since I am only running 37's for now, 30 spline shafts will be fine until I can come up with the cash. Besides, I really want to use these Superwinch locking hubs that came on it. Another thing that caught my eye, that grease looks brand new. It doesnt even look like it had a chance to get slung around. The wheel bearings themselves look great but Ill be replacing them anyways.
Found another goodie when I took the rotors off of the spindle, they were clearly machined recently and I dont think they drove a mile after. Hell even the brake pads are brand new! Pistons look awesome!
These U-Joints still have a few thousand miles on them!
Currently I am stuck trying to get the lower kingpins off of the knuckle. its a pin with a cap that mounts flush to the underside of the knuckle with 4 bolts. It is so flush that I can not pry it out and I really dont want to damage the cast. Ill probably make a tool to allow me to twist it using 2 of the 4 bolt holes. The upper kingpins look great. I wouldnt be surprised if they were new.
And that is where I am on the teardown. My plans are to have dynatrac hook me up with ABS, regear it to 513-538, new joints, fab my own double tri 4 link, ARB locker, hydro assist, tie rod, complete bearing and seal rebuild, King 14" coilovers and maybe Artec's new truss. This will be a long slow build on a tiny budget but it will get done right. Further on down the road I plan on installing a 14b rear, because a 44 back there is just silly!
