Dana 80 front

[FSJ-Jackson]

Is there such thing as a Dana 80 front end? I have heard of, and seen, dana 80 rears. This guy I know says he has a front 80 but I think he is full of Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley. I might have an opportunity to go to his house and see this supposed "Dana 80" front tomorrow. If I go I will let you all know.

[Gwamp]

If it is a rear axle that has been modified(flipped) it is possible. Other than that, they did not make a front D-80(as far as I know). However, it is possible to make one as some people have done the flip and modification necessary with the chevy 14 bolts. It could also be a front D-70 as they did make those. If it is some odd ball wacko combo, take a pic and show us!

[ColeTrickle]

If there was such a thing...would the flip and modify thing be horrible on oiling? I mean if it was a rear end to begin with. Wouldn't a std. rotation being driving in reverse cause excessive wear?

[Gwamp]

They reverse cut the gears and make new oiling passages. I'll have to see if I cannot dig up the pics of the 14 front.

[Gwamp]

Here it is:

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Misc-Pictures/John_Sumner_5.jpeg

[scotty]

when a rear axle is converted to a front,it is not neccessary to flip it. matter of fact,if you do flip it and spin the drivesahft the same direction,you will go backwards when you put in "drive" :eek: a rev cut housing is specially made,and flippig a standard cut housing causes the oiling prollems that were mentioned.

the 14 bolt above is still standard cut and non flipped. it is really cool,IMO,id love to make one. only real prollem with doin it is that the 30 spline shafts are kind of an oddball. if the 14 bolt used 35 spline shafts and i could use 60 shafts in it,id be all about makin a front 14 bolt :cool: but having custom shafts made kinda puts the project out of my scope of "do-ability" the custom shafts and the simple finding of at least 60 spec inner knuckle yokes,knuckles,etc.

you can tell the housing is not flipped by comparing the cover to the my non flipped rear:
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/slippery1972/vwp?.dir=/scotty&.src=ph&.dnm=14bolt_3.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/bc/slippery1972/lst%3f%26.dir=/scotty%26.src=ph%26.view=t

you can tell its not rev cut by lookig at the pinion in other pics of it. they used a standard center section in making it. definatly really,really,cool,tho...

the only front dana 80 ive ever seen pics of or heard about was a in one of the mags

[ December 19, 2002, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: scotty ]

[Gwamp]

You're right Scotty, I was thinking and not looking. I thought that they had to get a set of reverse cut gears to do that and flip it. DOH! :D That's what I get for thinking! ;)

[Stuka]

A Rig i was looking at by my work that is being built has a huge front axle, bigger then a 60 (had a 60 on the ford that I brought down there, and the 60 was smaller).

Its a 87 chevy pickup short bed with 42x19 TSL's. It has frame drops and the head lights have been lowered to make it legal. But the front pig is gigantic. I know its a 14FF rear. But no clueont he front. Does the dana70 have a bigger pig then a d60?

[FSJ-Jackson]

Dana 70's have larger housings than the 60's but they use a 60 cover. That makes it so that there is a gap all the way around the cover.

[FSJ-Jackson]

Hey Scotty, how does your front 44 hold up to those 38's? I have a friend who has a 71 GMC 3/4 ton pickup with a HD Dana 44 front and he has broke more front axle shafts & u-joints than I can count. BTW I like yer rig.

[scotty]

thanx smile.gif the 44 holds up pretty good for what it is. when i ran an automatic and was alot easier on it,it held up great. ive broken 2 u joints to date. the manual trans helps alot in the parts breakage dept. ;) and my driving style has become more agressive. i think i get away with the 44,cause i like to keep my rig in 2wd until i need the front,so the rear definately takes a bigger part of the abuse.

i am prolly going to swap in a 10 bolt front for the simple reason that kyrel has a crapload of 10 bolt parts,and a set of 4.10 gears that hell hook me up with. long as its not to big a chore to spring it under,il prolly do it.

whenever ithe10 bolt or 44 becomes in adequate,i have a 35 spline close knuckle dana 70 front waiting patiently to replace it. ill keep a 10 bolt or 44 as long as breakage stays at a minimum. i dont really want to add all that weight of the front d70 unless i have to...

i used to break rear 44s,now the rear axle is holding up nicely and i break spicer 18 transfer cases. im going back to a d20,and if i break those as well,ive got an sm465/205 that should be able to hold up ;) i have a feeling that once i have a transfer case that doesnt break, the broken u joints and shafts are gonna start happening more often :eek:

stuka,like j10jackson said,the d70 has a bigger center section,tho it does use the same cover. it also has extra webbing that does make it look big vcompared to 60.

is this guys axle open kunckle? if so,he may have a very rare open knuckle 70.from what ive been told,they came mostly under motor homes.

[Stuka]

Yes its a open knuckle. I will try to get picts of it, i may be going by there today.

[Bob Barry]

I'd like to see the pics. It could be a D80; Dana would build whatever the manufacturer spec'd an axle at, so if some maker (probably I-H) needed a super heavy-duty axle for some contract, I imagine they'd send Dana the specs for weight and torque capacity, then Dana would build the axle to suit that application. If the closest thing to those specs would be a D80, then they'd build up a batch of those and ship them to the manufacturer.

See if he'll take $500 for it... :D

[tuck]

I'm willing to wager that it's a dana 60... 60 and 80 look quite a bit alike when they are cast onto the center section. And it is a big axle. If you don't want it, send it my way. ;)

[FSJ-Jackson]

I wasn't able to go today but I will go on monday. The thing that interests me is that he says he has a couple Dana 60 front ends and a Dana 80 front. So either he is confusing dana 44's as 60's and 60's or 70's as 80's or he might actually have an 80.