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Dana 70 front?

SUPER'BURB

1/2 ton status
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Jan 9, 2005
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Location
Mountain House, Ca.
I just bumped into a local add with a dana 70 FRONT and rear for $650.

I can't tell in the pic (it is not a good shot) if it is a 60 front.


Did they ever make a 70 front?


If yes what would be the draw backs?

If no I'll let you know what it is after I check it out closer.


Thanks,
Jess
 
SUPER'BURB said:
I just bumped into a local add with a dana 70 FRONT and rear for $650.

I can't tell in the pic (it is not a good shot) if it is a 60 front.


Did they ever make a 70 front?


If yes what would be the draw backs?

If no I'll let you know what it is after I check it out closer.


Thanks,
Jess

Yea they made them...I belive they look just like a 60 but have a bigger center section. Kingpins-35 spline etc...

Im betting ts heavy and its going to have worse ground clearance...
 
I also believe it may have drum brakes.
 
Don't know much about the 70's.

So a couple of questions.....

1) Much ground clearance to be made with shaving? (I've been looking a 42's -44's so that should help some)

2) Would the disk brake stuff for a 3/4 ton swap over to it?

3) This one might sound dumb but what kinda strength are we talking about (compared to a 60)?

I'm not too worried about weight or I wouldn't drive a Burb.
 
I dont have tons of info on the 70. It would depend on when it was made. If its closed knuckle/ drums stay away.

Id be willing to bet that its a 60/70 combo though.

Shaving would offer some but not tons. I dont belive the 70 has a lip, and if it does, its not huge.

A open knuckle 70 would be stronger than a 60. 35 spline stubs, not sure about the inners. The ring gear is 10.5 not 9.5.

As far as knuckles/ brakes/ kingpins idk
 
Other than the center and stubs, there aren't too many differences between them. I have yet to find a 70 front that wasn't closed knuckle drum brake. They are out there tho. But if it's a closed knuckle, pass.
 
Thanks guys I just got off the phone with the guy. It is a closed knuckle drum brake front. So I will need to keep searching.

What the hell is the diff. between open and close knuckles?

Sorry for the noob question.
 
SUPER'BURB said:
Thanks guys I just got off the phone with the guy. It is a closed knuckle drum brake front. So I will need to keep searching.

What the hell is the diff. between open and close knuckles?

Sorry for the noob question.

The knuckles are fully enclosed wher a open knuckle is just a c with a bigger c outside of it... hard to explain. Do a google image seach...:wink1:
 
Well, other than the more common, famous and popular closed knuckle version of the D70 front, there is an open knuckled D70 front axle. It was offered in some motorhomes. I'm not even sure what years, models or makes it was offered in, but yes, there are some out there. They are even passenger side differential, too, and use the bigger C's than a standard D60.

I found info on Pirate about it and printed the thread off. I will get the prints and then type in the link to see if it still shows up on Pirate. But wait til tomorrow to check back as I'm tired and heading to bed soon.

I also know Steve Gerstner at Differential Engineering has a few of these rare fronts. He has one on his site and you can view the pic, too. I emailed him to ask if he had any and he did and wanted like $3500 for it at that time which was about 4 or 5 years ago. I don't even know if he still has them now.
 
Oh yeah, these motorhome D70 fronts used disc brakes and "con-vel" joints in the axle shafts instead of common u-joints.
 
As mentioned The open knuckle d 70s have larger inner C's and the knuckles are also larger. My brother has a pair, I could take a pic next time I see him if anyone is interested?
 
muddermilitia said:
As mentioned The open knuckle d 70s have larger inner C's and the knuckles are also larger. My brother has a pair, I could take a pic next time I see him if anyone is interested?
I've seen a pic of them side by side somewhere. The D70 knuckles and C's are considerably thicker and wider than the D60's.
But do post up pics for us to view. :wink1:
 
Big91RustyBucket said:
I would be interested to see the part's that are going to = The new rig wink wink ;)
Well I can't show too much, im kinda keeping it a secret around here :whistle:
 
thatK30guy said:
I've seen a pic of them side by side somewhere. The D70 knuckles and C's are considerably thicker and wider than the D60's.
But do post up pics for us to view. :wink1:
Will do. Probably be thursday or friday
 
Meanwhile, I will still try to find the link to the Pirate thread...
 
thatK30guy said:
I've seen a pic of them side by side somewhere. The D70 knuckles and C's are considerably thicker and wider than the D60's.
But do post up pics for us to view. :wink1:

Check out the D60 bible on pirate if you want to see a closeup of the two next to each other. Some early Dodge D60's got these beefy C's also, but not sure what dictated that they did. I have a '78 Dodge D60 that had 4.10s, and I met a fellow who has the same year axle, but it has 4.88's and the bigger C's.
 

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