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My Dana 70 disc brake conversion (W/ Pics & Questions)

MTMike

MTMike

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So I dove head-over-heels into my Dana 70 today to start the disc conversion.

My brackets are 14BFF brackets that were won in a drawing from Ruff Stuff Specialties (Thanks GravelMaker) They have a slight offset:

Here are some pics:
normal_pa210001.jpg

The drum w/ the hub separated

normal_pa210002.jpg

The back side of the hub

normal_pa210003.jpg

The front side of the hub

normal_pa210004.jpg

The spindle

normal_pa210005.jpg

With the offest I need the brackets about 1.5" closer to the rotor to properly locate the caliper

normal_pa210007.jpg

normal_pa210009.jpg


So, now to the questions:
Can I build or have built a spacer and run 1.375" longer G8 bolts or is that too much length to make it unsafe? Or should I get weld-on brackets, weld the brackets to the axle where they sit? I'm leaning towards the spacers for 2 reasons.
1) It's only 1.375" due to the offset of the RSS brackets.
2) I don't have access to a welder powerful enough that I can bring to my house.

I will head the spacer route unless someone on here says it's a really bad idea.

Also, is the seal on the back of the hub enough to keep dirt & water out of the bearings without being inside of the drum?

Thanks for any and all input!
 
Bolts won't work. You could weld it on but not sure you can weld it where it needs to go. Best idea is build new mount. making or building a spacer may work depending on how it is done. Its only your brakes so its no big deal :D
 
kgblazerfive said:
Bolts won't work. You could weld it on but not sure you can weld it where it needs to go. Best idea is build new mount. making or building a spacer may work depending on how it is done. Its only your brakes so its no big deal :D
Click to expand...
I'm not thinking just putting longer bolts... I'm thinking of a 1.375" solid steel spacer that fits over the spindle with the same bolt pattern as the mounting flange with 2.5" G8 bolts. The bolts will go thru the back of the flange, thru the spacer and into the caliper mounting brackets
 
ok that makes me feel better:D I think that that should work you could always weld it to the caliper mount which would be the same as doing a new mount.
 
Since the 70 and 14FF are essentially the same if I were lucky enough to find a wide 14FF I could weld a new mount on the axle for the caliper bracket just like a 70 then eh?

Ira
 
kgblazerfive said:
Think i would be ok only moving the front ones
Click to expand...

I wouldn't recommend it. Your shackle angle would suck

normal_P1010014%7E2.JPG


Look at where the shackle would be if I didn't move the mount... it would be vertical
 
If you put 56s in it does not require you to move the rear mount but you will have to notch the front of the body mount behind the shackle due to interference.

Ira
 
sandawgk5 said:
If you put 56s in it does not require you to move the rear mount but you will have to notch the front of the body mount behind the shackle due to interference.

Ira
Click to expand...

To the best of my knowledge, yes.
 
My problem is I don't want to strip the truck down to nothing and have it end up sitting forever cause I have so much to do with it. So I am trying to see what I can do least amount of work wise to put 56in in ft and 63 in back. I have a set of 4 in normal fronts and shakle flip for the back just trying to limit my down time and my building new drive shafts costs.

Un high jack
do they make disc brake stuff for the 70 I noticed that the 60 parts are a lot harder to find then 14bolt
 
Kert at DIY4x has brackets for the 52's so that you do not need to move your upper shackle mount in the frame. I think they are like $150 for the pair, but it saves you a lot of work.
 
Mike, I would think a spacer would be ok, in fact I'm thinking about doing this on mine to allow me to run SRW hubs on my D70. The only problem I see would be the possible overlap of the axle flange and caliper bracket bolt patterns. If some holes overlap only parcially (creating oval holes) that might allow the bracket to move when braking.

What about getting the spacers, then cutting the caliper brackets and welding the two together so you end up with a spacer with caliper "ears"?
 
Interesting......

We don't yet make one for the D70 besides the weld on style, however it dosen't look too complicated to make it with just a greater bend. Is the flange the same?
 
Yes, the 14 bolt and D70HD flange is the same. The only real diff between the two is the D70HD uses studs and nut whereas the 14 bolt is threaded.

Gravel Maker, if you went with a greater bend would it be necessary to gusset it?
 
nvrenuf said:
Yes, the 14 bolt and D70HD flange is the same. The only real diff between the two is the D70HD uses studs and nut whereas the 14 bolt is threaded.

Gravel Maker, if you went with a greater bend would it be necessary to gusset it?
Click to expand...

i would . and i think any more bend will make it weaker.

i run 3/4 ton frt backing plates with 3/4 ton ford ttb frt rotors and a spacer between the backing plate and the flange on the axle. it works good. no problems ever. the ford rotor has a deeper backspace in it. you might want to try that to help cut down the distence needed on the spacer.

3/4 ton ford 4x4 truck with twin ibeam front rotors are deeper back spaceing than gm 3/4 tons.
 
Gravel Maker said:
We don't yet make one for the D70 besides the weld on style, however it dosen't look too complicated to make it with just a greater bend. Is the flange the same?
Click to expand...
Yes, the flange bolted up w/ the stock bolts just fine.... the only thing making it not fit (and I knew it wouldn't but I wanted to see where I could go with it) is the offset. It looks like it would be about 1-3/8" more towards the rotor at the same height

So could you set a spacer or something for me? It shouldn't be anything too terribly difficult

I'll probably give you a call on Monday and talk to you about it.

Thanks,
Mike
 
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