The "other" Dana axle. SuperDuty Dana 50 - axle gurus?

[DavidB]

Yoo da mang.

 

[MaxPF]

I agree with the wear problem, esp under a heavy diesel. Mine went throught front end parts like nothin'. Probably partly due to minimal maint and lots of dirt and water miles.

The last sentence is the key. Most people (average vehicle owners) never grease their ball joints. The kingpins can tolerate sloppy maintenance since they have a roller bearing in em, but ball joints will go south. Also, the quality of the ball joint makes a big difference.

 

[FOR MUD]

All the trucks at work [2000 f-450s] have the Dana 50s in them. The ball joints last 100.000 to 150.000 miles with stock tires and a full load [12.000lbs to 14.000lbs ] the wheel hubs last a little less. We also snow plow with these trucks . The locking hubs last about the same . So I don't think this axles are all that "weak"

 

[Confedneck79K30]

you have a 450 with a d50? are you sure? i was under the impression they were only used in 250s and SOME, albeit very few 350s...

 

[FOR MUD]

I'm not 100% sure. what else could they be...unit bearings,ball-joints,auto hubs. I'm going to have to see if they any #s on the the housings .

 

[DavidB]

50s and 60s have the same balljoints, hubs, knuckles, etc. outside. 50s just have smaller internal parts. 450s must have 60s.

 

[Confedneck79K30]

exakaly mi amigo.... a 50 does not have internal parts strong enough to be used in a 1 1/4 ton suspended truck, that only has a 32" tallx10"wide tire, so why run 38x16s on one?

 

[Jishory]

look for a kodiak to pull the dana 70 front out of

 

[DavidB]

ooooooo Or a marmon-herrinton...all the 6 wheel drive power company trucks here have 'em. and there's an equipment sales yard with a 4x4 crewcab international for sale....daddy likes. I wish I could afford something like that.