Dana 70 vs. Dana 80

[John]

One thing I would like to add (that I have also stated before), I have witnessed quite a high percentage of Dana 80 equipped Rams at the dealer being rebuilt when compared to Dana 70s. This is per casual observations made by myself at three different local Dodge dealers.



Just FYI

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

The Dana 60 and 70 use the same size of side bearings on the carrier; the 80 uses about 40% bigger bearings. This may be more useful than the increase in ring gear size. The pinion gear and bearings may also be bigger on the 80; the nut gets torqued a lot tighter. If you have the covers side by side you can see the 80's is noticeably taller in the ring gear area. The housing is probably stronger and the axle tubes are bigger diameter, necked down at the brake ends for the Dana 70 brakes etc.



You can get a Detroit Locker for 4. 10 ratio but not 3. 54.

 

[1tuffram]

While on the topic of axles, has anyone heard anymore info on whether or not DC will be dropping DANA and going with American Axle in the 2003 RAMs? What about the 2002 1500 RAMS, anyone know what axle is being used on them?



Now that I'm thinking about it, wasn't the reason for this rumored dropping Dana because of quality control issues? Think it was the Jeeps and Dakotas with the most problems (correct me if I'm wrong, but memory is poor). We have heard of numerous RAM owners having problems with axle seals. Interesting point made in an earlier post is most all problems are with the Dana 80. Could the problem be with this "hybrid" design DC wants Dana to make? After all the Dana 80 in our trucks is not the "real deal". DC wants Dana to mix and match 70 and 80 axle parts. I'm no engineer, but this sounds like a set-up for potential problems. Is it coinsidental most "Hybrid" Dana 80 problems are leaking axle seals, which fits Dana 70 axle shafts into Dana 80 axle tubes. Hmmm... makes me wonder if Dana can really be blamed for these problems. Does the "true" Dana 80 with the 10 bolt lug pattern have these problems???

 

[THubbard]

Hey 1tuffram... ... . are you saying there are two versions of the Dana 80... I ask the parts person at the DC dealer and he claims there is only one Dana 80; but then when I looked for a solution to my "no limited slip" rear end I got questions as to rather it had 10 or 12 bolts in the cover. What is the real story...



I am confused and with out a limited slip. I know PowerTrax makes a locker; but I think that would be too harsh for just driving I-40 hauling a 5th wheel.



If anyone out there is going to replace a 3. 54 limited slip with a locker let me know. I would be very interested in it. If the unit is fairly new I would be willing too "work a deal" in exchange for the origional LS.

Tom

 

[1tuffram]

THubbard,

I probably should not of said anything since I'm no axle gearhead and don't know all the facts. My impression is that yes only one Dana 80 is offered in the Dodge application. However, the Dodge Dana 80 is a "hybrid" or Modified version of the genuine Dana 80. As stated in a previous post this Hybrid design is composed of the Dana 80 center section and Dana 80 axle tubes, but the axle shafts and brake backing plate are from a Dana 70. A previous post by Speedo had a good explanation for the reason of the Hybrid design. I'm speculating Dodge engineers and bean counters figured a true Dana 80 axle was over-kill and not cost effective. And probably there was hurdles to jump to get a true Dana 80 axle to fit and work properly on the RAM trucks. I'm thinking these (and probably other) issues lead to the Dodge Hybrid design, kind of a compromise. I'm thinking that the Hybrid design also saved Dodge a few dollars since some Dana 80 components are replaced with Dana 70 components in the areas engineers felt the beef of a Dana 80 was unnecessary. Who knows, maybe part of it had to do with marketing, that way Dodge could have bragging rights of Dana 80's being standard equip on manual transmission trucks. Like I said this only speculation on my part and I probably should not have even posted because I do not know the facts or the reasoning for the Dodge Dana 80 hybrid design. Sorry to cause confusion. Hopefully someone more knowledgable about all this will chime-in and straighten-out this can of worms I've opened.

 

[Don M]

1tuffram,



the hybrid was designed to give more ground clearance. Ever seen the true 80 housing. Hangs down a bunch. The hybrid housing is a different design altogether. thats the only reason I know of. Cost cutting, like you suggest would not surprise me either.





Don~

 

[THubbard]

Fair enough. I made a mistake and did not check the parts list when I bought my 2500 SLT PLUS. I thought, incorrectly, that it had all the bells and whistles. This truck needs a limited slip diff. It has so much torque in low that you can get stuck on wet grass in a level field. Of course you can soft pedal it in 2nd; but that sucks and you are sunk in reverse. I have spent many hours trying to find a solution to this. The dealer will sell me the parts at a discount... . $1300 and another $380 to install them. I have had one offer from O'Riely parts to get them for me at $700+, the only hang up is the dealer still wants his pound of flesh and will not gurantee anything done on the diff. BIG HELP. PowerTrax has a locker that will fit in my third member; but I hear they are real harsh... . I am about ready to live with it and cure the problem with my next purchase.



I joined TDR because I heard I could get answers to things like this. I am amazed that no one has enought smoke with Dana Spicer to get the facts straight...

Thanks

 

[WOWZY]

Mr Brewski, I checked on the Dmax and it has a 10. 5" 14bolt of old. Very durable to say the least.



I also did some checking on the use of the Dana 80 Hybrid through some Dodge truck division reps. They said that in order to keep the standard 8 on 6. 5" lug pattern that our trucks have, they had to incorporate the Dana 70 Hubs spindles and axle shafts. The tubes are true Dana 80 except at where they neck down on the ends.

A true Dana80 cannot have the standard 8 lug pattern because of the hub and spindle size. That's why Ford had to change their lug pattern to a larger metric size.



Okie-go How much did your Locker set you back$?

 

[THubbard]

WOWZY



I got a price of less than $500 for a PowerTrax from drivetrain.com in Las Vegas.



Tom

 

[WOWZY]

Thanks for the info I'll check them out. This LS sucks!

 

[THubbard]

WOWZY if you want to give me your e address I will forward the message I got from drivetrain. Looks like $375+

-- email address removed --

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

wowzy



the dmax's i've seen have a revamped 11. 5" corparate rearend. it looks the same as the 10. 5 except it has a 11. 5 ring gear.



jim

 

[fj40charles]

I don't know how well the powertrax locker will hold up. I would got with a detroit locker if that is the route you want to take.



I've got friends that go 4 wheeling and have seen some powertrax lockers fail. Personally, I don't they'll hold up to the

torque.



Charles

 

[WOWZY]

CUMINNTSTRKN,



I just asumed it was the 10. 5" because the housing looked the same size as mine. From memory I don't see how they could've stuffed an 11. 5" ring gear in that housing without making it weaker.



Thubbard, Thanks for the reply you can reach me at:

-- email address removed --

 

[Extreme1]

For good Dana info go...

Straight to the horses mouth. Go to the Dana sight, you will find a phone # for the light truck axle group. They will take your name and # and have someone knowledgable call you back. (They did for me)

 

[COBRAJET]

The Dana 80 issue has come up on the Ford site as well. The Ford's no longer use the 8 on 6. 5 bolt pattern. . it changed in the 99 year model. It is not a 10 bolt setup either. The Dana 80 in the Ford is rated at 8250lbs... the Dodge version is 7500lbs. Something different is going on back there. The outside tube diameter on my Dana 80 DRW PSD is almost 3/4 of an inch thicker than it is on my Hybrid 80 H. O. I would assume something of a thicker nature is on the inside. The rearend with a Mag Hytec cover holds a little over 8qts at the middle of the stick... . CJ