Dana 80?

[Mgrant]

Hi,

I got a question about my 92 W250. The rear axle on this truck is a Dana 80 and the truck has 1 ton springs. The rig actually actually sits up higher in the rear than other first gens I've been around. When I changed the hub bearings in the axle, the local parts book claimed that it has a 9200+lbs rating. I bought the truck used and I the previous owner hauled a camper with it. I'm curious, was the Dana 80 available as a special order for the 92 Ram truck or is it a retrofit from a Dana 70? Did anyone else's first gen come with a Dana 80?



Mike

 

[KEENO]

Hey Mgrant!



My 1992 service manual mentions nothing about the Dana 80 ever being available in a our trucks. I'm certain that it's a retrofit... . I've heard of other modified First Gens w/ a Dana 80. Doesn't sound like too tough of a job... . Custom shock mounts are required.



Take a look at your shock mounts... . Do they look OEM?



KEENO



PS: Some SkyJacker 2 1/2" frt. springs will level her out nicely & improve the ride.

 

[Mgrant]

Hi KEENO,

I went out and looked at the shock mounts and they don't look OEM as far as I can tell. They are attatched to brackets that are mounted underneath the axle, fastened to the axle/spring c- bolts. Until recently, when I tried to buy seals for it, I din't know that I had a Dana 80. But after taking note that the fill hole sits on a flat surface instead of a "plateau", then I knew had something different. She does bounce in the rear, but tolerable if I don't go to fast. But I find she handles a load like no other pickup I've owned. It's takes a 5000 lb gooseneck tonque weight like it's not even loaded, no sagging or leaning in the corners. Thanks for looking in your manuals. It looks like now that someone started the bombing process before I even owned her.

 

[KEENO]

Hey Mgrant!



That's COOL that you have a Dana 80 in her already!



The Dana 70's are a good axle but do need a bit more 'attention' when coupled w/ the mighty Cummins. Nothing a rebuild every 200,000 shouldn't fix. I've been told that Dodge didn't even choose to use the HD version of the Dana 70 for the First Generation Trucks. What were they smokin'????



Can't confirm... . But this is what I was told when my Dana 70 was rebuilt last summer.



KEENO

 

[Speedo]

Dana 80

First, all of the Dana 80s that come in the

Rams are hybrids in that they are a Dana 80

center section with axle shafts and spindles,

hubs, bearings, etc. from a Dana 70. All of the

Dana 80s that I have seen use a 10 lug bolt

pattern as the diameter of the hub is too big

for an 8 on 6. 5 bolt pattern. The axle shaft

used in the 70s and hybrids is 1. 5 inches and

an 80 uses 1. 625 inch axles. The only 80s (not

hybrids) that I have seen have been in Ford

F-450s.

 

[Mgrant]

Hi Speedo,



So were these hybrids available for the 89-93 model years? I've heard of the 80s are standard on the 2nd generation Ram diesels and maybe my axle is a retrofit from a 2nd generation Ram. I remember when buying seals and hub bearings, we had a heck of a time finding the right parts using the door tag. The tag read 6084 lbs. When we wound up using parts that were labeled as the largest axle size Dodge used at 9200 lbs, then I knew that I didn't have the run of the mill Dana 70 like our Rams supposed to have. After comparing the inspection covers did I learn that it wasn't a 70 and an 80 instead. I also noticed that my hub is a different shape than the hub of my friend's 92 first gen diesel. His is much shorter. But mine does use the standard 8 bolt wheel pattern as his does. Another question, I hear people refer to a Dana 90. Is there such a thing or would people be referring to the Dana 80 in the F450?



Mike

 

[Dfeland]

One way to check if its an 80 it will have 80 cast into the top of the centersection(don't quote me one this) I believe the drivers side. Or if its a 70 it will be cast in as well.

 

[Speedo]

Dana 80

Normally on the right hand axle tube there are

a series of numbers that are 1/8" tall the number

you are looking for is a 6 digit number followed

by a dash and 1 or 2 more numbers it should start

with a 6. This number is the B/M number or bill

of material number. You can take this number to

a Dana Spicer dealer and he will be able to tell

you what the axle originally came in, what ratio

it has in it, etc.

 

[Hutchew]

Well I don't know 'bout all that, but...

I do know I was horsin around couple of weeks ago up in Farmington, and decided it would be really cool to blister the meats, as I have done several times recently . Didn't dump the clutch, just started winding it up and letting up on it. Just about the time the meats SHOULD have broke loose, I heard a 'twing' and that was it. No big bang, no ungodly breaking/crushing/smashing/destructive type sounds. Sheared the pinion off right behind the yoke, just like butter. That was a drag, c'mon. Needless to say, I'm in the market for something a little, ummm, bigger & stronger than the 70. Any suggestions, other than an 80?