2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission What year did Dodge stop using CAD on front axle?

[SRath]

I would like to know what year the CAD got dumped and if it was still a Dana 60 axle and if that axle would bolt into an earlier model?

 

[David411]

I would like to know what year the CAD got dumped and if it was still a Dana 60 axle and if that axle would bolt into an earlier model?

Late 02 trucks had no CAD, and yes still a Dana 60.
And yes I do believe the axle would bolt in.
I have been kicking around the idea of using an 00-02 axle and swapping it with mine, so I can get the Big brakes off the 03 and up trucks.

 

[SRath]

So no CAD housing on the passenger side tube in late '02?

When did they start the AAM axle or eliminate the Dana 60?

 

[David411]

So no CAD housing on the passenger side tube in late '02?



When did they start the AAM axle or eliminate the Dana 60?

No CAD housing at all, that I know for sure.

AAM was started when 03 trucks began production.

No AAM axles are found in second gen trucks.

 

[Jeff Knight]

My truck was built in Jan 02 and it doesn't have the CAD system... Jeff

 

[budnate]

question as I do not know... how does the front 4wd drive work when you dont have a cad... . is the front axel always spinning?

 

[ata]

question as I do not know... how does the front 4wd drive work when you dont have a cad... . is the front axel always spinning?

Yes everything is always turning. From the transfer case to the wheels. When you put it in 4 wheel all you do is lock the T-Case up.

 

[budnate]

ok thnx for the reply, here is some '02 axels if anyone close to Wa, needs them.



2002 dodge 2500 diesel chassis

 

[SRath]

I wish those were closer to me...

 

[RAndrae]

In late 02 wonderfull DODGE not only eliminated the Cad. They also eliminated rear wheel well liners, hood insulation and rear cup holders.

 

[GLamphier]

If you are wanting to do away with the cad you can buy a replacement axle shaft from dynatrac or ems. Or you could just remove the cad asembly and shim it so it holds the shaft collor in the lock position. That is what I did when I put the free spin hubs on, no point in have locking hubs if you still have to rely on that dumb thing.



As an after thought posi lock make a replacement fork that doese the same thing but I thing 30 min of my time and some washers I could save $80.

 

[David411]

Yah I used the posi-lok PERM-LOK to delete my CAD.
Got it dirt cheap off a member here, brand spankin new too.
Finally ditched that vacuum actuator.

 

[SRath]

I want it ALL gone! The CAD. The scrawny 2-piece axle shaft(s). The CAD housing on the axle tube. The unitized bearing hubs. Eventually, even the wimpy balljoints.

A no-CAD axle housing would be a great place to start.

 

[GLamphier]

Don't know the years but you could try to find a ford dana 60 with a drivers side drop but don't know if there were any with king pin or not. I know my 93 has king pins but it is a passenger side drop so it wouldn't work. As a side note the ford dana 60 would take some fab work but it would not be to bad.

 

[SRath]

It has been done, GLamphier, but with mixed results (loss of swaybar for one thing). The Ford kingpin axles have the correct drop, but they also have leafspring mounts in the way of where our coilspring and link and swaybar mounts need to go. The driver side leaf mount is an integral part of the pumpkin and cannot be removed. Furthermore, Ford changed the length of their short-side axle tube at least once. I believe the Ford coil/link dana 60's are all balljoint, and so would be no improvement.

To do it correctly, you would need to switch entirely to a leafspring setup, which would also be a HUGE improvement, imo.

Changing the Dodge outer axle housing balljoint C's to aftermarket kingpin C's on a non-CAD dodge housing would be the most direct way to a kingpin, 35-spline, live-bearing-hub, lockout REAL dana 60 worthy and capable of being under our trucks.

The housing itself would be stronger without the cast CAD housing in the rightside tube and all the bad and weak stuff would be gone.

The crappy Dodge trackbar and control arm links can be upgraded quite successfully on our link/coil suspensions, so I could tolerate them.

Changing axle housing C's is a bit beyond the capabilities of the average joe since the new C's must be pressed on very precisely or wheel alignment will forever be trashed. Not to mention the balljoint C's must also be carefully cut at the welds and pressed off. It takes a very powerful press to this, and some machine shops can do it. Upgrading C's, usually to Dana 70 style beefier ones, is a common thing for rockcrawlers to do, but they really don't care about shake and shimmy at 70mph or excessive tire wear.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

My 2002 has no CAD. My friend's early 2002 has the CAD. I'm glad I don't have one after seeing many guys have CAD issues.

-Chuck

 

[GLamphier]

I was just trying to offer some knowledge that I have mined of of this site and other but it sounds like you are way ahead of me on this. I have not had any problems with the dana 60 on my 94 after I put on danatrac free wheeling hubs but I only use 4wheel to get out of situations not get into them. I have been thinking about swaping the drive train from my 94 to my 77 to get away from cracking dashes and thin sheet metal. Thanks for the information on the ford king pin 60 have to keep this in mind if I do the swap.

 

[SRath]

You are way ahead of me alreadywith your FreeSpin conversion, GLamphier. Did you also opt for the axle shaft upgrade to 35-spline solid axle shafts? With those combined conversions, you already have a pretty darned tough front axle assembly. Especially given your stated uses for 4wd and the truck.

One more not-terribly-expensive option, if you did not buy the 35-spline upgrade kit, is you might one day opt for a solid 30-spline passenger side shaft and eliminate that CAD collar and 2-piece shaft.

A factory Dodge shaft for a non-CAD Dana60 would work, I think, but you may have issues with the outer (passenger side) axle seal if the new non-CAD dodge Dana 60 moved that troublesome seal back to the center section where it belongs and works better. I don't know if they did or not, but would like to find out if anyone here does know. If they did, you probably won't have a machined surface for the 2-piece axle style outer tube seal to ride on.

Not to worry, though, the aftermarket has that problem covered in their replacement 1-piece 30-spline shaft.

Personally, given your stated needs, and the FreeSpin setup you already have, beyond that, I would focus on improving the trackbar to a 3rd gen and better control arms and a DSS as far as any further improvements to the frontend are concerned. You'll be miles ahead of stock and probably never have any troubles at all.

Dynatrac recently came out with some rebuildable "Super balljoints" but I have had a very hard time getting any questions answered about them by Dynatrac and they are too new to find any long-term and meaningful feedback from guys that have paid the very high price for them and used them on street vehicles. I tried very hard to swing a deal with them to install them on my plow truck, while I was doing my entire frontend all new, and see just how tough and durable they really are, but Dynatrac did not seem as interested in finding out as I was, which tells me something right there. So I went with Moog for 1/3 the price.

 

[GLamphier]

I didn't put in the 35 spline inner shaft when I called and talked the they guy a Danatrac he told me it really was not necessary unless I was really going to abuse it so I didn't do it. I did it more for the real wheel bearing than the locking hubs but they were an added bonus. I had a 97 1500 before I bought my 94 and was going through a pass. side unit bearing about every 10,000 miles and was getting really expensive. So I just spent the money for the freespin kit because I didn't want any trouble from my new to me 94 and sold my 97 to some other poor sucker. That was all before I knew about ems kit or I might have keeped it.



As far as the trac bar and steering stablizer I used to dd my 77 with 4 wheel drum brakes and 36" mud tires so driving my 94 a have not noticed any issues with the stock parts or maybe I just am lucky and don't have the problems with the stock parts yet.



That is why I'm thinking of swaping the drivtrain in to my 77, that and the d a m n cracking dash fogged up headlights and constant broken tabs on the rear taillights.

 

[Pavemen]

you don't need to go to a leaf spring setup to swap in a Ford D60. Several guys on my site have done the swap. Most cut the coil and control arm mounts off a donor axle and weld them onto the Ford axle after some minor mods. Others just build a proper custom link setup.

The unit bearings are not a bad thing in terms of strength and such. They are easy to repair, better for offroad drivability when you break a stub shaft. In a typical bering setup, you break a stub shaft it can get jammed in the spindle and also mess up bearings at the same time. The unit bearing just needs to keep bolted together with a stub shaft, broken ears or not, and it will still hold together. sure, a lockout setup will net you slightly better MPG, but it will take a long time to recover the costs unless you drive A LOT

also, the cad housing is not weaker than a non-CAD housing, see how big that CAD housing is? its really wide and the axle tubes are pressed in really far.

the only reason i would upgrade from a Dodge D60 to a Ford D60 is for kingpins, high pinion and a better knuckle style. If its just for getting rid of CAD, then get a new seal and a one piece shaft.