Dana 70 or Sterling 10.25?

[subway]

i am sure someone before me swapped it out, it has a semi float in now and i know that it is not stock. i would just like to know what it is, i have plans on changing it out but it works fine so its low on the list. i have a spare sterling FF and D70 in my yard now but i would still like to get a newer van with factory disks to swap in. i am not a huge fan on the chevy calipers disk conversion $$$$$

heck back in high school i dove my 79 CJ around on the front axle for a month before i swapped back in a good rear axle. that 360 had a tendency to take out drivelines

 

[bike-maker]

Got er drug home.....limited slip it is.

Good thing the JY didn't catch it, they would have charged more for it.

Also came with some kind of Monroe load leveling shocks (they have springs on em), U-bolts, plates, blocks, and sway bar.

 

[SparkandFire]

Very good score! I am a big fan of those sway bars, I put one on my '87 and it made a big difference towing...

Wish I would've kept it...

 

[KyleQ]

Wow, that is a good deal then. Nice score!

 

[82F100SWB]

For discs on the Sterling, this is probably the best complete bolt on setup:

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The brackets are from ruffstuffspecialties.com rotors are E350 rears, calipers are Chevy.
It wouldn't be hard to put an E350 backing plate and everything on the sterling, and you could keep the drum in hat parking brake if you wanted. The rotors slide on just fine.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

One thing that is of interest to me, is if it would be possible to put a Sterling wheel hub/drum on a Dana 70 axle. If so, we could potentially upgrade our hard to service D70's and D61's for the better removable drum of the Sterling. I've heard a rumour that this was true, and have not yet had the opportunity to try it, but I may.

When I need to know such things, I first ascertain the part-numbers for both inside and outside bearings/races of BOTH hubs in question.

If the numbers match, then it is almost a sure thing a swap is easily do-able.

If the numbers do not match, the next step is to procure a set of bearings and races for BOTH makes of hub and get good accurate INSIDE and OUTSIDE bore dimensions.

A good machinist with a lathe can usually turn a smaller bore to accept a larger race, IF the larger bearing/race fits the spindle one intends to use.

If the bearing that fits the spindle is the smaller of the two, then metal must needs be welded/built-up and then turned to fit.

It is far better/safer to alter the hub than to attempt to build-up or decrease the spindle.



Some time ago, there was a Dana-70 equipped DRW Ford of our vintage in our shop.

When one of the guys removed the inside wheel, the drum nearly fell in the floor.

Some previous owner had altered the drum to be out-board removable.

The owner simply thought it was always like that.


My only gripe with the Danas is the aggravation of pulling the axle/hub to access the brakes.

Many is the time I have heard a screeching, or seen the remnants of a spring poking out between the drum and backing-plate, or had a park-brake go hay-wire; and, the Dana design then turns an hour job into an all days doing with dinner on the ground.