Questions about Dana 70 wheel seals

[hce]

I would verify which rear end you have. Casting on the front of the center section will have 60, 70, 80 cast into it. Most of the parts look up seem to be for econolines. My guess is your rv was ordered from ford as a cab and chassis. I would say all bets are off looking at any parts lookup other then the who speced your RV, who know what ford would allow you to order in 85 when purchasing a large number of vans.

 

[hce]

Check out the bottom listing, Maybe correct may not. Point is these parts lookups have all been reconfigured numerous times over 35 years. Use with caution.

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[Cubey]

I would verify which rear end you have. Casting on the front of the center section will have 60, 70, 80 cast into it. Most of the parts look up seem to be for econolines. My guess is your rv was ordered from ford as a cab and chassis. I would say all bets are off looking at any parts lookup other then the who speced your RV, who know what ford would allow you to order in 85 when purchasing a large number of vans.

Dana 80 didn't come out until 1988, so that's out of the question right off the bat. Plus, I changed the diff oil last summer, installing a reusable LubeLocker cover gasket for D60/70. D80 needs a totally different gasket.

So yeah, I'm 100% sure it's a Dana 70 4.10 open diff.

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Check out the bottom listing, Maybe correct may not. Point is these parts lookups have all been reconfigured numerous times over 35 years. Use with caution.

It seems that trucks didn't get 3-1/2" brakes until 1987 and vans didn't get them until 1990. So... it's highly possible that this old thing only got 3" shoes. Look up 86 & 87 F350, and 89 & 90 E350 and you'll see a difference in the dually brake drums.

I guess I'll have to pull the drum off to see what's inside before I order anything, because there's no telling what it's got. I need to see what sort of nut retainer setup it has anyway. There seems to be a few different kinds, such as a wedge or a washer with tabs you bend.

I'll take some pictures and measurements of the shoes tomorrow and report back.

 

[u2slow]

There's a lot of crossover with seals into other full floater diffs. DRW or SRW in the description may only be the most common application for the part.

FWIW, I have an E350 DRW D70 diff that uses the same size seals/bearings as my Dodge SRW diffs. The Dodge DRW uses a bigger seal (& larger inner hub bearing).

 

[Cubey]

Well, that's the end of that. My 3 ton jack isn't enough to lift the back of this thing (putting it under the rear axle to one side of the pumpkin). It does the front fine, but the back is just too much for it.

I will have to pay a shop to do it, since it makes no sense for me to buy an $900 10 ton jack. I might have to go check pawn shops, since they often have big used floor jacks.

Yes... 12-20 ron bottle jacks are cheap, but I don't trust them for such a heavy load, to be honest. Not when I have to get under it to place a jack stand too. There is no good place under an axle to place a bottle jack's little round top.

These are a thing (click) but again I really don't want to be under this thing placing a jack stand with it supported by a bottle jack. Yeah the wheels will still be on it so it can't totally fall... so i'd probably not be hurt (much) but I'd needed a change of underpants for sure.

And I'd have to go buy bigger jack stands too. If a 3 ton jack can't lift it, 3 ton stands are too small.

I tried the old Ford factory bottle jack with the long, folding extending crank handle... but even that can't lift the rear. Not sure if it was extended fully due to he axle height, but it just stopped turning. Not sure if it was original with this RV or not It could be that somebody got it from a junk yard and stuck it in here.

I will ask a neighbor if he has a 6 ton or bigger floor jack, but I doubt he does. He didn't have a creeper when I asked, because he has no paved driveway at all for using such things. He keeps offering to lend me tools, so I don't mind asking. He's not home right now though.

EDIT: I might buy one of these for a bottle jack. It's specifically made to fit bigger axles like Dana 60, 70 and 80: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bottle-Jac...Larger-Axles-Dana-60-and-Dana-80/264664706807

 

[79jasper]

Have a harbor freight nearby?

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[Cubey]

Have a harbor freight nearby?

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Yes. They have the bottle jacks, but not the topper cradles. The biggest floor jack they sell is 4 ton and it's $180.

The neighbor was shocked that a 3 ton jack couldn't lift, and he came and tried too. Again, it seemed to just stop. He has a 6 ton bottle jack, but I need a topper cradle for the axle.

He suggested one of these for the tight space..... but then I gotta buy that, the topper cradle, and an air compressor.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-ton-air-hydraulic-bottle-jack-94487.html

 

[Cubey]

I guess I will order the cradle topper. I have a $10 credit to use on ebay, so that helps.

3 ton stands are too wimpy for this monster, so I'll have to get some 6 ton stands at HFT. I'll get the 12 ton bottle jack though, so it won't strain and blow a seal trying to lift it. The 20 ton is temping for the larger base, however. I'll go to the store and look, since they have them setting out. I was just there today in fact, getting some 1/2" impact extensions for reaching the lug nuts on the dually.

I hope 6 ton jack stands are enough. That rear axle has to bear probably 3/4 of the RV's weight:

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Considering a shop's going rate is about $100/hr (and higher priced parts), I can buy the cradle ($54 after my $10 off), 6 ton stands ($35 HFT w/ coupon), and the bottle jack ($22 HFT w/ coupon) all for about $110 with tax. It's just another $110 I didn't plan to spend. It's still way cheaper than 3-4 hours of shop labor, so I just gotta suck it up and do it.

At least I'll have tools to show for the money spent. I can carry the bottle jack and cradle and have them if I'm ever in a pinch and need to change a tire myself, rather than trying to get roadside assistance out to do it for me. I might stash the stands too for emergency repairs like this while out on the road.

 

[Reggie f250]

I have the H F 20 ton Jack. It lifts the rear axle of my truck very easily. Its strong enough to lift one whole side of a 70' mobile home too!

 

[Cubey]

I have the H F 20 ton Jack. It lifts the rear axle of my truck very easily. Its strong enough to lift one whole side of a 70' mobile home too!

Where do you put the jack on the axle? I'd rather buy the $53 bottle jack cradle than have it slip on this massive thing. It probably weighs twice that of a normal IDI pickup with all the stuff like the appliances, generator, water and propane.

 

[snicklas]

Honestly, it could just be your jack. How old is your 3 ton jack? My old, well used 3 ton jack that has jacked up everything I've ever owned will not lift the entire rear of my 8000lb Excursion. It will lift one side, but I can not put it under the differential and lift the entire rear. But go grab the little 2 ton portable floor jack, or the other 3 ton floor jack I had access to at one point, it will lift it fine. It's just getting worn out. I plan on getting the 4 ton from harbor Freight. I have 2 ton jack stands, and 3 ton jack stands. I just grab a handy stand, and use it.

Think about this, what is the weight rating of the 4 tires on the back? 3 tons is 6000 lbs, 4 tons is 8000 lbs. If you were truly over the 3 ton (6000lb) jack capacity you wouldn't be able to keep tires on the rear........

I personally think the issue is with the jack, not the weight of the RV........

 

[Reggie f250]

I center the jack under the axle tube make sure the front wheels are blocked, and put a stand under it as soon as it is lifted. I have a lot of tools adding weight to my truck.

 

[Cubey]

Honestly, it could just be your jack. How old is your 3 ton jack? My old, well used 3 ton jack that has jacked up everything I've ever owned will not lift the entire rear of my 8000lb Excursion. It will lift one side, but I can not put it under the differential and lift the entire rear. But go grab the little 2 ton portable floor jack, or the other 3 ton floor jack I had access to at one point, it will lift it fine. It's just getting worn out. I plan on getting the 4 ton from harbor Freight. I have 2 ton jack stands, and 3 ton jack stands. I just grab a handy stand, and use it.

Think about this, what is the weight rating of the 4 tires on the back? 3 tons is 6000 lbs, 4 tons is 8000 lbs. If you were truly over the 3 ton (6000lb) jack capacity you wouldn't be able to keep tires on the rear........

I personally think the issue is with the jack, not the weight of the RV........

The jack is about 3 years old. It lifts the front of the RV fine, no strain. I just used it for that recently when I fixed the sticking caliper slider on the front passenger side. It lifts my mom's Taurus like it's a feather.

Each tire is rated 2,470lbs for dual use @ 80 PSI, so 9,880lbs total weight capacity maximum. It specifies dual use and single use weights. They're load LT215/85R16 Load Range E 10 ply. These to be exact: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Travelstar-EcoPath-H-T-All-Season-Tire-LT215-85R16-E-10ply/787760862

The Dana 70 has a capacity of 10,000lbs with the average being 8,000lbs, meaning what OEMs use it for, I'm guessing? https://www.dieselhub.com/axle/dana-70.html

Based on the placement of the axle on this RV, the Dana 70 weight rating/typical application, and the fact that a 6,000lbs floor jack can't seem to lift it; I suspect that the rear axle is holding up around 8,000lbs, give or take.

 

[Cubey]

I center the jack under the axle tube make sure the front wheels are blocked, and put a stand under it as soon as it is lifted. I have a lot of tools adding weight to my truck.

Generator: 216lbs
Fridge: 112lbs
Propane (not counting the tank): ~55lbs
Water weight: ~330lbs

That alone is 713lbs.

That's not even counting fuel, all my stuff inside, the hitch mounted cargo box and it's contents, the full size spare dually rim, the stove, water heater, furnace .... I could go on & on.

 

[Reggie f250]

My whole truck is only 7- 8000 pounds. Probably same amount on your rear axle. Do you know what it weighs?