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Dana 60 locked?

Andrew

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I don't think this is a locker set-up but it is acting like one. I tried adding the Mopar additive, It may have helped a little for a short time or maybe it was psycological but for the most part the rear wheels turn at the same speed causing them to chirp around slow tight turns. I've been told the clutch packs may be to tight or frozen. By the way I also tried doing a series of tight circles in each direction, foward and reverse. No help.

Dana 60.jpg
 
This is a standard Dana power lock 4 pinion unit. The clutches are just steel discs so it's possible they are pretty sticky. Is this a freshly rebuilt unit? You might try driving it to warm it up so the oil thins out and then let it sit for a bit. Hopefully the hot thin oil may capilary into the clutches.

Note: I just rebuilt the 9" in my Ranchero, including putting new clutches the track lok unit. I must have drove around in circles for an hour and the whole time I heard noises like it was going to explode. Next day it was silent.
 
I've had it for 2 years and taken many 1/2 hour rides with it so I'm sure it warmed as much as it could. Is there a way to change or loosen the clutch pack without an expensive overhaul? Is there a way to do anything to this car that is not expensive? lol
 
:rolling: I guess you can just look at it for cheap!

There is no adjustment. The only way to get into the clutch pack is to pull the carrier, and to do that you will need a case stretcher. If the rear end does not make any noise then I don't see how it would need an overhaul. One can probably just remove the carrier very carefully, keeping track of the bearing races, etc.. and just put it back together.

You should have more than a half hour of slow speed on it to warm it up. I drove mine on the freeway for a bit and around town and the housing was pretty warm to the touch.
 
If it was recently rebuilt, it could have the agressive clutch pak in it versus the normal stuff. Hope this helps.
 
It is common for the clutch type sure grips to be that tight. They are really destined to go to work on a high horsepower car with good tires. After you get some miles on it, it will loosen up. On the cars I have run them on I run sticky street tires and it seems to speed up the process. With it being so tight, its really not a bad thing, but it can accelerate tire wear.
 
Thanks for the info. I will try synth oil and 2 bottles of additive.
 
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