Dana tricks I learned today

[biomedtechguy]

the new part is stiffer, has preload bolts that go against the caps.

Any instructions for how to adjust those upon installation?

 

[dvw]

Any instructions for how to adjust those upon installation?

The LPW Dana 60 cover from Strange Engineering calls for 35 ft/lbs on the cover bolts, 120 in/lbs on the cap studs, then lock the nuts.
Doug

 

[biomedtechguy]

Thanks Doug! I bought mine used, I have to buy a drain plug for it because it didn't have one in the package, and then it is ready to go!

 

[383man]

I think the guys that are describing the pattern as being toward the heel side are looking at the pics of the backside of the gear. The drive side looks spot on Doug, which in my experience (with 8-3/4’s) is usually going to put the backside a little toward the heel. Send it!

That's how I see it also. Ron

 

[dvw]

I work at Chrysler Engineering. The axle lab happens to be right next to my lab. Showed it to them. They were happy with it. The toe/heel offset is more of a function of the housing machining than anything. This housing has always put the coast pattern towards the heel side. I was taught to center the drive side flank/root with the longest contact pattern you can get w/o running it off the tooth. The Yukon gear site shows it very clearly as well.
Doug

 

[moobster]

View attachment 688684View attachment 688685
By these pictures, I'm kinda going with xyzzyx on this one too. Your pattern looks way too far to the outside compared to theirs. That pinion needs to come in some. At least that's what I'm seeing by those pictures. Mark

I guess, I'm suppose to compare the patterns on the same side of the tooth... oops

 

[biomedtechguy]

I work at Chrysler Engineering.

And

 

[oldkimmer]

Doug, please show a pic of the pinion please. I want to see the pattern on it Thanks. Kim

 

[dvw]

Doug, please show a pic of the pinion please. I want to see the pattern on it Thanks. Kim

I'll show you the new one. I broke that pinion. New gear set going in now.
Doug

 

[fullmetaljacket]

View attachment 690245

I've got no dog in this cover debate other than that mine is a featherweight using the old stamped anodized Moroso cover painted black. No support or preload assistance, so the set up better be spot on. I'm cheap too.

 

[451Mopar]

The dana 60 is more labor than most because backlash is set with shims and almost always working under the vehicle.
Not sure what pinion height tool your using. I don't like the universal ones that bolt to the bearing cap hole. Takes too much time to get them setup and can have several places where measurement errors can happen. The cheap Raytech Pinion depth tool is easier to use with the axle in the vehicle.

 

[Moparguy59]

Everyone l asked assured me that if your pattern is good you should have agood product under normal usage
Best thing I did was honing out the bearings to a slip fit Saves hours in setup if you do many Danas

 

[dvw]

Last pinion (pic#1).I can see why the teeth crack at the base of the pinion. (Pic #2). Polished off all the burrs (pic#3). Ran pinion shims from .040"- .060". The .060" looks pretty close.
Doug

 

[66Satellite47]

Everyone l asked assured me that if your pattern is good you should have agood product under normal usage
Best thing I did was honing out the bearings to a slip fit Saves hours in setup if you do many Danas

I did hone the bearing to a snug slip fit. Makes the job so much easier. Change shims and get where you want.

 

[Brutalowner]

That's the tool I used. Easy to set the pinion to the desired marking. However the pattern hasn't been correct when I used it.
Doug

Doug, are you guys seeing desired depth markings? What brand gears are you using? I use almost exclusively Yukon (4x4 shop), and they quit scribing the needed shim changes (example +.002 or -.001) 10 years ago. Pure laziness on their part. All the old Dana gearsets were marked in the good ol days.

 

[66Satellite47]

I used a machined piece of steel and my dial caliper to set the depth. It worked well. Got good patterns and never broke anything, but I never had the power dvw has.

 

[dvw]

If I knew I could rely on a pinion tool I'd use it. With the slip fit side bearings and front pinion bearing changes aren't that bad. The pinion shim and the preload shim is very close to a 1-1 ratio. I've become pretty good in side shim changes for backlash. To me it's amazing how far you can move the pinion and not make a huge change in the pattern. Maybe I'll though the pinion tool on it today and see what it says. My wife and I both had the flu at the same time. We were down thru the holidays for about a week. So little progress has been made. Back at it today.
Doug

 

[66Satellite47]

If I knew I could rely on a pinion tool I'd use it. With the slip fit side bearings and front pinion bearing changes aren't that bad. The pinion shim and the preload shim is very close to a 1-1 ratio. I've become pretty good in side shim changes for backlash. To me it's amazing how far you can move the pinion and not make a huge change in the pattern. Maybe I'll though the pinion tool on it today and see what it says. My wife and I both had the flu at the same time. We were down thru the holidays for about a week. So little progress has been made. Back at it today.
Doug

Be well, health is a pain these days.

 

[dvw]

Be well, health is a pain these days.

Weve been really lucky. This is the first time in 5 years I've been sick. Very blessed.
Doug

 

[biomedtechguy]

Weve been really lucky. This is the first time in 5 years I've been sick. Very blessed.
Doug

My 3 or 4 times JABBED wife tested positive for covid when she went to a "Rapid Urgent Care" type clinic, after running fever and having a cough and other issues about 2 weeks ago.
I had been working a couple of days at an assisted living facility, and although being on my feet so long along with the up and down and up and down of reading serial numbers off the beds, putting new inspection stickers on them, and so on I expected to have some aches and pains, but it was worse than expected and I noticed it.
Fortunately no fever, and I never got "checked out" for anything, but it took over a week for me to "feel better". I haven't nor will I receive any JABS.
Anyway, when I went back to finish that job about 5 days after the last time I was there, I was told that covid was "in the facility". I am very nonchalant about hygiene, and I know my hands were not as clean for my own well-being as they should have been, and after saying for some time that I didn't remember the last time I was sick, well that timer got reset to "Thanksgiving 2022".
Be careful out there!