SVO42's 1-ton SAS

I've been wanting to do this for a while, and I finally had the opportunity. I picked up my "new" axles yesterday: a HP Dana 60 front and a Ford Sterling 10.25" rear, both from an '87 F-350.

My plans as of right now are:
5.38 gears
rear Detroit Locker
? front
doubler transfer case: BW 1354/Dana 20
38"+ tires
:smoke:

So it begins!

 

[gmanpaint]

Wow! That's frigging awesome! Whoo Hoo!

Yeah, how do you stand a nagging wife? LOL! Wish my ex wife nagged me about that kind of stuff, we would probably still be married!

Are you installing everything your self?

 

[nssj2]

subscribing. i was thinking of doing a similar swap this summer. how much do those puppys stick out? or are you going to chop the axles? if you don't mind, about how much did you drop on the gears and bearings? definitely should turn out pretty sick though

 

[SVO42]

I just know your basic shadetree mechanic stuff along with some good electrical and radio info. I haven't worked on axle guts before. A buddy from my 4x4 club is going to be helping me out with this stuff and he's done this type of work many times before. I'm hoping to pick up a few things myself.

As far as the cost so far (S&H not included in prices):

HP Dana 60 and 10.25" axles: $1,250

leaf springs: $270 (shipping was a killer since they came from WA state)

Dana 60 R&P + full installation set: $300
Ford 10.25" R&P + full installation set: $300
Detroit Locker for the 10.25": $600
1410 U-joint pinion yoke for the 10.25": $210

The axle parts I got from Complete Offroad (http://www.completeoffroad.com). They had better deals than anyone else I could find. S&H was only $11. I placed the order late last Thursday and it got to me the following Tuesday. Pretty good! Of course, they're in Iowa and I'm in Missouri! Still waiting to hear about why I don't have the pinion yoke yet.

I'm leaving the axles full width. I haven't measured them myself yet, but will post once I do. According to the Dana 60 Bible on Pirate, the Dana 60 I have is 69.25" WMS-WMS, about 10-11" wider than my current Dana 35 TTB. I'm sure the Sterling's about the same. I don't want to cut them down for two reasons:

1. Easier to get replacement axle shafts if needed. I know I might be able to but the long side of the 60 to some other shorter, stock length but I don't want to mess with it.
2. Wider = more stable.

I'll try to get some measurements this weekend. I'm getting excited!

 

[Pollarican]

Lookin' good so far! I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this.

 

[Setinu]

You going to lock the front? what size tires you going to run?

 

[IZwack]

what size tires you going to run?

In the first post.

 

[SVO42]

Update

Finally heard back from Complete Offroad yesterday. Supposedly the pinion yoke wasn't in stock when they shipped the other stuff but I should see it ASAP.

My current plan for locking the front is currently this: finish the build with it still open. Then if the budget allows put a lunch box locker in it. That way I can easily switch it back to an open diff if I need to be able to drive it on the street for the winter of '09/'10. By this time next year we plan on having a tow vehicle (4x4) and a trailer and will no longer have to worry about if the Ex is still street legal or not! The tags are good through the end of June 2010 right now. Then I might do a 35 or 40 spline upgrade with a selectable locker or Detroit. We'll see how long a lunch box-locked 30 spline Dana 60 lasts! :roll:

It looks like we'll make some progress this weekend. I'll update Sunday night or Monday.

 

[chad551]

Dang your only a hundred miles from me would like to see this build..

 

[SVO42]

I'll be posting pics as things progress. Once it's ready to go out I'll post up about it here. Like I said above, I'm shooting for Memorial Day weekend, then there's the SMORR run the next weekend (http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=235477), and then I might be taking it to Ouray, CO in July! It's going to be a tight schedule!

 

[gmanpaint]

I will be looking forward to seeing your rig, you and the Mrs at Smorr!

 

[SVO42]

No real progress lately--waiting on some parts, phone calls, and general life stuff have all caused delays.

I did get the WMS-WMS measurement on the Sterling, though. It's about 66.5" and I confirmed the Pirate measurement of the Dana 60 at 69.25". The 60 needs new rotors and pads.

More updates as things go!

 

[SVO42]

No updates, but I figured I'd post it here.

Many thanks to Rick and all the other mods for the work on this site and for all of the helpful info from other members over the years. I finally ponied up and joined the status of other "Elite Explorers."

 

[crazyflights]

I work in Columbia, let me know if you need a hand ever, if im not going straight home to wrench on my rigs i can help. I couple months back i bought 4dr explorer in columbia with leaf sprung front dana 30 swap, but have since sold it. I have the idea down in my head how they did it though. Also if you hear from Duffy with DD machine let me know, im trying to see if i can get 1354/1354 doubler kit still for my Bronco 2

 

[DB_1]

Also if you hear from Duffy with DD machine let me know, im trying to see if i can get 1354/1354 doubler kit still for my Bronco 2

They were using a 1350 for the reduction case.

 

[crazyflights]

Yep 1350 is correct, either one will work, the 1350 is way more cost effective, would be a waste to cut up good 1354 manual case. I will be using 1350 for front section if he still will make them. Also SVO42, if you need a 1350 front section we have plenty of them.

 

[crazyflights]

Updates?? Im ready to see that thing rolling on full width, gonna be awesome!

 

[dkchrist]

subscribing....

 

[Burns]

AHHHH what i would do for a D60


Drool

 

[SVO42]

Nothing new due to all the travelling we've been doing lately. I'm hoping to get some work done on the axles this Saturday. I think Neil cut the perches off the Sterling already. I'll try to remember to take my camera with me. Then we have a bonfire that night!

 

[SVO42]

Sorry--long time no post

Well, Neil and I FINALLY got some work done on this project today. We started with the Dana 60 and took the hubs, brakes, and spindles off and pulled the shafts out. Cleaned it up a little. Everything looked to be in good shape (not bad for 22 year-old parts!).

Here you can see it stripped on the ends and Neil making a custom tool to keep the pinion from rotating while we worked on pulling the carrier:

Here's a shot of the inside:

Now you see guts, now you don't!

I did some grinding on old bearings to use as test fits for later and did some parts cleaning while Neil did some work on the carrier and pulling it apart. Here's the carrier with the new 5.38 ring gear installed:

Had to call it a night about there. Neil fabbed a cart to roll the Sterling around on and we should be able to get to that this nex weekend, hopefully. A lot of my wrenching time lately has been on the other three vehicles in our possession, mainly the Waggy so I can drive it once the Explorer hits REAL downtime.

I also picked up a Dana 20 transfer case from an Early Bronco to start my doubler build, but I plan on starting a new thread for that. The current plan is to have it done by October!