Dana Question

My father in law has a 1980 Ford van, it is a 3/4 or 1 ton van, it was made in Canada and it is emissions exempt.
According to the hayes manual it is a full floating rear axle due to the axles bolting to the brake drum. The van is a wreck but the rear axle was replaced about a year or so ago, he says if I give him proper measurements he can cut and resize the whole deal to fit in my 75.
My question is this; what dana am I looking at, it is huge and the Hayes manual claims that only 4 full floating axles were availible, those being a Dana 60, Dana 61 and 70 and 70HD axles.
I took all the tags off the housing and it is a ten bolt rear axle and the numbers off the I.D. Tag are as follows; 3 31 D9TA CJA on the top line and 603932-1 on the bottom line.
I searched all over the center section and only found a large X on the top of the center.
It is a spring under and he swears he can make it work. He is a welder by trade and I trust his word and his work. But the wheels alone weigh what the whole rear 44 axle weighed (Close anyways) I would like to see this work as my 44 is weak and old. I realize there is the differance in ratios to contend with, but I really only run it in the mud these days. Any help at all would greatly be appreiciated. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Typically the 3/4 ton fords all ran dana 60 rear axles.. very stout but darn heavy.. I'd stick with the D44.. uless yoiu are gonna be putting some serious horsepower to it.. BTW where in TN are you?


BUBBA

 

I had thought it looked like a 60, but got excited when I seen they used 70's in them.
I am from the great city of Morristown. Toward Knoxville. Thanks for the reply,

 

cool.. i go down there once in a while to east tn steel.. that's where I get my steel n stuff.. I also go to bulls gap (volunteer speedway) quite a bit which i damn near to morristown...


BUBBA

 

Many vans of that era used the D61 which has a different gear geometry. I thought the axle designation was cast into one of the center section flanges on passenger side on Danas. But your serial number starting with 60 may indicate a buonafide D60. D61s may require a gear spacer above some ratio (4:11 or 4:56?).