<!-- message --> How can an existing axle weight rating be increased?
My front axle is right at the Dana rating with essentially no load in the back.

I presume steel is welded down the length of the axle tube to stiffen it.

• Pictures?
• Web links?

No, I don't want to swap out the axle assembly.
I'm a Quigley 4x4 conversion van with their weldments on the axle tube to facilitate the conversion and I'd have to reverse-engineer those spring perches.

I recall seeing differential covers that had threaded bosses to take some sort of tie-rod.
But I don't think that arrangement increases GAWR.
And too, I don't have room for such bars due to the rear torsion bar and the front steering linkages.

I swung by the CAT Scales.

I topped off my fuel tank first and had my usual assortment in the front & back.Notes:
Dana capacity ratings includes the weight of the mounted tires.
The original tires were LT245/75R16E rated for 3,042 lbs. load.
I currently have load range H tires mounted on custom steel rims, the limiting factor here would be the rims limiting me to a 10,000 lbs. axle GAWR

The front Dana 60 axle is Dana rated for 4,500 lb.

The rear Dana 70U axle is Dana rated for 7,500 lb.
The van's door jamb stickers say GAWR Rear 6,084 lbs. which is the limit of the original tires @ 80 psi.


Detailed pictures are in my Gallery.

Thank you.

 

The D60 front end typically maxes out at about 4500lbs. You can upgrade the ball joints and get a little more, but really there isn't a whole lot you can do. There is a D70 front, but it typically is set up for a dually, and I believe is a bit wider. Without knowing the specific weak spots, I would not add material to the axle. Depending on where the reinforcement stops, you may actually make it weaker and make the knuckles more likely to break.

 

I was watching one of those early weekend morning truck shows and on this one they were making a custom width Dana 60 to fit under a TJ. They also threw a bunch of upgrades at it to make it really strong. I looked up some prices later and this stuff isn't cheap, but I hope you didn't think it was going to be easy or cheap to beef up that axle.

Anyway they used Crane inner C's and a steering kit with larger knuckles. See this link: Poly Performance Inc.*::*Steering*::*Knuckles & Inner Cs*::*Dana 60 Knuckles & Inner Cs*::*Crane - Dana 60 Inner C - Jeep JK Synergy Suspension Systems, Fox Racing Shox, Beard, CTM, Johnny Joints®, Currie Enterprises, Edelbrock, Pit Bull Tires, Ramse

They also used some custom shafts with a CV-type joint instead of the standard u-joint. I don't know who made the axles though.

There was some serious money in this project and a lot of time. The guy showed how he put the axle together from scratch and it looked pretty involved.

Is your axle a ball joint or a kingpin axle? The kingpin axles are stronger.

 

Andy, as it a 1-ton van I'll presume its ball joints, they were recently replaced so I'll have to look for the receipt.

 

Dana 60's up until 1993(?) used kingpins so it really depends on what year truck your axle came out of. Seeing that your van is an '06 I would guess balljoints. Kingpins are considerably stronger.

I'm going to borrow a phrase and use it here: Strength costs money - how strong do you want it to be?

 

Andy, what does it entail to convert from ball joints to kingpins?

I'm thinking if I change the inner & outer Cs then I might be almost there.

Thanks for the Poly Performance link which drew my attention to the Crane hi Clearance inner & outer Cs.

 

You would need new inner C's and knuckles. I'll see if I can find out what show and episode it was. I had it on my DVR but then it died. Watching the show would give you a really good idea of what you're getting into.

 

Thanks Andy

 

The show was Xtreme 4x4 and it was episode 2010-08. Here's the link: Xtreme 4x4 - Episodes | PowerblockTV

I think you can buy episodes on DVD for a few bucks. Might be worth it if you are serious about this.

 

Thanks Andy