Dana 60 Drum Removal
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Antioch,CA
Dana 60 Drum Removal
I want to do a rear brake job on my 1970 F250 Crew Cab.
It has a Dana 60. After takeing off the wheel and then i guess
the rear end axle bolts, whats next? Do they just slide out whole axle? Do you replace the bearing, gasket and fluid in the axle?
If anyone has done this, can they explain. ALso let me know how hard it is to do. And if I need to have bearings removed by a machine shop.
Thanks,
Jay
It has a Dana 60. After takeing off the wheel and then i guess
the rear end axle bolts, whats next? Do they just slide out whole axle? Do you replace the bearing, gasket and fluid in the axle?
If anyone has done this, can they explain. ALso let me know how hard it is to do. And if I need to have bearings removed by a machine shop.
Thanks,
Jay
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From: Bearspaw (near Calgary)
Hey Jackflack, I just finished doing the front and rear brakes on my 69 crew. It is an easy enough job to do but... i spent a lot of time chasing parts. And they were pricey when i finally found them. $25 canadian per bearing. ouch. Get a good manual AND get a proper bearing wrench. They cost a few bucks but it is the only way to properly adjust your bearings. When I got the rear drums off my crew the bearing locknuts had been mashed on with a chisel and punch! A good manual will also give you all of your bearing specs.
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Sunny NM
Look here for a good description for the seal.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...hreadid=159664
The bearings are no problem. You will lose some fluid when you pull the axle. Just top off the rear end when you put the axle back in. Also, put a little surface grease on the bearings when you put them back in so they'll have some lube until the gear lube gets back down to the end of the axle.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...hreadid=159664
The bearings are no problem. You will lose some fluid when you pull the axle. Just top off the rear end when you put the axle back in. Also, put a little surface grease on the bearings when you put them back in so they'll have some lube until the gear lube gets back down to the end of the axle.
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Houston TX
You don't need to replace the bearings unless they are wore out. The rest is fairly straight forward. Whatever you do, don't lose or throw away any of those little cone things that are on the ends of the axles, under each nut. You will be in a world of trouble as they seem to be hard to find. 
"Anyone know a source?" I don't need any, but someone might some day...You can reuse that lock tab thing, if it's not buggered up too much. If the drums are hard to pull off, adjust the brakes on that wheel so the shoes are loose. When tight, "adjusted normally", they can hang the drum up, and keep it from coming off. BTW, taking off those cone things can be a hassle at times. My trick? Spray with rust buster to break loose the rust/crud, and take a very small screwdriver to stick in the notch. Wiggle it back and forth until the cone breaks loose. Once it does, you can wiggle it off the stud. MK
"Anyone know a source?" I don't need any, but someone might some day...You can reuse that lock tab thing, if it's not buggered up too much. If the drums are hard to pull off, adjust the brakes on that wheel so the shoes are loose. When tight, "adjusted normally", they can hang the drum up, and keep it from coming off. BTW, taking off those cone things can be a hassle at times. My trick? Spray with rust buster to break loose the rust/crud, and take a very small screwdriver to stick in the notch. Wiggle it back and forth until the cone breaks loose. Once it does, you can wiggle it off the stud. MK
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From: Houston TX
Maybe the newer ones didn't need them, but not sure. On mine, the holes in the end cap of the axle have "coned" holes on the end. IE: I think the end, "flat side" of the hole is slightly larger than the stud. The cones fit onto the studs narrow end first, and center the stud on the hole. Kind of like a coned lug nut on a wheel. When the cone is inserted and run all the way up to the cap, you then have a flat surface to run your washer and nut up against. And the stud is centered, and can't move around. I've heard of some people that take these off, and throw them away thinking they are not really needed. "A friend of mine did this once". He's the one that told me they are kind of hard to find...If your holes on the end of the cap are not "coned" out, maybe you don't need these. But if they are, you do. Like I said, maybe they changed the caps in later years not to need them, but I have no idea...I know my 68 does. MK
MK
MK
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From: Brea CA
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: central Alberta
I'm not sure either. A 72 I used to have had cones but a 78 I did brakes on in Jan had bolts w/ lock washers. Probably changed in 73?
mike
mike
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From: Black Hills of SD
My light duty 72 has bolts. It is an august 72 production date. The cones are called dowel washers and to get them loose I always give the end of the axle a few good whacks with a bfh. After they have popped loose I then use a small screwdriver in the slot to pluck them out.
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: San Diego, CA
I worked on a '70 F250 CS in shop class and I remember it had bolts holding the axle to the drums. But I think it had a Dana 44 in the rear, I'm not sure. My '69 F250 CS has a Dana 60 and it has the cone/stud arrangement. When I did my brakes, I just sprayed it with some lube and whacked the end of the axle to jar the cones loose. Hit the axle as if you were trying to pound it in towards the differential and the jolt will shock the cones out. Also, the retaining nuts were of different size. The '70 was 2 9/16" I think and when I went to buy a socket for my truck, it was too big; I needed a 2 3/8". Whatever you do, don't use a hammer and chisel to loosen and tighten those nuts. Go buy the wrench and do it the right way. It's an easy job, but takes some time.
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From: Black Hills of SD
The socket is definatly better but I have done dozens, maybe hundreds of them with a hammer and blunt chisel. In the shop I didn't run out and buy the socket every time another vehicle came in. I do have the ones for the 4x4 front and the one for the later rear that has the 2 piece nut.
If you use your head and a very dull chisel you can do it with out damaging the nut or compromising the job, No don't hit the chisel with your head, I meant use common sense.
If you use your head and a very dull chisel you can do it with out damaging the nut or compromising the job, No don't hit the chisel with your head, I meant use common sense.
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From: Sunny NM
My 70 250 CS has bolts on a Dana 60. Must have changed before 70. Kind of an interesting engineering "adjustment" though using the cones. Unfortunately, willowbilly, not everyone is as careful as you. In 33 years of previous owners, the nuts I have in mine are pretty chewed up.
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From: Black Hills of SD
I bought my 72 in 1985 and had some problems with wheel seals. I had replaced one of them about 3 times in the first year. I finally got disgusted with the thing and put speede-sleeves on both rear wheels. I also got new shoes and all new hardware. That was over 100,000 miles ago and I have only looked in there once to check the brake lining. I have been through at least six sets of front pads in that time. On ice or gravel it sldes all four tires almost at the same time so I know the rears are working ok. But it maes me wonder what somebody was doing in there so much on your 70.
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From: Sunny NM
Yeah, I'll have to keep an eye on it. When I pulled the right rear drum, all the brake hardware (or what was left of it) fell out on in pieces on the ground. About a pound of grease/oil/brake fluid/dirt was all that was holding most of it in place. The great thing was, prior to that everything seemed fine driving it and stopping it with only three brakes working.