Well...I've found a Dana rear end that I think will go into my 1959 F350, but I have a few concerns that I'm hoping someone out there has already run into. I currently have a Timken rear end with 5.83 ratio. I wanted a better high end, so I posted that question prior. The Dana was one option I heard, so I found a rear end out of a 62 F250 (that's what I was told, I didn't see the rear end in the truck). No plate on it, but the numbers off the gear are 1 23 66 DANA 30360 A3R36 41-10. When I talked with our local parts dealer he said it matched up for coming out of a 62. So, I set the Dana rear end behind the Timken and noticed the following: The spring pillows seem to line up at about 39" apart, but the Dana has mounts for shocks, my Timken does not, and so the backing plates are significantly different (Timken about 50" apart, Dana about 53" apart). However, the overall width of the rear ends are about the same (about 73"). I think the swap will still work and I can actually get parts for the Dana (yeaaaa!!!) Does the difference in the backing plate spacing make a big difference? Should this swap work? If anyone has some pointers before I start rebuilding the Dana rear end, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Cy

 

Measureing backing plates isn't a very good method as it varies with brake width. If the leaf spring mounts are the same your good to go. It has a 4.10:1 ratio. 41 - 10 is the ring gear teeth and pinion teeth. 41 divided by 10 = 4.1.

 

I should be so lucky as to have a 5.83 axle! Mine is a 6.80:1 Timken.

I'm looking for a 2 speed Eaton #1350 5.83/8.11:1 for my 55 F-600.

I think as long as you plan to use all the brake components and springs from the Dana you should be fine. Just make sure the spring bushings will match up and it's all the same width.


Regards,

Rick

 

Rick, I was planning to use the springs that are on the truck and the Dana rear end. I do not have the springs the Dana came with, but the width at the spring pillows seems to be the same....still think it will work?

Cy

 

You might want to wait for a few more people to chime in here.

It's probably already been done by someone else.

I would think that if it all matches up together tightly it should be ok.

 

If the center of each leaf spring mount is the same it will bolt right up.

 

I just recently did a similar swap on my 52 F-3, ditched the old timken rear in favor of a Dana 60 out of a 69 F-250. This swap got me HD brakes (2.5 inches wide as opposed to 2 inch), a factory locking differantial (Power-Loc), and 3.54 gears.

The swap was easy, just unbolted the old axle and bolted on the new. Also I am using my stock springs. I may have to do some minor work with the driveshaft, but I'm not that far along on my project. I have pictures of my swap in my gallery if your interested.

 

Since Spicer/Dana made the rears for many/most of the the big 3 3/4 and 1 ton trucks interchangability is almost a given. I recently hung a 74 Dodge 1 ton Dana with LSD under a 62 F250, it was as if it came from there.

A 54 F350 will be getting a Dana later this spring, Ive about had it with the 5.14 Timken and my poor 292!.