DRW axle width
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
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From: Atlanta GA
DRW axle width
I am looking to buy a DRW (truck or van) to convert my van from SRW, trouble is I know my garage is a bit narrow.
How wide is a DRW (Dana 60 or 70u) hub to hub and how wide is it with normal tires?
I measured 96 inches on the last truck sidewall to sidewall.
Any help, thanks in advance.
How wide is a DRW (Dana 60 or 70u) hub to hub and how wide is it with normal tires?
I measured 96 inches on the last truck sidewall to sidewall.
Any help, thanks in advance.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 909
Likes: 9
From: San Luis Obispo, CA
I don't know if you are still looking for an answer to this question, but for the record . . .
I measured tire sidewall to tire sidewall on my '68 F-350 flatbed (w/Dana 70) and the outside dimension is 74". (My bed is 90" wide and hangs out past the tires.) I parted out the Dana 70 out of a late ('80's-'90's) E-350 and it was considerably wider. My knowledge is limited to what I have measured from my own stuff, but I would assume that in vans and 1-Tons with a box bed, the width between the inside of the tires determined the axle length. Flat-beds can be narrower because there are no body issues with the deck over the top of the tires.
I would think you could put a "narrow" Dana 70 DRW axle in your van if you are willing to "tub" the fender-wells. The inside tire-to-tire distance is 47-1/4".
Due to the nature of the DRW system, you cannot play with wheel offsets, so the wheel-mount spacing of the axle determines what you end up with. Good luck & post back if you actually do the project.
I measured tire sidewall to tire sidewall on my '68 F-350 flatbed (w/Dana 70) and the outside dimension is 74". (My bed is 90" wide and hangs out past the tires.) I parted out the Dana 70 out of a late ('80's-'90's) E-350 and it was considerably wider. My knowledge is limited to what I have measured from my own stuff, but I would assume that in vans and 1-Tons with a box bed, the width between the inside of the tires determined the axle length. Flat-beds can be narrower because there are no body issues with the deck over the top of the tires.
I would think you could put a "narrow" Dana 70 DRW axle in your van if you are willing to "tub" the fender-wells. The inside tire-to-tire distance is 47-1/4".
Due to the nature of the DRW system, you cannot play with wheel offsets, so the wheel-mount spacing of the axle determines what you end up with. Good luck & post back if you actually do the project.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 909
Likes: 9
From: San Luis Obispo, CA
Originally Posted by rebocardo
. . . How wide is a DRW (Dana 60 or 70u) hub to hub and how wide is it with normal tires? . . . .
The tires on these wheels are 7.00R16 Michelin light truck radials.
I had to work this out from the measurements in my earlier post. Mounting SRW wheels will take a little adapting depending on whether the DRW axle used early, coined (lug-centric) wheels or late, flat (hub-centric) wheels.
I am considering making an adaptor spacer for my F-350 so that I could run the DRW wheels one on each side, in line with my front track. I would use this in conjunction with a small, light bed when I am not hauling. (My big bed weights over 2,000 pounds all by itself.)
Last edited by acheda; Apr 21, 2007 at 08:25 PM. Reason: fix error
