Dodge axle clearance

[moosejr]

I am looking at putting the running gear out of a 90 dodge W-350 diesel into my M-715 chassis. it looks like I am going to have clearance issues between the brake backing plates and the springs on the rear axle. I read that converting to disc brakes is the answer on the 14-bolt CUCV axle. Same on the dodge dana 70? Any ideas? I thought I read something about motorhome axles having a different backing plate and hub offset.

[gun512]

not sure at what you will need. I will be doing a 60/14bolt swap soon. I have always been told that the 60/70's out of dodge's are the narrowest version of the dana family. If they have trouble with 60's and 14's out of chevy's i would say that the dodge's axle's might not work.

[brute4c]

I do know that a couple of guys have used the Dodge Motorhome rear axles and they said those axles are almost exactly the same width as the stock axle...no issues with them that I recall.

[Elwenil]

You could always swap the springs under the frame and eliminate the odd, breakage prone stock spring mounts. It is possible to convert a Dodge D70 to disc breaks. Check Pirate4x4, but search first! They are not kind to newbies if you don't already know.

[green goat]

A buddy and I were talking about his dodge axles when I bought my CUCVs from him. I asked him what the difference was between the two sets and he said the rear was the same width but that the front matched it instead of the wider front to rear chevy design. I didn't measure these myself but he had put both trucks under his full size jeep trucks already so just I guess he knows. I'll say this, if you plan on using the stock rear spring mounts you had better not go any narrower then the GM 14 bolt, u-bolt to backing plate flange runs real close.

[tngreenmachine]

I used a dana 70 from a ford. It would have mounted without disc brakes but I went to discs anyhow. I have about 3-4 inches between the spring perch and the flange that the drum back plate mounted too. I can try and get the BOM off it and see what it came in if your interested.

[green goat]

Has anyone tried mounting the rear springs under the frame rail? Just wondering if the narrower stance would make much difference when loaded or cornering. If not you could run any axle.

[moosejr]

hmmmmm, I just had a thought, ..4-link with air bags?. ..any comments?

[Mikel]

Your axles are probably a D61/D70 with 3.07 gears. I put the same axles in my J300, with a 4BT.

[Mikel]

Due to the massive rear drum brakes and that I thought there would be no space for disk brake calipers, I moved my rear springs under the frame and mounted the axle SUA. With hindsight, I should have angled the calipers out of the way and kept the springs in their original location. I really don't like the loss of ground clearance, but it keeps the driveshaft a bit shielded.