Dana 70 Axle Questions

[Denis]

I have a Dana 70 rear axle in my '68 W-300 which I am servicing. When I took the driver's side apart there was no grease in the wheel bearings only oil. Also there was no seal between the hub and the axle flange like M-37 axles have; but only a gasket. Is this correct?

[Gordon Maney]

What is your manual showing? It has been a long time since I had one apart, but I seem to remember packing them with oil soluble grease to start.

[Denis]

Manual

Dodge service manual I have does not mention wheel bearings nor does it show weither sealing arrangement is inboard at the differential or outboard at the hub. The veiws of the axles are poor.

[dougdodgeman]

My '70 W-300 has oil seals in the diff. housing and on the steering knuckles. I run corn head grease in the steering knuckles and wheel bearings should be packed conventionally. I don't know how you could get oil in the bearings unless the grease has just broken down that far?

[Denis]

Rear Axle

DougDodgeMan I am working on my real axle; you were refering to the front axle correct?

[Ron in Indiana]

To my knowledge the 70 is like the 60 series and relies on the gear lube from the differential to lubricate the outer bearings. No inner axle seal.

[Gordon Maney]

Let me also see if I can find my 63-68 truck parts book to find what it shows. Perhaps another forum user has one handy on their shelf.

[Gordon Maney]

I don't find an illustration of the rear, which makes no sense to me. The front axle assembly in Spicer 70 is showing no seals for the axle shafts.

I am going to dig around some more.

[Denis]

More Info

I took apart the passanger side of the rear axle this morning. Same as the other side; only gear oil in the wheel bearings and no evidence of gease what so ever. I checked both axle shafts and there is no machined surface where a seal would ride on the inboard ends. Also no machined surface on the outboard end of the axles or the hubs. M-37's have an oil seal outboard which rides on the hub.

Anybody have a part number for the gasket between the axle end and the hub?

[Gordon Maney]

http://quad4x4.com/qu40078.html

http://www.drivetrainamerica.com/p-6...ge-gasket.aspx

I have made them before from gasket paper. I did not know that pattern fit other things. I think I like the steel one from Quad 4X4, and I have purchased from them before with good success and satisfaction.

[Denis]

Gaskets

Thanks for the gasket info. The ones I took off both sides were almost full face gaskets and only had a small hole in the center for the axle shaft to pass through. Have you seen this type or were these probably "home made".

[Gordon Maney]

Thanks for the gasket info. The ones I took off both sides were almost full face gaskets and only had a small hole in the center for the axle shaft to pass through. Have you seen this type or were these probably "home made".

That sounds home-made.

[Frank Irons]

The early (68 -73) Spicer catalog I have shows no gasket for the axle flange. The later (74 - 93) shows a gasket. There is no inner seal on the Dana rear axles, however there are in the front axle. As Gordon has stated I usually pack the rear bearings initially but eventually they are lubed by the differential fluid.

Frank

[Denis]

Thanks

Thanks to all the replies. I have my brake parts, bearings and seals on order. Will be cleaning up and painting everthing and be ready to put it all back together when the parts arrive. Rock Auto had everthing I needed at good prices.

[Denis]

Axle Flange Gasket

Didn't notice it until I was going to order the gaskets Gordon suggested, but they are for 8 bolt flanges; the axles on my '68 are 6 hole. Several people have told me no gaskets were used on these axles.