dana 28 questions

[tomahawk350]

After a wheeling trip over weekend I broke an axle shaft(passenger side). I also took on some water in the diff and i think it came in from the driver's side shaft. As far as I can tell, all there is a rubber seal there, it's prolly worn out as I have 220,000 miles. Is this replaceable? or is there another easy fix?

Also I plan to do eliminate the c-clip with a spring inside the slip yoke. Has anyone done this with negative effects?

thx!

 

[4x4junkie]

You can replace the seals no problem.
I probably wouldn't put too much effort into fixing up a D28 though if you plan to keep wheeling it, those shafts are like little twigs.
I'd be looking for a D35 to swap under there, and then start doing the mods on that.

 

[tomahawk350]

I'm thinking either a D35 or possibly a Dana 30 SAS. I already have a dana 30 available to me. Money is always the deciding factor.

 

[dangerranger83]

Do a D30 SAS looks better. The D30 are really easiy to work on IMO. Imagine a D30 under the front of your vehicle. Plus its basiclly "bolt in" and a little fab work just like the D35. But I agree the D28 arent a wheeling front end.

 

[tomahawk350]

Do a D30 SAS looks better. The D30 are really easiy to work on IMO. Imagine a D30 under the front of your vehicle. Plus its basiclly "bolt in" and a little fab work just like the D35. But I agree the D28 arent a wheeling front end.

One thing that would concern me on the D30 is actuating the 4WD. I'm not an expert here but I know the D30 I could use is vacuum actuated. And to work with the ford manual transfer case I was told i'd have to swap axle shafts to the one-piece design. Anyone experience this yet?

 

[dangerranger83]

There are many options. You could buy a soild axle to replace the CAD one and put a plate over the CAD hole, you could shim the fork for the CAD to keep it live at all times(thats a cheaper route to go), you could make it vaccum operated, or you could find a D30 without the CAD on it, like mine. There are other ways to. Mine being a live at all times means to go into 4wd all I have to do is moved my transfer case shift knob from 2wd to 4wd and away I go. Mine doesnt have the manual hubs on it but I dont care.

I just relized that you have an 89, I'm suprized it doesnt have the D35 on it like some I have seen.

 

[4x4junkie]

No '89s came with a D35. Mid-'90 & up.

A D30 is stronger than the D28, but the D35 is basically a straight bolt-in, and is stronger still. However if you can get a 30 essentially for free, then it could be a worthwhile swap if you know what you're doing as far as setting up the suspension. The D30 is NOT bolt-in like the D35 though, some fabrication for the trackbar mount and for radius arms will be needed on it.

 

[tbars]

..Would a Hybrid pumpkin directly bolt up to his BII D28??..If it could, would his shafts fit proper??? and if not, would the Hybrid gears fit in his BII??

...Not ever owning a D28, I thought these would be good questions..

 

[4x4junkie]

No, the axle beam is different between a D28 and D35 (the hybrid being a D35 housing but with D28 gears). Non-hybrid D28s have 12 bolts on the front cover, D35s (inc. the hybrid) has 10 bolts.

 

[tbars]

...I know the shafts are different lengths on the hybrid compared to the true D35...

,,,Does this mean the Hybrid gears themselves will not fit in and be usable, in the D28 pumpkin??

 

[ford boy]

on my cherokee i have a cable thst runs down to the front axle to engage it. i bought it from quadratec. it works good for using 4-low 2wd

 

[4x4junkie]

...I know the shafts are different lengths on the hybrid compared to the true D35...

,,,Does this mean the Hybrid gears themselves will not fit in and be usable, in the D28 pumpkin??

I've heard the gears are not interchangeable due to a different pinion shaft length, but haven't actually tried to swap them.

 

[tbars]

...If someone has a Dana 28 gear set, I have the Hydrid set of 4.10's sitting...I would like to get them together, take some pics and measurements, for future readers...