The "Donkey" build/rebuild

[Bracket racer]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Broke ANOTHER FUCKING AXLE!!!!!!!

Too pissed off to talk about it now, it’s 4.46am and we’ve been out since 7pm snow wheeling and all was good until I cleared the front end going up over a bank and it came down while spinning. Drivers side hit the ground, bang, broke another axle.

More in the morning, **** I need one ton’s....



****!!!!!!!

 

[Bracket racer]

A guy is dropping off a set of axles from a 2003 f-250 on Tuesday. $500 and he’s delivering! Dana60/stirling 10.5
Showed me a pic of the door tag which shows axle code 31 which is open 3.73

Done with breaking axles!!!

Obviously, more to follow.

 

[Bracket racer]

Forgot the pictures, cleaned the ears off both inner and outer axles. Yes the caps were welded in, not tacked, welded. As in half the cap, nope, sheared them right off.

 

[Shran]

Make sure that's actually a Dana 60 front that you're getting... Some F250s around that time period had Dana 50s and it's kinda hard to tell them apart!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'm a self taught welder and I'm wondering if welding in the caps all around weakened the metal. There is a HAZ (Heat Affected Zone) that surrounds the weld.
@Dirtman

 

[Dirtman]

I'm a self taught welder and I'm wondering if welding in the caps all around weakened the metal. There is a HAZ (Heat Affected Zone) that surrounds the weld.
@Dirtman

Yup... welding hardened steel like that removes the temper making it weak and brittle.

 

[Curious Hound]

Yup... welding hardened steel like that removes the temper making it weak and brittle.

I would also be afraid that fully welding the caps could produce enough heat to ruin the grease and needles inside them.

 

[Bracket racer]

I welded in short sections so I don’t think that was the issue. I’ve broke what, 4-5 axles now? Maybe the clip rotated, ground and put snap rings on, maybe the axle was ground too much, welded, maybe too much heat.

I think the issue is connected to the right foot!

I did some research and by 03 the only d50’s were in excursions. 250’s had them last in 01 and some were spotted in 02. I think the stamp on the axle is 248(?) but I’ll check when he delivers them. To be honest though, if I’m not changing gears or getting a locker, is there that much strength difference to turn them down?

The d35 is fine until I start jumping, etc which I put them to 125% or 150% of their capacity at which point they break. I’m guessing a d60 (or 50) must be more than 25-50% stronger than a 35, no?

Another issue I see around here is almost all 8 bolt rims are 16”. The problem is, the amount of 35” or bigger tires around here in 16” is nonexistent. I saw chrome 17’s but I’m not putting $1000 worth of rims on a mud toy! I need to find 17” or 20” 8 bolt rims as those seem to be the two sizes that everyone is running.(and selling used on Facebook)

Time to design another suspension I guess...


Edit: oh, and my buddy who was following me said I had 6-8’ of air under the tires, I thought it was a little jump as I cleared the bank (in a gravel pit) but him and my wife who was also following in her truck said I could of walked under it at that point and “you don’t put it that high on a hoist to work on it”! Lol!
The donkey will fly, that’s for sure. (Landing though seems to elude me)

 

[MikeG]

I see 2 1/2 ton Rockwells in your future.......

 

[Curious Hound]

. (Landing though seems to elude me)

Rest assured. You are definitely landing.

 

[MikeG]

It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop at the end......

 

[Shran]

IIRC there was a "50" stamp or something on the housing to denote a D50. I'm aware of the Excursion axles... Just FYI was all, D50 would be fine for this application but it's kind of an odd duck.

 

[Bracket racer]

Odd duck, that’s me! Lol!

Good news is, after telling the wife how good she did recovering my buddy twice and me once the other night, I slipped in that I’m getting the axles and all she said was “are they strong enough? You’re not doing it twice.”
If I was quicker thinking I would of mentioned Rockwells, damn it, wonder if it’s too late....thanks for putting another idea in my head Mike! Lol!

 

[Bracket racer]

And so it starts!!

Just met a guy at a truck stop and picked up the axles for $500.
Gave me his business card as he’s got 3 more f2-350’s to part out in case I need anything.
Didn’t include the wheelnuts which sucks, but he threw in a spare manual hub lock so I’m happy. Also threw in a spare rotor as one of them is split on the front end.

I’ll wait until I get home to verify if it’s a d50 or d60 but 2003 so I’m pretty confident on a 60.

 

[Bracket racer]

Wow, that’s a crappy pic...
Try this;