2nd gen front axle

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2nd gen front axle

Postby v8coupe » Tue May 24, 2016 4:28 pm

Hi,

So I have a extended cab 1st gen W350 and I am considering swap the Dana 60 front axle from the ancient front axle to a late 2nd gen unit. The main driving reason is the ability for the late 2nd gen axles to upgrade to the 3rd gen front brakes. I am already upgrading the rear axle to 2001 2nd Gen rear discs with the front calipers from an 87 Chevy K20 front. So with the stock front brakes it is very rear biased. Is there anything else I should consider before getting the axle? I know about the switch in sides of the diff and I am not real worried about it. I am already very much considering removing the stock 4 speed Auto for the NV4500 I already had for my older D350.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby CumminsPower59 » Fri May 27, 2016 1:26 pm

I guess since your going to go to all that trouble, get an axle out of an 01-02, since they are CAD-less...

If it were me, I'd still have to throw a bunch of money at it to get away from the unit bearings too...
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby v8coupe » Sat May 28, 2016 9:07 pm

Any suggestions on ways to do away with those? I'm not using the truck for off roading or any of that kind of stuff it is basically a dedicated Tow rig for my 18' open deck and 24' enclosed race trailers. The engine will be getting at least an HX35W with a 12cm housing and a 4" down pipe, but I do also have an HX32 I might add in compounds on it.

I also am having issues with the stock Automatic on the truck not going into OD which is likely a controller issue not a wiring issue like I originally thought it might be. With that being the case I am very much leaning towards putting the 2wd NV4500 I bought for my last D350 on it with a divorced NP205 transfer case. I did think about selling the NV4500 for a newer 6-speed, but looking at the gearing I'm not sold that it is worth it on this truck. The body needs work, but this truck fits my needs and is way cheaper then getting a newer truck just in insurance for it. I just want bigger front brakes as that was the reoccurring issue on my D350 which is basically just a 2wd version of my current truck minus the OD.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby DMan1198 » Sun May 29, 2016 7:47 am

Something to note is the 1st gen d60 is a passenger side drop setup, and all the later trucks are drivers side drop, so you'd need to switch t cases at the same time you switch front axles.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby v8coupe » Sun May 29, 2016 8:09 am

I do know that. I am fine with having to change that around the later second gen axle I am looking at getting can be upgraded to the 4rd gen larger 13.98" rotors with simply a caliper carrier change. It also would tighten the turning radius of the truck which currently isn't as good as my previous D350 was. I don't like the 1st gen tock D60s as they are a royal PITA to put bigger brakes on. Since I am in the process of removing the rear drums for rear disc brakes and am using 2001 Dodge Ram 3500 rotors which are almot the same size as the stock front rotors and the caliper is from an 87 Chevy K20 4wd front. That combo puts the rear brakes at ~88% of the front which is great when loaded heavy in the rear, but not good empty. I am also in the process of installing a adjustable bias valve so that as I load or unload it I can adjust it as needed.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby Remps » Sun May 29, 2016 11:20 am

If you weren't planning on swapping your entire geartrain, and it was just a brake issue, I'd personally try a set of red or yellow (probably yellow) EBC brake pads on the front before swapping front axles. They bite harder as they warm up.
'90 D250 R/C,727,IC,6x.009's,1/8" bump,fuel psi,straight pipe w/5" stack.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby Bookshelf » Sun May 29, 2016 3:05 pm

Remps wrote:If you weren't planning on swapping your entire geartrain, and it was just a brake issue, I'd personally try a set of red or yellow (probably yellow) EBC brake pads on the front before swapping front axles. They bite harder as they warm up.

Do you have first hand experience w/ EBC pads? Which colors? I've always been curious about them.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby v8coupe » Mon May 30, 2016 6:36 pm

Remps wrote:If you weren't planning on swapping your entire geartrain, and it was just a brake issue, I'd personally try a set of red or yellow (probably yellow) EBC brake pads on the front before swapping front axles. They bite harder as they warm up.


I have used EBC pads before in my cars, but they aren't going to help the rotor dissipate the heat any better. I had issues in my last 1st gen (a 91 Non IC D350) with the brakes getting hot when towing heavier loads. I have a bigger heavier trailer now that will be even more so an issue to slow down when going up and down big grades.

The only things that would need to change are the front axle (which is what this is about), the transmission, and the transfer case. I already have a 2nd gen 5-speed manual and I am not opposed to running it to a divorced transfer case. I understand that the late 2nd gen trucks had coil springs and trailing links, but I am not opposed to shaving all of those mounts off and throwing a set of leaf spring mounts on for now just to get it on the truck with at least the 3rd gen front brakes. I don't really care about it not being a king pin axle and all that stuff. I don't use the truck for off-road stuff at all. The only times it goes off pavement are at track events, or getting cars from fields that is about it. I am also fine just having the truck RWD for a little bit while I get all the parts to convert it from the Automatic which sucks, to a manual. I already have the pedals, transmission, and flywheel, so I have the big chunks out of the way.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby Remps » Mon May 30, 2016 11:46 pm

I haven't personally tried them, but plan to try a set on the w250 eventually. I don't blame you for wanting better brakes for towing heavy, I''ll take my 2nd gen for towing any day over my 1st gens.
'90 D250 R/C,727,IC,6x.009's,1/8" bump,fuel psi,straight pipe w/5" stack.
'90 W250 R/C,47rh,K@N,HX35,1/8" bump,2nd gen IC,boost,egt,trans temp.3.07's.
'96 2500 S/C L/B,2wd,NV5600,3.54 L/S,cai,egt,pacbrake,mbrp exhaust,10 plate.
Bring back the Bank of Canada, PRE- 1974.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby v8coupe » Wed Jun 01, 2016 6:09 pm

Remps wrote:I haven't personally tried them, but plan to try a set on the w250 eventually. I don't blame you for wanting better brakes for towing heavy, I''ll take my 2nd gen for towing any day over my 1st gens.


I only have a 1st gen and I would take it over a 2nd gen for almost anything except brake options and the turning radius. I like the VE pump over the Ppumps because with the VE pumps variable timing helps mileage a fair bit. I just hate the IC'd trucks lack of power compared to my older non-IC'd 91 D350. Now I might be forgetting how slow it was, but when it died I had an HX35W on it with a 10cm housing running it non wastegated. So I might have been about 250HP with the stock pump almost maxed out. I will be using this newer truck for more of the same and now with a bigger heavier trailer and more weight in it. I would like better brakes and I know changing pads and doing a hydro booster swap help greatly, but that will not help the rotors with dissipating the heat as well as a larger, wider and heavier rotor could.
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Re: 2nd gen front axle

Postby Remps » Thu Jun 02, 2016 1:42 pm

What I meant was I like the way the 2nd gen chassis and brakes handle towing. I will be putting an early ve motor in my 96 eventually, don't care for the p pump at all.
'90 D250 R/C,727,IC,6x.009's,1/8" bump,fuel psi,straight pipe w/5" stack.
'90 W250 R/C,47rh,K@N,HX35,1/8" bump,2nd gen IC,boost,egt,trans temp.3.07's.
'96 2500 S/C L/B,2wd,NV5600,3.54 L/S,cai,egt,pacbrake,mbrp exhaust,10 plate.
Bring back the Bank of Canada, PRE- 1974.
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