Newbie doing new things...

[Enigmatic]

Hi all, new here...First off, I'll state my profession...I am an Aerospace Machinist (fancy name for making stuff out of certified materials) I have plenty of fabrication experience to tackle my current project. Many may think it odd, but I would like to say thanks in advance for any and all information sent my way.

I just purchased a set of m715 axles for a whopping 300 bucks. (dana 60 front 5.87 and a dana 70 rear 5.88)

I wish to put them underneath my 1989 Dodge W150 (318ci FI 4speed with Granny NV241 Transfercase)

Fabbing the read diff into the truck should be simple, I am curious as to your opinions on fabbing up the front. I wish to do SOA (as the dana 44 that is currently in it is set up). It seems there may be a bit of interference between the steering and my leaf springs.

If anyone has encountered a problem like this, any information would be Greatly appreciated.

Thanks again in advance.


P.S. I hope the more hardcore M715 enthusiast's don't consider what I am doing to be sacreligious...lol...just looking to have the super creeping fun 5.88's deliver in combination with the NV241's 2.72 low range...

[5quarter]

the act you are about to commit is serious, adgrediuos and borders on being a heretic....

to absolve this you must watch the movie Platoon twice and Apocolypse now 3 times in 24 hours memorizing Col, Kurtz lines.

its very early yet so the guys will chime in no doubt... but a good place for info is over at Pirate 4x4

[BubbaWilkins]

Welcome to the madness...even if it is only a mild case.

Do the axles you purchased still have the original hubs, drums, bolt patterns, etc. ? Are the differentials stock or have they already been converted?

[Enigmatic]

The axles are basically stock. the rear has No modifications (open diff, 6 on 7.25, etc)

The front axle is stock, except someone modified the steering rod. Basically all the stk stuff.

[gimpyrobb]

I hope this does not offen you but, You are doing alot of work for not alot of gain. The front axle is imho, a step down from what you had. Wish you had asked before pulling the trigger on the purchase. Good luck with your endevor.

[rpgdeity]

You know, the more I work with these axles and think about it, they really aren't as bad as everyone makes them out to be, considering how absolutely cheap you can get a set of axles.

Yes, you are stuck with an antiquated lug bolt pattern that doesn't match anything else.

Yes, the only "commercially available" disk brake kit is like a grand or something for each axle (although I'm working on a front axle disk brake conversion that will involve a total of $120 in parts, plus a little machining I'm going to do myself...)

Yes, the stock axleshafts have been known to break, snap, and twist probably due to them being made of very old and inferior material compared to what is available today. I can vouch for this, I bought an M-725 and the stock front axle in it was broken, the previous owner had twisted the splines on one of the shafts a full spline worth of rotation, and also chewed up the pinion. This was with a stock 230 engine, not sure how he did this...lol.

There is an article on this website on how to upgrade to brand new 35 spline shafts, versus stock 30 spline. The shafts are the only thing I've heard about breaking in the front axle. I've only heard of a few people ever breaking anything.

Rear axle has its plus and minuses, but I've been running stock running gear fora while now and never had a problem. I guess it just depends what you are doing with it and what you want to do with it and if your willing to make some custom stuff every now and then. You probably could get some 4140 shafting at work and machine some splines on one end and call it a day, lol. I'm a big fan of not doing what is "easier" so to say, but utilizing what I can get cheap or what I already have. Just my 2 cents.

Oh, and to answer your question: You need a set of high-steer arms to get the steering above the springs.

[randyscycle]

I gotta agree with Rpg....these axles like any other can be broken, but it usually takes a lot. I've seen 5 ton Rockwells broken. It depends a lot on the driver rather than the equipment.

I regularly wheeled a Ford Bronco II with a Ford 7.5 rear with a locker, c-clip axles,a stock axle shafts and a stock, reverse rotation, twin I beam, Dana 28 up front. Everyone gave me such a hard time about that truck, but I wheeled sensibly and without too much skinny pedal, and with a stock 2.9. I broke a few front axle shafts, but that was usually spinning then catching traction with a bit too much application of throttle. Other than that, I never had much trouble, and went everywhere all my wheeling pals did. Sometimes with the short wheelbase places that others couldn't.

As I see it, use what you want and enjoy it. I have and its always worked out OK for me. So far my 40 year old 715 axles haven't failed me yet.....

[gimpyrobb]

My post was in reguards to him having a dana44 which probably had disk brakes. Now he is putting in and axle with the same strength as what he had, but has a goofy bolt pattern and drum brakes. I agree the axles are not worthless, I beat the hell out of mine without failure, just wondering how much of an "improvement" they are.

[rpgdeity]

True, I missed that part. You have a very valid argument there.

[Enigmatic]

Well, Gimpy Robb...I appreciate your opinion about the D44 being an approx. equal diff, I am certainly not going to get rid of it and that the small axle tube 60 is not the best choice for hardcore wheeling. (I installed the knuckles, spindles and hubs on the D44 today to eventually couple it with my Corp 12 bolt to put in my GMC S-15). But having paid 300 for Both m715 axles, ready to install in my truck (minus the slight steering fabrication) I could not have built my D44 with equivalent gears for the same price, let alone set up the 12 Bolt Corp with equal gears. I feel that these M715 axles with their 5.87 gears will do Excellent under my dodge for Super cheap. The money I saved on securing the axles can now go into tires or other modifications. I have had this Dodge W150 for 10 years now and put over 200,000mi on it since I owned it (the truck has 292,000 total miles). It has more than gone the distance for the 3000 I paid for it in 1997. I am just looking to build a super cheap trail rig that will out wheel many of my friends Jeep's, Scouts, Etc.

Unless I am mistaken, it is approx 300 bucks for LockRight lockers that will work in these axles...so 300 for the axles, 600 for lockers front and rear makes 5.87's with lockers for 900 bucks in a d60/d70 respectively. I have had what I would consider to be extensive experience both fabricating and driving a multitude of vehicles and I am considerably easy on the go pedal when wheeling. I am aware of what will break an axle and drive accordingly....but hell, if I do break it...i'm not out very much money

I sincerely appreciate everyone opinions on the subject and I am not easily offended. I simply could not think of a cheaper way to such a low final drive ratio.

I now know what I have to do for the high steering, but does anyone have any advice on the simplest way to connect the stock steering box to the knuckle (going to have to be cross over steering of course)...should I zig zag over the drivers side spring and under the passenger side and connect it right up? I do have access to a mandrel tubing bender and can weld moderately proficiently. 1.375od .120 wall chromoly should be tough enough...what do you all think?