DRW Dana 60 / 14 Bolt

[Jester]

This is more of a question for my education than anything else right now...

I know the D60/14B combo is a bit narrower than the stock axles. Would running the DRW (dual rear wheel) hubs help with that? Would there be a drawback with bearing life? Any different than just running more backspacing?

I like the idea of someday upgrading to modern axles with disc brakes but the massive backspacing is a negative for me - both cause of bearing life and I just don't care for the look on a M truck.

[Hammer]

DRW axles and H1 rims make for a nice setup.
This keeps the military theme (sort of), and the double beadlocks are a big bonus!

[Binford]

Isn't the D60/14B combination off a van a bit wider, and thus perfect for our trucks?

[Jester]

Isn't the D60/14B combination off a van a bit wider, and thus perfect for our trucks?

Don't know about the D60 but a 14B is as follows:

SRW 67.5"
DRW 72"
Van 70"

[Hammer]

Dana 70HD DRW, then swap on the hubs from a 14B SRW setup. Get around 74" or more of track width. Just about the widest setup that I know of for the rear, which makes it close to the front, and also keeps larger tires from hitting the inner fenderwells like they will with the narrower axles.

[Jester]

Don't know about the D60 but a 14B is as follows:

SRW 67.5"
DRW 72"
Van 70"

Looks like a Dodge DRW D60 is too wide to match the rear - width is 75.5"

[dahoyle]

Looks like a Dodge DRW D60 is too wide to match the rear - width is 75.5"

Read the post directly above yours. D70HD from a GM camper special with SRW hubs swapped on, is the widest rear axle I know of, and perfectly matches a DRW front D60. Used with H1 rims, track width should come out a bit wider than a stock M715.

That is the setup I'm putting under mine.

[Hammer]

Right on with the widest axle combo.
I just put the 14B hubs on my Dana 70HD tonight.
Didn't get a measurement yet, I hope to have enough time to take a few measurements and pictures tomorrow.

Now I just need to figure out how to put disc brakes on this setup (I would prefer to use the stock brackets, rather then welding on the brackets).

[dahoyle]

Right on with the widest axle combo.
I just put the 14B hubs on my Dana 70HD tonight.
Didn't get a measurement yet, I hope to have enough time to take a few measurements and pictures tomorrow.

Now I just need to figure out how to put disc brakes on this setup (I would prefer to use the stock brackets, rather then welding on the brackets).

Don't think you are going to have much luck with an aftermarket kit, but you could always have some spacers made to offset the brackets to the necessary depth. The issue is that since you swapped hubs, you changed the location of the rotors as well. I know there are a few that fit an unmodified 70, but haven't seen any for the SRW hubs.



Doug

[Hammer]

Yeah, figured that.

Still, I think this is the best setup yet for balancing out the track width with the front 60 DRW being SO WIDE.
The H1 rims on the front are a great setup. But it takes a little more work to get a good width on the rear axle.
You can always run wheel spacers on the rear axle. I don't like these, but it can be done, and if done right, can work well.