- Project Responder Blog
- The Dana 80 is getting installed this weekend.
- Winter seems to be upon us again
- Backup Camera System
- The new Dana 80 is ready
- Signboards for the Auto Show
- Dana 80 Rear Axle Upgrade
- JEFFCO Fire Truck Rally 06
- 460 motor running well
- Driving back from RKO
- Trip to visit RKO in Indiana
The Dana 80 installation is almost complete
posted @ Wednesday, May 2, 2007
The weekend was long, but the results were well worth the effort. The Dana 80 installation is almost complete. After spending all day Saturday and Sunday in the garage performing the solid axle swap, Project Responder is sitting pretty with the new Dana 80.
The Sterling 10¼ axle came off without any difficulty by Saturday afternoon. The Dana 80 was in place and ready to be bolted up by the end of the day Saturday. Sunday was the day when I found out that there were a few issues that had to be dealt with. First, it turned out that the new slip yoke for the driveshaft was not a direct fit. The splines of the driveshaft were set up for a "blind" configuration and the yoke was not. The great folks over at Inland Truck Parts did a fantastic job of modifying the driveshaft and making it all work smoothly.
The second issue was the fact that the banjo bolts in the TSM brake calipers were not the same size as what I need for the new Dana 60 calipers. So the brake lines still have yet to be installed. Fortunately I was able to find the correct banjo bolts and brake lines at a local hot rod shop.
So this coming weekend, the driveshaft will be cleaned and re-painted and the brake lines will be installed. If all goes well, the truck will be on the road by Sunday. The bad news is that it will not be in Springfield for the four wheel drive jamboree. But it will be at the next jamboree in Springfield, IL next month.