• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

Dana 30 Axle Tube Bent

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
My brother did exactly that on his '72. It had a 44, missing both inner and outer axles. He needed to use the car. We found that a racket ball plugged the axle tube perfectly.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
In that situation you can also forgo putting all the lockout mechanism in as well. It's just a drive connection between the splined hub and the splined axle shaft. Since the shaft isn't even there, and the locking mechanism has nothing to do with the bearings, or their adjustments they can simply be left off and some sort of dust cover used instead of the knob.
I used a plastic bag and rubber bands once, and I've seen tape used. Anything to keep the wheel bearings clean and the grease inside where it belongs.

That racket ball is good info!

Paul
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
I wonder if the shop you're using is old-school enough to know how to adjust Dana wheel bearings?
It's surprising (even though it shouldn't be anymore!) how many professional mechanics don't know the proper adjustment procedure, and some that don't even have the proper tools for these axles and simply adjust it "by feel" like they do so many 2wd trucks and passenger cars.
Definitely not the same procedure.

Might not hurt to ask, or watch how they do it when putting it all back together.
We've even had instances of members here having shops put their junk back together with the old hammer-and-chisel method.%)
Apparently that's what some mechanics thing those four notches in the adjusting nuts are for!:eek:

Paul
 
Top