Which axle upgrade route to take

[Alaska Mike]

Now we just need someone to make X-PANDA-CABs again. A few brackets and hinges, some canvas... would be cheaper to manufacture and ship than a rofftop tent, and would be more aerodynamic as well.

 

[Yorker]

Now we just need someone to make X-PANDA-CABs again. A few brackets and hinges, some canvas... would be cheaper to manufacture and ship than a rofftop tent, and would be more aerodynamic as well.

I've seen 1 or 2 home made conversions that were designed like the X-Panda. It would be pretty hard to market the conversion nowadays I don't think there really aren't that many people out there who would buy one. You could fabricate one yourself though without tremendous difficulty I've often thought about doing something similar to that or a variation on a pop up on my ambulance.

 

[Alaska Mike]

Yeah, looking at the assembly instructions, It wouldn't be too hard to build a reasonable facsimile of a X-PANDA CAB. With the canvas work and other fabrication, it might just be easier and cheaper (when you figure in labor) to go with a cheap RTT like the Mombasa. I'd also have to look at the available footprint to see if it would be feasable for a nearly 6' man and significant other to sleep up there, and what kind of cross-bracing would be required to support my bulk. I imagine that you could brace the plywood itself with some small aluminum c-channel or angle iron. Oh well... I'm a long way from that project.

 

[James86004]

You might try contacting this person. He's in Tucson and has one as part of this parts collection. He's already dropped the price and that sals is an extra judgingby the number of other tubes he shows. You might find he's willing to part with it alone.

Edit/ OK it seems that ebay links get censored. Go to ebay and there is a guy in Tucson selling a big pile of parts that are enough to supposedly build two trucks. There is a sals in that pile of parts.

I have gone and looked at this pile of parts. If anyone needs a good, rust-free 88 frame, his is beautiful.

He is willing to part with the Salisbury for me. It needs work, probably a whole new differential. The pinion is missing, and it has been sitting open for many years, so who knows what dirt and water and critters are inside. The left hub turns freely, the right hub turns maybe 1/12 of a turn, then clunks, just like it does when you are changing a tire and you leave the opposite wheel on the ground and have the transmission in gear.

So, the question, o wise and wonderful ExPos, is should I go ahead and get this? If so, how much should I offer? I was thinking for the gears maybe I could get the take-outs from someone who has put in a locker or changed ratios.

 

[ntsqd]

If you have to replace every bearing, both axle shafts, the R&P, and the differential what would it be worth?
I am assuming that the existing rear brakes bolt-on?

My solution to that is to not let idiots drive it.

Sorry Tom, my meaning wasn't clear. I meant the idiot driving the CRX who just cut in front of you.

 

[revor]

The Hubs, stubs and brakes from your current axle should fit on the Salisbury IIRC.
The carrier is a tough one but keep in mind that any Dana 60 Locker will fit if you are so inclined. Also a 110 carrier will work but you would need to use the ring gear spacer for a Dana 60, not the best solution but in a low power application it would work fine.
If the carrier is in decent shape you can put the spiders and cross pins from a 110 sals in or even the parts from a Dana 60 (30 spline migh be worth he upgrade now) or 35 spline (big stuff)
I probably have some side gears 24 spline and the rest laying around if the mating surfaces on you carrier are in good shape.

Gears might be difficult to find on the used market.. Check the Series boards or even the UK...

Now the axle shafts you got some of those?

How much does he want...

 

[James86004]

He said to make him an offer. He is too busy to remove the cover and take a photo of the inside for me, but I am welcome to drive all the way out there and do it myself. Since he lives about 30 red lights away from me, I only want to make one more trip. I will take the cover off, and offer him X if the gears inside are salvageable, and Y if they are toast. If he accepts, then I will give him cash, load up the axle and be on my way.

The question is, what are X & Y?

 

[Alaska Mike]

A Salisbury is not going to be a cheap axle to refurbish. 4.7:1 gear ratios are not common for Dana 60s, so you're likely going to have to go with a Rover parts house or a used set of gears. Bearings and seals can add up to quite a bit when you're doing a complete refurbishment. Add in labor costs and you'll be up there over $1000 (not including the initial cost of the axle) without trying. If rust has pitted machined surfaces significantly, the axle may be a boat anchor.

However, once done I think you'd be extremely happy with the strength of the axle. Just trying to give you some talking points to negotiate with.

I think a set of 24 spline Seriestrek axleshafts, a Disco I 3rd member, GBR R&P, and install/setup would probably cost around the same amount. You can save money by reusing your existing gearset with an ARB spacer. In the end, it will be a weaker axle than the Salisbury, but you will be much stronger than stock and unlikely to break a shaft.

You have a lot of good options. Examine that parts pile axle very closely. Spindles and other parts can get very expensive, very quickly, so if it sat with water in the housing they will likely need to be replaced. Sit down with a calculator and your favorite parts house catalog and start adding up how much the parts would cost. If you don't get that axle for one reason or another, there will be another one eventually.

 

[revor]

$100 for just the housing. If the gears and diff are good and it has axles $200

I missed the first part about the pinion being missing. I'm assuming Pinion Flange. I have a few of those laying around, you pay the shipping and buy me a beer.

If it has a leather pinion seal ditch that and use one from a Dana 60 National seal PN 9316 I believe, check the local Napa for that.

Bearings are standard Dana 60 stuff except the pinion nose bearing, save your $$$ and go to the local industrial Bearing house with the bearings in hand, you save at least $60 over the car parts store.

I've built dozens of these things for both Seies and coiler applications, I've got plenty of extra bits.

If you have problems you can alway give me a call.

 

[ntsqd]

As a point of reference a couple years ago when MISF & I built the Cheap Utility Trailer we used a coarse spine D60 axle (mid 60's GM truck donor) for the foundation of it's axle. The one place we did not go cheap was wheel bearings and seals. For those MISF went to Applied Industrial and bought Timken bearings and Chicago Rawhide seals. The bill was a little over $200 for the 4 bearings and the two seals.

I am particular fond of buying bearings from bearing houses. They carry the good stuff, which you can't always be sure of at a parts store, and usually at competitive pricing.

 

[revor]

Remember that the Hubs and Spindles/stub axles from James current axle will fit on the Salisbury, if he utilizes those compnents the only bearings he will need are the diff bearings.

Cost of Timkin 387A (cone) And 382S (cup) should only be about $45 for the pair (carrier brearings) the Gear side pinion bearings HM803146 (cone) and HM803110 (cup) should go about $27 the pinion Nose bearings HM88610 (only have the cup # currently) should be about $25. The 9316 National Oil seal should be $12.

If the gears are good (minor pitting allowed on somthing this big) there are very good odds that you can pull the old bearings and put new ones in their place (put the shims back where you found them!!!) without needing to go through a set up. The Pinion on a Salisbury uses a Crush sleeve so you can simply buy a new one and torque it to spec.

Bearing tolerances are very tight, so much so that our crude Ring and pinion gears cannot take advantage of such tolerances.

I'm guessing that with some elbow grease and a good cleaning you could be one the road with a less than $400 brute that will never loose a ring or Pinion gear.

 

[James86004]

I am particular fond of buying bearings from bearing houses. They carry the good stuff, which you can't always be sure of at a parts store, and usually at competitive pricing.

In my profession as a mechanical engineer, I have a good working relationship with a couple of local bearing houses. Gopher Bearing in Tucson in particular. Once, I needed eight 100 mm ID metric spherical bearings. I got quoted something like $400 a piece for them at several places. When I asked Gopher, he said, "That is an unusual bearing, let me call around and see if there are any gathering dust on a shelf somewhere that we can get cheap." The next day he called me and said, "I found ten of them on a shelf in Seattle, they want $50 each for them."

 

[James86004]

Remember that the Hubs and Spindles/stub axles from James current axle will fit on the Salisbury, if he utilizes those compnents the only bearings he will need are the diff bearings.

Cost of Timkin 387A (cone) And 382S (cup) should only be about $45 for the pair (carrier brearings) the Gear side pinion bearings HM803146 (cone) and HM803110 (cup) should go about $27 the pinion Nose bearings HM88610 (only have the cup # currently) should be about $25. The 9316 National Oil seal should be $12.

If the gears are good (minor pitting allowed on somthing this big) there are very good odds that you can pull the old bearings and put new ones in their place (put the shims back where you found them!!!) without needing to go through a set up. The Pinion on a Salisbury uses a Crush sleeve so you can simply buy a new one and torque it to spec.

Bearing tolerances are very tight, so much so that our crude Ring and pinion gears cannot take advantage of such tolerances.

I'm guessing that with some elbow grease and a good cleaning you could be one the road with a less than $400 brute that will never loose a ring or Pinion gear.

Thanks, Keith. I am salivating at the prospect of getting this axle now.

 

[revor]

Thay are really quite simple and "relativly" easy to work on.. The fact that they're just huge is another big plus..

Don't be afraid to hit me up with any other Q's

 

[Alaska Mike]

Just be very critical when looking at the axle, if for nothing more than to get the price down.

By the way- do the brakes cross over, or is that another expense?