Posted By: deaks
Dana questions - 01/23/09 04:51 PM
I've just bought a Dana for my Dart from a guy over here in England.
It measures 52" wheel to wheel mounting, the problem i have, is that the yoke is right in the centre, the offset on my 8-3/4 is 2-3/8" . the drivers side tube is 1" shorter than the pass side, although the shaft is 1" longer.
My plan is to cut a section from both tubes but the pass side, i will cut 1" longer and swap them side for side, giving me my 2" offset back.
I am also thinking off making new front leaf mounts but a little longer to push the axle back a little, is this feasible and could there be any negatives.
BTW, If you are reading this Cass, thanks for your time to quote me but the exchange rate has killed the pound against the dollar, making it ridiculously expensive to buy from the US at the moment.
Posted By: Quicktree
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 05:26 PM
the one on my challenger is the same way. I am not going to worry about the inch. it's really hard to notice and I don't see it causing a problem. I'll let you know soon. it wont be long before it's done.
Posted By: deaks
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 06:04 PM
Quicktree
The Dana came from a tube chassis Road runner originally owned by Dave Shultz, i think the offset is more on A bodies than B and E.
Can anyone tell me how critical is the offset and who has moved their axle back and what were the ramifications.
Mike
Posted By: Quicktree
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 06:06 PM
I think an ebody is close to 1-7/8" not positive though.
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 06:15 PM
slide the rear end under the car and center the brakes in the wheel wells and take a look at the pinion location, if it is not what you want then fix it
having the rear end housing offset to the right or left is like having it higher or lower than the transmission, angles are needed to make the U joints work, it really doesn't matter which way the angle differences are, up, down, left or right IMO
Posted By: deaks
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 06:20 PM
Cab
At the moment there is 2-3/8" difference from my old 8-3/4, to me that seems too much, if i get 2" from swapping the tubes, the 3/8" is neither here or there.
Posted By: RobX4406
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 07:46 PM
To be right for your mopar the drivers side tube needs to be 1 3/8" longer than the pass side.
You have a bad situation with the drivers tube already shorter than the pass side. You'd have to shorten the pass side by 2 3/8" to get the pinion to proper offset. Finished width would end up at ~49 5/8"
Posted By: deaks
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 07:47 PM
My A body 8-3/4 was definitely over 2" and it was stock width 57-1/2" wheel to wheel mount, maybe B and E bodies are different.
I dont follow your 2nd remark, surely the offset is the difference that one side is over the other from yoke centre to end.
Posted By: deaks
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 08:58 PM
Rob
The shorter tube is against the offset, so if the offset is swapped to the other side i will add 1" and lose another 1" off the other side, giving me my 2" offset.
Posted By: RobX4406
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 09:21 PM
however you do it, you need a drivers tube 1 3/8 longer than your pass tube to get the proper pinion location.
An 8.75 has equal length axles and the pinion offset is taken up by the carrier. Don't base anything you do with a dana off what the 8.75 would be, other than overall length.
Posted By: deaks
Re: Dana questions - 01/23/09 10:59 PM
At the moment the pass side tube is 1-3/8" longer, that's why i'm cutting and swapping the ends side for side.
Posted By: formula S
Re: Dana questions - 01/24/09 07:22 AM
Measure from your frame rails to the center of your crankshaft, you should have a difference of 1 1/2". I checked my 67 barracuda and that is what I came up with.
Posted By: deaks
Re: Dana questions - 01/24/09 07:52 PM
To be honest i'm left handed, so shifting with the left is no problem, however, shifting my Dart, which incidently, was a manual for years, doesn't feel strange with the right hand either.
Going back to my axle, what is the minimum amount of mesh the shafts can get away with, before strength is compromised.
Mike
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: Dana questions - 01/24/09 08:34 PM
The splines in most spools are around two inches per side and the axles stick out on the inside past the splines so more length is better just like the girls say, huh BG and Fred 
sorry, not trying to hijack this