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Let's talk Dana 80 axle temps

Missionstreet
Explorer
Explorer
I've noticed my rear hubs are awfully hot to the touch this summer after cruising at no more than 50 mph for an hour on the highway.

No dragging brakes here. I am going to get a contactless thermometer soon.

Dana 80 rear, Ford says 9,450 lb on the GAWR rear, is this derated?
23 REPLIES 23

Missionstreet
Explorer
Explorer
I think we are off topic

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
No, the sprocket is the drive. Most have a flange welded to the axle shaft. Mine has a sprocket that engages to the hub assembly.
Mine are like this
axle
If the rig is not tilted to each side, there may not be sufficient oil in the hub assemblies. Must tilt each direction then top off differential fluid. Took about an extra quart.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

bucky
Explorer II
Explorer II
enblethen wrote:
I recently had work done on my Chev P-30 including rear axle bearings and seals. Ordered parts as shown for Spicer Dana 80. None of the parts were correct as the axles were different then shown for Dana 80. My axles did not have flange on end but a sprocket. Seals were larger on mine. Spindles style were different. Bearings were flat and not tapered.


I don't think anything we say now will help the OP other than to take it to a shop.
Let's discuss your P30 rear axle. I would imagine the sprocket was designed to splash gear oil onto the bearing in motion. That makes sense and is great engineering.
Is the axle in an RV or a commercial spec truck like a FedEx or similar usage? If in a RV the body manufacturer may have speced it that way to avoid issues. In the medium and heavy duty world they will build whatever you want if enough units are ordered.
Puma 30RKSS

TravelinDog
Explorer
Explorer
valhalla360 wrote:
I assume we are talking about the hubs (out by the wheels), not the differential (aka: pumpkin) in the middle.

Unless you are heavily loaded or have other reason to believe you are putting more strain than normal on the bearings, I would pull them apart to make sure they still have grease in them and there is no other apparent damage.

Obviously you are talking about something you know nothing about. Those full-floating axels are lubricated with the gear oil in the rear end not grease.
Just say no to the payload police :C

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
I recently had work done on my Chev P-30 including rear axle bearings and seals. Ordered parts as shown for Spicer Dana 80. None of the parts were correct as the axles were different then shown for Dana 80. My axles did not have flange on end but a sprocket. Seals were larger on mine. Spindles style were different. Bearings were flat and not tapered.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

Missionstreet
Explorer
Explorer
I have a dana 80.

1999 F53

rjstractor
Nomad
Nomad
enblethen wrote:
As Grit Dog said earlier, DANA 80s are lubricated from the differential.
Are you sure it is a DANA 80 and not a DANA 60?


A Dana 60 rated to carry 9450 lbs?:E
2017 VW Golf Alltrack
2000 Ford F250 7.3

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
time2roll wrote:
RLS7201 wrote:
Now your showing your age.........About 1964 the auto/light truck manufactures switched to axle bearings that lubed with def. grease. Before that the press on axle bearings has grease in them with seals on both sides. MOPAR used tapered axle bearings pack with grease and seals on both sides of the bearings. The right side axle bearing had an adjustment to set the end play.

Richard
My family had both a 1965 Coronet and Belvedere that had this set up. What a pain and nobody seemed to know how to work on it by the late 1980's.

To the OP.... yes check the fluid level. If it is over 150k miles or 20+ years it would be OK to just change the fluid.

You are correct. I have never worked on anything that old. I try not to make definative statements on these sort of things as no matter how rare it may be, someone on the internet will bring it up.๐Ÿ™‚
Huntindog
100% boondocking
2021 Grand Design Momentum 398M
2 bathrooms, no waiting
104 gal grey, 104 black,158 fresh
FullBodyPaint, 3,8Kaxles, DiscBrakes
17.5LRH commercial tires
1860watts solar,800 AH Battleborn batterys
2020 Silverado HighCountry CC DA 4X4 DRW

Missionstreet
Explorer
Explorer
To the best of my knowledge , this is a full floating axle that is oil bathed. With an idea of some average temps I would gain peace of mind until I am able to pull the cover + shafts and inspect the hub bearings along with diff.

time2roll
Explorer II
Explorer II
RLS7201 wrote:
Now your showing your age.........About 1964 the auto/light truck manufactures switched to axle bearings that lubed with def. grease. Before that the press on axle bearings has grease in them with seals on both sides. MOPAR used tapered axle bearings pack with grease and seals on both sides of the bearings. The right side axle bearing had an adjustment to set the end play.

Richard
My family had both a 1965 Coronet and Belvedere that had this set up. What a pain and nobody seemed to know how to work on it by the late 1980's.

To the OP.... yes check the fluid level. If it is over 150k miles or 20+ years it would be OK to just change the fluid.

RLS7201
Explorer
Explorer
Huntindog wrote:
It is not just full floating rearends that use the differential oil for the bearings. Semi floaters do as well. In fact I have never heard of a conventional rearend that uses grease for them...FWIW, I have totally rebuilt axles incuding setting up new Ring and Pinion gears.


Now your showing your age.........About 1964 the auto/light truck manufactures switched to axle bearings that lubed with def. grease. Before that the press on axle bearings has grease in them with seals on both sides. MOPAR used tapered axle bearings pack with grease and seals on both sides of the bearings. The right side axle bearing had an adjustment to set the end play.

Richard
95 Bounder 32H F53 460
2013 CRV Toad
2 Segways in Toad
First brake job
1941 Hudson

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
It is not just full floating rearends that use the differential oil for the bearings. Semi floaters do as well. In fact I have never heard of a conventional rearend that uses grease for them...FWIW, I have totally rebuilt axles incuding setting up new Ring and Pinion gears.
Huntindog
100% boondocking
2021 Grand Design Momentum 398M
2 bathrooms, no waiting
104 gal grey, 104 black,158 fresh
FullBodyPaint, 3,8Kaxles, DiscBrakes
17.5LRH commercial tires
1860watts solar,800 AH Battleborn batterys
2020 Silverado HighCountry CC DA 4X4 DRW

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
As Grit Dog said earlier, DANA 80s are lubricated from the differential.
Are you sure it is a DANA 80 and not a DANA 60?

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

PButler96
Explorer
Explorer
Huntindog wrote:
valhalla360 wrote:
I assume we are talking about the hubs (out by the wheels), not the differential (aka: pumpkin) in the middle.

Unless you are heavily loaded or have other reason to believe you are putting more strain than normal on the bearings, I would pull them apart to make sure they still have grease in them and there is no other apparent damage.
You have obviously never greased your rear ends bearings. I am trying real hard not to laugh at that statement.
Oh to heck with it.:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B:B

Another internet expert exposed.


I just pulled everything back there apart at the campground on my 2500, I couldn't find a zerk, do I need to pack some grease in by hand after all this oil stops dripping out? Sounds like a messy proposition lol.
I have a burn barrel in my yard.