Severe Use axle

Park_W

Anyone want a Severe Use axle shaft for the Spicer/Dana ('52-'54) axles? I have one I'd like to trade for a standard one (the SU axle is identifiable by having coarse threads vs. fine threads on the end, and is a little "beefier").

[Deleted User]

How can you tell if you have one of these. I am looking for one for my 51. Can you tell from the casing and will the 52-54 Dana fit the 51? what to know what marking's I look for if any.

Park_W

The difference is in the axle shaft itself, as described in the initial post. Spicer/Dana axle shafts will not interchange with those in the '48-'51 Hudson-built axle assemblies. Number of splines at the inner end is different for one thing (more splines on the Spicer/Dana).

TwinH

Don't mean to hijack your thread,just wondering which cars got the spicer/dana

rear ends? My 49 C8 w/hornet motor has quite a bit of backlash in the rear. I gather

that I'd be better off with the spicer/dana rear and is it a straight across swap?

Unknown

I have a dana from a 54 Hornet in my T8 Coupe, Just move the spring perchs.

Park_W

The Dana from the '52-'54 Hudsons is indeed a bolt-in swap with the '48-'51s. I don't know that the Dana is all that much stronger, and it's a bit harder to "set one up" with the right gear contact. So it boils down to what ratio you want to run. With the Hudson axles you're stuck with 3.58, 4.10 or 4.55. There are a number of other ratios available for the Danas. For an earlier car with Hydramatic, the Dana 3.07, as used in the Hudsons with Dual-Range Hydramatic, is a pretty good choice.

Unknown

Park: I have a spare 52, complete rear end and axels. It has a 3.07 gear ratio. I might be interested in a trade, what are the advantages or disadvantages to a severe usage axel.

Park_W

Folks, to clarify, what I have is just one axle shaft (what the parts book calls the "drive shaft"), not a complete rear axle assembly.

[Deleted User]

Yes I see now my error thinking you were talking the whole diff not just the axles. Now I can clarify my question can anyone tell me how you tell you are looking at a Dana rear diff ? I am looking to swap out the diff in my 51 for a Dana from a 52-54. Mine is leaking at the gasket between front and rear housing. Since I need to pull it apart to fit a new gasket thought I would go for a Dana and rebuild one of those on the bench and swap it out. I know the Dana's have a rear cover on the pumpkin where the 51's do not. Other than that how do you tell a severe usage diff from standard Hudson diff from 52-54.

Park_W

There's no severe use axle assembly, only the axle shafts themselves. As you stated, the Danas are identified by having a removable rear cover on the diffy.