The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Dana 45 rear axle..keep it or toss it?

Help! So I was lead down the path of " it's a 86-88 caprice 3:08 with converted 6 lug axles" and ordered a master install kit with gears....wrong. After Googling the patent numbers (2018188 c30147) and identifying the 45 with a circle around it, I have what is/was a Dana model 45. Nobody seems to know much about them in the gear set world. Wiki says same R/P as the 44, but others say no. Seems to have been a Trac lock 20 spline option in some trucks from 50 to about 58 ish. Anyone here have/had one and sourced parts?

Whats the common 6 lug perfect width rear axle to source used, to replace this one with that is serviceable? Wagoneer 44 center diff 6 lug? Early drop out syle old stuff? I would rather go with newer stuff, but don't want to just open the check book on a narrowed 9 inch and still retain E-brake etc.
Thanks for the help

Update: Taking a late model (easy to get parts for) Chevy 6 lug 10 or 12 bolt and having it cut down to 62 WMS ($125.00), sending the axle to Dutchman to cut and rebroach ($130.00) and tossing in new bearings throughout. Smoothing the housing and mount new perches with the correct pinion angle after I drop it 4". Toss the Dana 45 in the scrap bin. What say the Elders?

My 59 Burb had a Dana 45 as original equipment. If you find someone looking to do a showroom-original restoration that would be the part they need, but as I found out when the pinion bearings failed and ruined the gears, it's an oddball where parts are concerned. Type 44 parts definitely DO NOT interchange!
Jerry

Thanks Jerry....that's what's currently happening to mine. What direction did you go?

Someone gave me a Dana Type 60 rear axle with a bad pinion gear, and I ended up rebuilding it with a GMC housing, Ford gears, and a Dodge pinion flange. It was also an 8-lug 3/4 ton full floater, so the Burb ended up with 6-lug wheels on the front and 8-lug on the back. I hauled a load of household goods from California to Tennessee that way, and towed a Nissan station wagon behind it with a tow bar. I retired it in 1990 or so, and now it's in storage. Eventually, it's going to get a mid-1980's 3/4 ton front crossmember with independent suspension, and a Cadillac 500 engine and Turbo 400 transmission. Right now, it's on the "to do" list along with about 10 other projects including a 1961 GMC fire truck.
Jerry

I'm keeping mine. I like powr-loks. If you dump it list the parts.

I too have a Dana 45; mine is under our '58 Apache shortbed Fleetside. It has Traction Lok, 3.92 gears.

I'm looking into rebuilding the posi -- and that gear is perfect for me.

I have been making a few calls to find parts. I'll start a new thread and let you all know what I find.

I'll line up in the "if you dump it they will come" list. I'm in the N.E corner of Oregon.

The rear is refered to by gm as a "spicer 45". Not many ratios were available and parts are scarce.

Done a little looking around. I've found one place that says a 44 ring gear will bolt to the 45 carrier. The 44 pinion will go into the 45 case if you use the Spicer 53 (bigger) bearing at gear end of the pinion and set if you use extra shims. You would have to use a yoke from a 44 since the spline count on the 44 is 27 where 45 is 20 (from memory).

If this ends up being correct there will be many more gearing choices for the 45 then Chevrolet banjo and cheaper too.

Found a Car Craft article that says that the dana 45 was used in Fords and Mercurys until 1956. Implies they started in 1949 when they dropped the torque tube.

I assume they would have taller gears.

Here's an older link on rebuilding a Dana 45. Looks as though most parts from a 44 will work.

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=924828