Look at what I spotted today....

[GoneCamping-SKO]

I was delivering some Dump Truck parts to a contractor in Chesapeake Va today, and spotted this thing parked on his back lot.... Don't know much about it other than what you see here, but that is going to be a 4x4 bus when they are done with it!!

 

[the_experience03]

Hmmm...Rockwell axles and Michelins tires....yep....I can see it working. That 6.72 gear ratio must be a killer though.

 

[BassnTruck]

That is a Dana60 not a Rockwell.

 

[the_experience03]

A Dana 60 without a removable front cover? I'm not so sure about that. 35 spline Dana 60's crumble under Jeeps with tires in the 40"+ range. With Bobby Long's super axles and birfield joints they hold up under competition buggies, but his first breakage DID come from someone running those big Michelins like in the picture.

Look at the picture and notice how much narrower the Dana 60 is and how much smaller its tubes are than the axle under that bus.

On the otherhand, Rockwell and Marmon Herrington have been making front axles for big trucks forever. It's not a toploader Rockwell which is what people instantly think of when you say Rockwell, but I still think it could be a Rock. It doesn't have the distinct shape that the newer Marmon Herrington axles have. It could still be one of the older M-H axles with the more round centersection, but it's tough to say from that picture. My money is on it being a front loading 2.5 ton axle from something like an M211. They were rated for 12,000 lbs GAWR which would be good for a bus (my front axle is 12,000 in my bus). They are a reverse rotation design, but the t-case that came with them should take care of that problem.

If you have more information and can somehow explain to me how that is a Dana 60 or 70 I will believe you, but let's face it...either of those axles would be GROSSLY undersized in this application in every way...brakes....axle shafts....tube diameter and width....hubs....

 

[eggman-SKO]

Looks like a Dana 70 that a friend of mine has under his IH 1 ton. If you look really close, it seems to have a removable front diff cover.

My $.02

 

[sportyrick]

looks just like my Rockwell 75 in my 80 GMC 6000 M-H conversion 6X6. The axle tubes are square going into a round pumpkin w/o a removable cover. I think my ratio is 6:83 but isn't too bad with 40" tall tires, 900-20's, will run 65MPH on the highway. I don't have a pic I can put online yet but might try if you keep arguing. My buddy put one under his pulling truck because the Dana 70's wouldn't cut it, 628 Cubic inches of kick ass BBC injected on alcohol, 1300 HP @ 10,000 RPM. sportyrick

 

[the_experience03]

If it's a 70 someone is doing a lot of fabrication for nothing. It's going to snap the first time anyone applies a little load to it in the way of wheel bind or engine torque. It almost looks like it's closed knuckle. That would be another nod in the direction of a heavier axle. If it's a closed knuckle Dana 70 it's 16 spline and beter suited to boat anchor duty.

Anyone else notice the stock style push-pull steering? I don't think I've ever seen a Dana 70 with that setup, but they may well have existed. If not I would think that steering arms would be an issue.

 

[BassnTruck]

well it is a cruddy pick but the leaf sits on the pumpkin just like my dana60 on my jeep. If it id a chevy 2.5 ton axle it isnt worth its weight in scrap. He needs a top loading 5ton rockwell to be safe. But I could be wrong.

 

[davido-SKO]

Ah, a few fellow off-roaders. Nice.

 

[the_experience03]

Just to clarify, I'm not one of those guys that needs the biggest, baddest ass parts and therefore thinks a Dana 60 is a wimp. I just think it's light in that application. I wheel on Toyota axles with 4 cylinder third members and stock shafts/birfs.

 

[D&ACaple]

imagine the camping possibilities there... I did once ponder what a military m-54a2 front clip attatched to a bus body with the nice wide late model tires, 4x4 would be good, 6x6 might just be worth the cussing and head scratching on having to deal with yet another set of wheel wells... have noticed more x-treme off road, off grid types mmmmm.

 

[bansil]

holly grave digger................

I would so do a 5ton bus build if I had the extra cash and a big building

 

[Russell-SKO]

The only use I see for such a machine would be swamp tours maybe polar bear tours. That axel in front is a little wormy. It looks to me like one of those military truck axels. I haven' t known anybody to get good service out of that stuff.

 

[The_Stuff]

Minot ND

 

[Das Mel]

*Throws in the towel*

That's it, Stuff wins.

 

[roach711]

*Throws in the towel*

That's it, Stuff wins.

I'm sorry, that's just wrong

Das Roach