2004 Nissan Titan Dynatrac Pro Rock Dana 80 - Project Mega Titan
Part 8: We Install And Test A Dynatrac Pro Rock 80 In The Mega Titan
Robin StoverWriter
There comes a time when you simply know your axle is too weak for the tires you are running. That time came for us while prepping the Mega Titan for a trip to Central California's Pismo State Beach for some sand-dune running. Like we always do before a trip, we popped the differential covers of both Pro Rock 60 axlehousings to inspect the gears for chips or other signs of damage. We'd noticed a slight ticking sound as the guys at Triple-X Traction spun the tires with the truck on jackstands. At this point, we were forced to admit that we had some type of issue. Once opened up, the oil drained out to reveal several broken teeth on the pinion gear in the rearend. Much to our dismay, this meant our 4.56:1 gearing was not going to survive against 46-inch tires and 400 hp. Additional beef was in order. So we phoned Dynatrac to see what they thought of our problem.
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At first Dynatrac's technician thought we were joking about damaging a 4.56:1 Dana 60 pinion gear with just 400 hp; then we dropped the 46-inch-tire surprise on them. The conversation quickly led to a discussion about how we used the vehicle. As soon as the words "crushing cars" and "30-minute burn-out" were announced, the technician told us our only option was the Pro 80. The idea that we could step up to a Dana 80 to solve our issues made us giggle. Not only would a completely new axle assembly allow us to fix a potentially weak link on the vehicle, but it would also enable us to convert the 20-plus-foot long Mega Titan to rear steer. Follow along as we showcase the buildup of the ultimate Dana axle.
1. This is where a Pro Dana 80 axle begins life. The nodular-iron centersection is machined to exact tolerances. We weighed our unit just to see to how heavy it was. We weren't surprised to find out the completed centersection weighed 122 pounds by itself. That's almost 40 pounds more than a Pro Rock 60 centersection. The big difference between the two, aside from the overall size, is the webbing thickness. The increased webbing adds significantly to the rigidity of the larger centersection.
2. Here you can see the physical difference between the actual axletubes of a Dana 60 and 80 axle by Dynatrac. The Dana 60 tubing is 31/8 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick, while the larger Dana 80 tubes are 3 5/8 inches in diameter and 9/16 inch thick. This added strength should enable the Mega Titan's new rearend to survive a considerable beating without issue.
6. We had these lower link brackets made prior to our appointment with Dynatrac. Twisted Metal Fabrication of Sacramento cut these from 3/8-inch steel sheet material. We did this so that the brackets could be installed on the axletubes prior to them being installed in the centersection. That way, the brackets could totally encompass the tubes, adding significant strength to the lower link mounts.
10. Due to the fact that this rear axle was going to be a rear-steer application, we opted for another set of Longfield Super Axles. These axles are the cat's meow when it comes to strength. Made from 4340 chromoly, these CV-style bells offer 45 degrees of bind-free steering. The axleshafts are 35-spline units made from 300M tool steel. These shafts come with a lifetime warranty against breakage as long as you are running less than a 47-inch tire. We've had great luck with these shafts in the front of the Mega Titan thus far.
