Yukon Gear Replacement Yoke For Dana 80 w/ A 1410 U/Joint Size

A pinion seal that keeps leaking on a one-ton dually, a groove worn into the yoke where the seal rides, a yoke with wallowed-out U-joint ears, or a clunk at the rear axle on takeoff are the usual reasons people go looking for a new Dana 80 pinion yoke. The Yukon Gear & Axle YY D80-1410-37S is a strap-style replacement yoke for the 37-spline Dana 80 pinion, sized for a 1410 series U-joint. It is the yoke found under 1988-1997 Ford F-350 and 1999-up Super Duty F-350/F-450 rears, 1994-2002 Dodge Ram 2500/3500 one-ton axles, Chevy and GMC C3500/K3500 trucks, and E-350, Express 3500 and Ram van chassis.

What the pinion yoke does in a Dana 80

The Dana 80 is the full-floating heavy-duty rear axle Dana built for one-ton trucks, vans and light commercial chassis. The yoke slides over the 37 splines on the end of the pinion gear and is clamped against the outer pinion bearing by the pinion nut. Its job is threefold: it carries every bit of engine torque from the driveshaft into the gear set, its smooth hub is the surface the pinion seal lip rides on, and its ears locate the rear U-joint. On this yoke the U-joint caps sit in an outside snap ring design with a 4.188 in. span and 1.188 in. cap diameter, and the caps are held with straps rather than U-bolts.

Symptoms of a worn Dana 80 yoke

• Gear oil seeping from the pinion seal even after a new seal was installed, usually because the seal lip has worn a groove into the yoke hub
• A clunk on takeoff or when shifting between drive and reverse, from a yoke that has lost clamp load and moves on the pinion splines
• Driveline vibration that climbs with road speed, from ears that have been hammered by a failed U-joint or bent during removal
• Rust pitting on the seal surface on trucks that sat, which chews up new seals within a few thousand miles
• Visible spline wear or a nut that will not hold torque during a rebuild

How to confirm the yoke is the problem

With the driveshaft unbolted, grab the yoke and rock it. Any play you can feel between the yoke and pinion points to lost pinion bearing preload or a loose nut, covered in our pinion bearing noise guide. Wipe the hub clean and drag a fingernail across the seal path; a catchable groove means a new seal alone will not stop the leak. Inspect the U-joint ears for elongated cap bores and make sure the snap ring grooves are not cracked. If the axle is also howling or the pinion bearings are rough, plan the yoke as part of a rebuild with the Yukon YK D80-B master overhaul kit (1998-up Ford, 4.375 in. race) or the Dana 80 carrier bearing kit rather than replacing parts one at a time.

Fitment

Yukon lists this yoke for Dana 80 rear axles in 1988-1997 Ford F-350 (2WD and 4WD), 1999-2015 F-350 Super Duty, 1999-2005 F-450 Super Duty, 1988-2010 E-350 vans and early E-450 cutaways, 1994-2002 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500, 1995-1998 B3500 and 1999-2003 Ram 2500 vans, plus Chevrolet and GMC C3500, C3500HD, K3500, Express 3500, G30, P30/P3500 and 2003-2009 C4500 Kodiak. The 37-spline count is the pinion, so the same yoke covers both 35-spline and 37-spline axle shaft versions. Dana 80s were built with different pinion bearing races (Ford 1998-up uses the larger 4.375 in. race), but that does not change the yoke. What does matter is your driveshaft: this is a strap-style 1410 yoke. If your shaft bolts to a round companion flange, order the Yukon round companion flange YY D80-RND-37R instead. Count the pinion splines, measure the cap diameter and span, or send us your year and VIN before ordering.

Install notes

• Mark the driveshaft to the yoke before you unbolt it so phasing and balance stay where they were.
• Count the turns and measure the rotating torque before removing the pinion nut. Reassemble to the same preload, following the procedure in your service manual; simply cranking the nut tighter over-loads the bearings.
• Use a proper holding tool and puller on the yoke. Hammering it off damages the pinion bearings.
• Install a new pinion seal with the new yoke and lightly lube the seal lip with gear oil.
• Refill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil as the axle tag or owner manual calls for, adding friction modifier if the axle has a limited slip.
• Inspect the 1410 U-joint and replace it if the caps feel notchy. A U-joint press kit makes the job easier on a heavy one-ton shaft.

More reading: our Dana 80 rear axle problems and rebuild cost guide, pinion seal leak guide, pinion flange holding tool buyer's guide and U-joint series comparison.

Does this yoke fit both 35-spline and 37-spline Dana 80 axles?

Yes. The 37 splines are on the pinion, not the axle shafts. Yukon lists this same yoke for Dana 80 trucks with either 35-spline or 37-spline axle shafts.

What U-joint does it take?

A 1410 series joint with 1.188 in. caps and a 4.188 in. span, outside snap ring style. The caps are retained with straps, not U-bolts.

My driveshaft bolts to a round flange. Is this the right part?

No. This is a strap-style yoke. For a flange-mount shaft, use the Yukon YY D80-RND-37R round companion flange.

Should I replace the pinion seal at the same time?

Yes. Always install a new pinion seal with a new yoke. The old seal has worn to the old yoke surface and is likely to leak.

Do I need to reset pinion bearing preload?

Yes. Measure the rotating torque before removing the nut and restore correct preload on reassembly following the service manual. Overtightening the nut damages the bearings.