What 60 am I looking for?

[KYJ10]

I plan on doing a 60 front soon. But can't figure what I need. I think the fords have the drivers side drop? And which models had the 35 spine shafts? Did any of them come stock with 456 gearing? So driver drop, 35 spline and 456? What trucks and years? Thanks, Dennis

[Stuka]

I cant think of any fords that came with 4.56 gears outside of dump trucks and such. 79 and older 4wd fords should be passenger side drop. 80 and newer should be driver side. But you need to get a gear that doesnt have the weird scissor IFS setup.

[Will Morris]

I'm pretty sure that even the 70s Fords are driverside drop. I don't know when they changed over to 35 spline axles though. The 80s and early 90s F350s should have a Dana 60 front with 35 spline inners and 30 spline outers except for a few in the mid 80s which have the oddball Twin Traction Beam IFS.

Will

[KYJ10]

Do any of them have 35 spline outers? Or is that something I will have to upgrade too? Tnaks, Dennis

[netbear]

Tons of great Dana 60 information is here:

www.pirate4x4.com/tech (http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech)

click on the 2003 article "Front Dana 60"

Here is the description: Front Dana 60. This monster is some 66 pages long, and contains just about everything there is to know about Dana 60 Front Axles. Sections include description, identification, dimensions, specifications, pictures, Bill of Materials listings, parts interchange, assembly specifications, yokes, gears, lockers, axle shafts, bearings and seals, lockout hubs, u-joints, as well as technical facts, how-to articles, and a HUGE FAQ. Updated frequently.

Great info. Hope this helps in your quest.

Are you sure you don't want a Dana 70 front axle?

[KYJ10]

Which is easier to find? I havent had any problems with the 44, but figure why not upgrade. Would the 70 be more expensive and would it be overkill?

[Will Morris]

Dana 60 is easier to find and in my opinion plenty strong. Although Dana 60s aren't all that easy to come by anyway. Dana 70s aren't that common and a lot of them are closed knuckle and use odd ball parts. The 35 spline outters didn't come standard on a Dana 60 and you have to upgrade by buying the stub shafts and a new set of locking hubs which is quite expensive. I think around $300 total for shafts and hubs. It's on my to do list. I know with a Ford Dana 60 front it takes a little bit more work than with the Dodge and Chevy Dana 60s.

Will

[KYJ10]

Too bad the Fords are all 69.25" WMS-WMS. Being that my 14ff is 67". I think Im running a 4" bs in the back, and could get a 5" up front and be off just alittle.

[netbear]

The tech page is really good. As far as the
front 70, I was just kidding. They exist but
are really hard to find with the right configuration
and parts. A front 60 is plenty beefy for most
of us. of course, you could just jump up to
2.5 ton or 5 ton axles...

:^)

[River Beast]

all the 60's that I have seen run a bit wider than the 14FF... I am wider up front as well...

I think the 78 F250's have a driver drop High Pinion D60... Fulmetal runs this axle on his FSJ...

The HP60 is the way to go... relieves alot of the driveline angle as well

[KYJ10]

I read all through that tech page, but it doesn't tell which years had the lockouts. It just said most fords are internal, but some are lock out types. So what years? And could you just convert one to locking hubs?

[Zac]

I think you should do the swap real soon no matter what that way you could sell me the 44! :D
-Zac

[Rande]

Dana70 axel had 1.5" axles all the way out. Its just like finding the holy grail. Good luck.

Most Dana60s had 1.31" axles just like the Dana44. If you find one with the heavy duty 1.5" axles, you still have just 1.31" stub axles anyway. The added strength comes from a stronger housing and stronger gears. I would suggest, you get a D44HD from a J20. It has a stronger housing, the same axles that the average D60 has. It just has the D44 gears and carrier. If you plan to run big tires, the bigger knuckle of the D60 might be better though.

Just call up a company named "Dyna-Trac" and tell them what you want and they will make one to your specifications. Low pinion-high pinion, whatever width you want, cross-over steering, haedened axles, your choice of hubs, gears, lockers. Whatever you want.....for a price, of course.

[ May 07, 2003, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: Rande ]

[scotty]

the reverse cut,high pinion ford d60 started in 78. it was found mostly in f350s,but also in some crew cab f250s,and 250s equipped with a factory plow or camper package.

pre-78 ford d60s are standard cut(low pinion) and use 30 spline inner axles. 35 spline stubs are factory on some d70 fronts. you cn upgrade from a 30 spline stub by buying a $180 set of warn lockouts :eek:

to my knowledge,all ford axles used internal moutn lockouts.some may have a full time drive flange,but adding a lockout is as easy as it is for our front 44s.

dodge used an external mount lockout mid 70s or so.

on the d70,look for them in old IH trucks.this version is standard 8 log,and uses a 35 spline inner shaft with a 332x-size wheel joint. they are close knuckle,but the kingpin design is durable. a disc conversion on the 8 lug axle looks like its going to be pretty easy.

avoid d70s from dodges with the funky big 6 lug bolt pattern. these axles will have tracta joints instead of u joints and a 23 spline inner shaft.its still a 1.5" shaft,but the oddball spline makes upgrading to a high strength custom shaft more difficult.

so far im still having pretty good luck with my front 44.i have a d70 to go up front whenever the front axle becomes a prollem child.

[rockjeep44]

Being wider up front than in rear is very common. My frontend is like 68in and my rearend is around 66. Get a highpinion ford front 60, slap some 35 spline outers in it at 75 bux apeice from spicer, warn premium lockouts, and be done with it.
-Andrew