Whats a good donor for D60?

[seadog]

I am guessing a junkyard is the cheapest place to find a set of dana 60's and is there a way to go with 5 or 6 lugs on them rather than 8?

[River Beast]

You can redrill the rotors for 6 lug, but you will have problems fitting a 15" wheel unless you grind the caplipers down and run a WICKED offset of 2.75"....

look up Dana 60 on EBAY for an idea....

I got mine from a 1984 Military P/U.... came with a detroit in the rear (14FF) and 4.56's and an open D60 up front

[Joe J-Truck]

GOOD LUCK finding a front D60 at a junkyard!! You'll need it. These are not easy to come by. And if you do find one, they will know what they're worth.

Hey Todd, are you going to narrow the rear or just run it full width?

[River Beast]

Joe,

Runnig full width....

[Desert Beast]

hey todd
the truck you got thoes axles off, u get'em at the DRMO or you just see a truck on base and talk to the right person.

[timmirvin]

Hey guys, I live only minutes from Ft Polk. There are tons of the ex-military Chevy P/Us & Blazers running around here. And have seen several in junkyards. A few years ago DOD used Ft Polk as a clearing house for tons of old equip. You could only buy the old P/Us in lots. I think you could get 3 or 4 for $1500. So folks would go in to DRMO and buy a lot, get one running, and get rid of the rest.

Should I be checking the yards out for these axles???? And did they have FSJ useable trannys and TCs???????

Let me know!!!!!

[timmirvin]

And how much wider are they than....say...my '82 Wag?????

[netbear]

Good rear 60s can be found for fair prices in
many junk yards. Look for the 15 passenger vans
that have the D60FF rear axle with 35 spline
axles. Front D60s, at least the best versions
go for $1500+ here if/when you can find one.
There are many versions of front D60s, do
your homework before you buy.

[netbear]

I went to look at some ex-military pickup trucks
and none had a D60 in the front. I guess only
certain models had them? The ones I found looked
like the little 10 bolt GM corporate front axles.

[timmirvin]

Well, if I need/should be looking for them, let me know.

Although I would love to be doing some of the really cool upgrades (like Rockwells or chopping/bobbing) realistically, I don't have the time. So if I did find some, I would just store them for a possible future Sherman project. But I doubt I will ever need more than the stock axles I have now. Especially since I don't think there is a rock in the whole state of Louisiana!!!

But if they are just "God's gift to FSJs", I would gladly go shopping for me and guys on here.....

[joe]

Originally posted by timmirvin:
Especially since I don't think there is a rock in the whole state of Louisiana!!!There's at least one Tim but it's from Alaska. ;)
I had a green deck hand once when I first started working in the GOM. We were comparing notes on the bottom conditions between the Gulf of Mexico(mud) and the Gulf of Alaska(rock). Kid said he's never seen a rock bigger than gravel or an oyster shell so when I went home to Alaska I send him a volley ball size rock via the mail. His folks wrote me a thank you letter and told me the rock now sits on a display shelf in a house in Abbyville, LA.
One mans junk...another mans treasure I guees. :D

[timmirvin]

LMFAO!!!!! :D :D

Now, of course I see a heak of a lot of rocks out here in the GOM......drill cuttings.....mostly shale, salt, and marl.....but, hey, I do get to see them!!!!! smile.gif

[River Beast]

The military Blazers are 1/2T... they will not have what you need....

the longbed 4x4 P/U (cammied or flat OD green was the majority) with the 6.2L deisel and 8 lug rims is the key to looking.....14FF and D60 with 4.56 gears.

[timmirvin]

How much wider (if at all) are the 14FF and D60s than my stock D44/AMC20????

And are they direct swaps???

[Panther]

seadog,
I'm a big fan of the 60-2 found in 69-73 J4000s. It's 35 spline, 1.5" shafts and 5 lug. They pop up in for sale every so often. Most will disagree with me on this one {wry smile as I wait for joe's response} but I would give the semi-floating 35 spliner the nod over the FF 30 spliner. Why? Where do you need the strength more, bearings or shafts? Towing and heavy loads = bearings, large tires and torque = shafts.
However, if you are willing to go 8 lug the FF 14 bolt get the nod over both.
Lee
My Dana 60-2 page (http://www.panther4x4.com/Dana60-2/)

[seadog]

That is great news,I am definately looking for 5-lug.I am wondering what would be the same width.I am confident in cuttin and welding on the axles and stuff but not going to spend mucho cheese shortening or lengthening them.Looking for fairly easy swap.My friend has a 14 bolt rear axle laying around that he said I can have.I take it that these are just as strong as D-60 for cheaper?

[timmirvin]

Hey seadog, you from Beaumont TX????

The one that ain't so far from me?????