30 spline FF dana 60 vs 30 spline 44

I am currently building a front 44 and have a ff dana 60 to match the front, both 8 lug. I am going to run 35's and cromos all around. I am not planning on larger tires ever as this is most likely overkill for me anyways. Will the dana 60 if left 30 spline with new cromo shafts be stronger than a dana 44 semi float with cromo's. and why????

I have thought of boring the spindles and making the 60 35 spline since i am buying a locker and cromo shafts, but that seems like work, when the axle will be more than enough beef. right?????

I know the 60 gives up clearence, but that can be fixed if needed later. Thanks Micah..........

micahtbyrd said:

I am currently building a front 44 and have a ff dana 60 to match the front, both 8 lug. I am going to run 35's and cromos all around. I am not planning on larger tires ever as this is most likely overkill for me anyways. Will the dana 60 if left 30 spline with new cromo shafts be stronger than a dana 44 semi float with cromo's. and why????

I have thought of boring the spindles and making the 60 35 spline since i am buying a locker and cromo shafts, but that seems like work, when the axle will be more than enough beef. right?????

I know the 60 gives up clearence, but that can be fixed if needed later. Thanks Micah..........

Click to expand...

The stock 30spline D60 shafts are going to be very similar in strength to a 44 shaft. The advantage is you do gain the FF.

I bored the spindles on my D60 (see my write-up on the matter) and while time consuming it really wasn't bad at all. I've now got 4340 35-spline shafts and comparing them to the stockers side by side, there is a big difference.

Honestly, I've said this before in many many other threads. If I didn't get my FF D60 for the next to nothing that I did, I would have just bought a 14B FF and been done with it. If you want a rear axle to match that 8-lug front, that's the way to go, IMO. Yet, for 35s that might not to all that wise an option.

Obviously the carrier & R&P are stronger on the 60, as well as FF vs SF since the axle has no vehicle weight on it. The axle is the same spline count diameter, but not the same in terms of strength as a FF. If the axles are the same price as they are in a 9 inch... bore it and go 35. Why not?

I got the 60 for free from my dad, so no big deal there. I guess maybe boring the spindles would be alright i have read your right up also.

micahtbyrd said:

I got the 60 for free from my dad, so no big deal there. I guess maybe boring the spindles would be alright i have read your right up also.

Click to expand...

Link to save you searching: Write-up: Dana 60 Full Floater Spindle Boring

Compare the costs of each. Depending on what you want to do for gears and a locker it might be better off to sell/trade it for a 14B and start from there.
Yet again, then the 35" tire vs ground issue.

I think a D60 is 3/4" lower than a D44 stock for stock?

FWIW I run a HP44 front with stock shafts and an XJ44 rear with Superior evos on 35s. I twisted a stock XJ44 shaft on 35s.

Decent ground clearance and I'm not nice to it. No breakage at all yet.





I can say for a fact I wouldn't want a lower hanging diff out front or out back unless I went up to at least 37s.

I have considered going to a 14 bolt, but in reality vs the 60 the only big savings would be not having to buy new axle shafts, but assuming i stay 30 spline the stockers would work. My main goal for this build was to be able to run 35's and not worry about spare parts, and breaking on the trail. My jeep is going to be driven very little here in the spring as my new job gives me a vehical. I still want to be able to drive on the street, and the full width axles will be wide in the 78 to 80 inch range. i would move up to 37's, but that would be major overkill, and if i wanted all that i would have bought a 60 for the front.

condsidering many of the ideas youall have given I think making the 60 35 spline is the best idea, and will give me room for the unexpected, basically my rear will be bomb proof. I am not getting bigger than 35's so the 60 will need a shave i am thinking. I know a good shop that could weld a new bottom on the axle if i cut a good amount off.

bassically the axles i have I am stying with f-250 d44 and d60......I almost got a set of 33's the other day so tire size is not the biggest concern. I just want a very capable reliable rig for the many years to come.....midwest wheeling......

Ive just built a 44hp front and 44 rear both out of ford fullsize the 65" variety not the 69" stuff and I busted a rear stock shaft on the 4th run... But I was massively bound up and into the wheel and tire sidewall as well plus they were 30 year old shafts anyway... From all the research I did the 60 was not a huge gain definitely a bit more with a FF but not worth the loss of clearence for me.. I just put alloys all the way around with yukons joints up front and Im not really worried about it anymore but carry spares just in case... Until I realize that I dont need them anymore...


themud

ps after talking to the hammers boys here and they are saying with my gears and alloys and 35's the shafts should live for a good long time...