Need Help On Dana 60 Front

xjrugger · Mar 31, 2005

I might be buying a D60 front. I have a 65" WMS to WMS Dana60 rear for this future project. The front d60 is out of a 99 Ford F250 and I want to know if this is a good axle to use. I will be linking up RE long arms (if that is not good enough please let me know) and maybe a Clayton crossmember (please fire away with opinions b/c i am looking for the best advice.) Should i use this axle? Please all opinions and suggestions are welcome. Thank You for any and all responses.

-Mike

BrettM · Mar 31, 2005

i believe that axle is the metric 8 lug pattern, not the more common 8on6.5". that's just one obstacle to overcome.

CRASH · Apr 1, 2005

xjrugger said:
I might be buying a D60 front. I have a 65" WMS to WMS Dana60 rear for this future project. The front d60 is out of a 99 Ford F250 and I want to know if this is a good axle to use. I will be linking up RE long arms (if that is not good enough please let me know) and maybe a Clayton crossmember (please fire away with opinions b/c i am looking for the best advice.) Should i use this axle? Please all opinions and suggestions are welcome. Thank You for any and all responses.

-Mike

This axle is problematic in that there is very little tube on the driver's side to work with. Less than 2" or so.

If you were going to leaves in the front, it would be OK.

The metric pattern can be redrilled, but it's a PITA. Dynatrac offers a unit bearing to full-float conversion, but its $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

CRASH

XJZ · Apr 1, 2005

CRASH said:
This axle is problematic in that there is very little tube on the driver's side to work with. Less than 2" or so.

If you were going to leaves in the front, it would be OK.

CRASH

Maybe it's time for coil-overs......

hjeepxj · Apr 1, 2005

You mean F350?

xjrugger · Apr 1, 2005

hjeepxj said:
You mean F350?

yup, it a f350. So what should i use for front axle if i am going to keep coils. I really cant fit coilovrs into the budget.

xjrugger · Apr 1, 2005

CRASH said:
This axle is problematic in that there is very little tube on the driver's side to work with. Less than 2" or so.

If you were going to leaves in the front, it would be OK.

The metric pattern can be redrilled, but it's a PITA. Dynatrac offers a unit bearing to full-float conversion, but its $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

CRASH

i see now what your talking about there being too little of tube. scratch that axle. so what do u think i should use if i keep coils?

renegade_z71 · Apr 1, 2005

make sure the axle is not a dana 50. the dana 50 uses basically d60 sized outers and has roughly the same r&p size of a 44. i think they put the d50 in super duties untill 2000 or 2001. as 98 was the last year of the true d60 in the super duties

renegade_z71 · Apr 1, 2005

check with the guys on pirate to find out about the dana 60 / 50 axles.

SewerBoss · Apr 1, 2005

If you buy a junkyard 60, make sure you budget for the little things. I built a Chevy 60 for my last YJ. I got the axle for $250 bucks. After new axle shafts, u-joints, outer knuckles, king pin kits, highsteer arms, hubs, drive flanges, gears, bearings, seals, races, rotors, calipers, pads, lug studs and nuts, etc. I was into it for more than $3,000.

hjeepxj · Apr 1, 2005

xjrugger said:
yup, it a f350. So what should i use for front axle if i am going to keep coils. I really cant fit coilovrs into the budget.

Oh, I was like wtf matE? f250? lol

As for coils, you can do the RE kit...I know someone on here did that. Or you could do custom bracketry.

jeepme · Apr 2, 2005

I am in the early stages of this same biuld up. From the info I have got the 78 and 79 F350 front D60's have more room for the coil and if you get lucky you might find the matching rear D60HD on the same truck.

XJZ · Apr 2, 2005

Damn, Jeff. You beat me to it!

davidt · Apr 2, 2005

if coilovers aren't in your budget, you could always check in to air shocks, my buddy is running them on his buggy and loves them.

xjrugger · Apr 4, 2005

Those 78-79 f350's are very very hard to find, especially here in the tri state area. I still intend to use my 8" sj coils and 2" spacers, but i will now go long arm which is why i am contemplating on whose brackets to use and if it is worth using the RE long arms or someone else's. I also am contemplating having custom arms made.

CRASH · Apr 4, 2005

xjrugger said:
Those 78-79 f350's are very very hard to find, especially here in the tri state area. I still intend to use my 8" sj coils and 2" spacers, but i will now go long arm which is why i am contemplating on whose brackets to use and if it is worth using the RE long arms or someone else's. I also am contemplating having custom arms made.

It's easier to do high steer on a ball joint axle, so the next best choice after the 78-79 is the 80-92ish axle, as it is king-pin design.

Not much room on the driver's side, but you can sneak an XJ sized coil in there.

CRASH

xjrugger · Apr 4, 2005

CRASH said:
It's easier to do high steer on a ball joint axle, so the next best choice after the 78-79 is the 80-92ish axle, as it is king-pin design.

Not much room on the driver's side, but you can sneak an XJ sized coil in there.

CRASH

Will the axle center properly or will it be offset after sneaking the xj coil in there?

xjrugger · Apr 4, 2005

davidt said:
if coilovers aren't in your budget, you could always check in to air shocks, my buddy is running them on his buggy and loves them.

i want to keep it with coils since i have them already. i wont say keep it simple b/c then i would go leaves, yet everyday leaves are looking better

CRASH · Apr 4, 2005

CRASH said:
It's easier to do high steer on a ball joint axle, so the next best choice after the 78-79 is the 80-92ish axle, as it is king-pin design.

Not much room on the driver's side, but you can sneak an XJ sized coil in there.

CRASH

Disregard that first line.

It should read:

"It's easier to do high steer on a KINGPIN axle."

Yes, you must narrow to make this work out.

SeanP took 4 or 5 inches out of the passenger side to get the coils to sit almost correctly on the tube. They'll still be splayed out a bit, but it's not bad.

CRASH

xjrugger · Apr 4, 2005

CRASH said:
Disregard that first line.

It should read:

"It's easier to do high steer on a KINGPIN axle."

Yes, you must narrow to make this work out.

SeanP took 4 or 5 inches out of the passenger side to get the coils to sit almost correctly on the tube. They'll still be splayed out a bit, but it's not bad.

CRASH

So he cut the axleshaft down too like he did to the axletube?

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