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05+ SD 60 Swap

The Luke

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Cookeville, TN
Sorry if this is in the wrong spot, it can be moved if needed.

I've spent the past hour searching with no luck. Does anyone know of a build that someone swapped an 05+ super duty 60 front in and reused the stock radius arm brackets?

Trust me, I know the pros and cons, I've been told by everyone, multiple times.
But I jumped on ruffstuff's black friday sale and ordered their super duty radius arm kit and now I'm starting to wonder if I screwed up. I'm not building a bouncer or super hardcore rig. It's a trail rig that'll get wheeled 8-10 times a year. I'm just looking for some first hand experience in the kit or a home brewed version. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
 
Why on earth would you worry about putting that big an axle in something you hardly use?

A D44 should be plenty. Maybe get a little less happy with the loud pedal?

Isn't a SD60 much, much wider than the stock axle?
 
It is significantly wider. I’m swapping it in because they are cheap and everywhere. Unlike a 44 that is becoming harder and harder to find parts for, unless you want to waste money polishing a turd when you could have just gone tons for less money at the very beginning
 
Why on earth would you worry about putting that big an axle in something you hardly use?

A D44 should be plenty. Maybe get a little less happy with the loud pedal?

Isn't a SD60 much, much wider than the stock axle?

Build the crap out of a 44 and the 60 is still stronger? That's why.

I think the biggest problem you might run into is the separation of the joints at the axle if you want to 4 link it. I think they were pretty close together. If you bought the kits tho going radius arm would be super easy. I don't think it would be much of an issue but I've never seen it done.
 
I know a few people have swapped in the old D44 with radius arms. IIRC you just need to fab the cross member to allow use of the radius arms. Personally, I think you'd be better ditching the radius arms and building from scratch. You'll also have to consider the drag link, coil buckets, steering and the rest of that.

Here's a recent SD swap but he's fabbing brackets and ditching the radius arms.

Some info from pirate

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/jeep-hardcore-tech/1363937-super-duty-axle-swap-questions.html

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/jeep-cherokee/2031562-totm-radius-arm-suspension.html
 
I appreciate the input guys. I think it’s just me second guessing doing all that work and hating the result. But, worst case if it happens, I’ll strip it out and 3 link if. Half the fun is the build, right? Haha
 
There are people that have used the stock radius arm mounts, I just don't have any links or even remember where I saw them. The main problems they ran into were the clearance lost from those massive mounts, the binding that occurs from a radius style setup, and the weight of all of those mounts increasing the unsprung weight. I wish I had weighed all of the material I removed on mine prior to scrapping it all, it is a ton of material, some of it is doubled up .250" plate.
 
You got me curious on if anyone was successful with this recently so I started searching pirate and found this:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/jeep-hardcore-tech/1363937-super-duty-axle-swap-questions.html

Then searched the for the dude that had his own build and found this:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/general-4x4-discussion/1503066-sd-dana-60-link-mount-pics.html

And if you keep looking into it, the guy in the second thread was looking for info on cutting the stock mounts off less than a year later. I'm not arguing either way, just trying to let you know. It's your time and money, don't let the internet trolls dictate how you spend it unless it is safety related.
 
I definitely appreciate the input. For now I think I’m going to run the stock mounts and the ruffstuff kit that I already have. Then I think I’m going to only run one upper for now and see what happens.
 
Just a quick update for those out there that might be in a similar boat and considering the ruff stuff radius arm kit.

I’m at about ten rides or so on them. I’m impressed. Obviously the ground clearance isn’t ideal. But it’s not horrible either as long you plan ahead a little. I say for someone who wants a reliable trail rig, I see now issue in running them.
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Can you post some pics of how you set up your axle brackets too? Thanks
 
Here’s some during the build. Unibody was plated, this was just during mock-up.

The trackbar mount/plating didn’t work. It’s been redone. It was a good idea. But absolutely failed.

Passenger shock mount welded to axle side radius arm bracket so the upper can be removable. The drivers shock mount is welded to the upper arm, because the mount on that side is cast.

Other then that, this is pretty much how it’s been ran for the last year. The stock coil buckets can be drilled and tapped into the bump stop pads on the axle and will line up perfect width with the xj coil buckets.

Noteworthy changes needed, upper shock mounts need reworked.

You could very easily work the mounts into a cross member. I did not. Multiple reasons I don’t feel like getting into. Personal preference mostly.


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