D60 axle swap

[kingmeirl]

success! And was suprised to find 30 spline axle shafts. That means I can keep the detroit locker and the axle shafts, thank god too cause I can't afford replacing them right now. All I need is to get the ring and pinion and some bigger U-bolts and i'll be set! do they make full floater D60 front axles? I'd like it to match the rear so I only have to take one replacement axle shaft w/ me on trips.

 

[kingmeirl]

i just realized that was the dumbest thing ever said...

 

[Ramsey]

Pretty much.

 

[Mr_Random]

i just realized that was the dumbest thing ever said...

Hah!

that is a cool find, what year/type of tractor is it (if I wasn't paying enough attention and you said that already)?

You should buy new gears, but don't install them until after you've driven it once with what ever size tires you want and those 7.17's! Is your jeep manual? I bet you could start comfortably in fifth gear, even if you plan to run 40's...

 

[kingmeirl]

Ya, i'm getting new gears. I dunno what year tractor it was, the guy just said it was out of an offroad scissor lift, never been used just sat outside for a year or so. Its an auto, but I thought about keeping the 7.17 for a bit but I wouldn't be able to put it in 4wd...

 

[ROKRWLR]

Ya, i'm getting new gears. I dunno what year tractor it was, the guy just said it was out of an off-road scissor lift, never been used just sat outside for a year or so. Its an auto, but I thought about keeping the 7.17 for a bit but I wouldn't be able to put it in 4wd...

If you are going to do new gears... my advice is do it before you put the axle in. It is MUCH easier to do on a workbench or jack stands than laying under your truck.

As far as putting it on yout Jeep:
I used TNT U-Bolt Eliminators because I wanted an extra inch of lift, a wheelbase stretch and liked the bump stop portion. Ruff Stuff Specialties has some nice weld on perches, too, if you want normal u-bolt type perches.

If you keep the axle in it's stock location, you will need a shorter drive shaft (or get yours shortened).

Since I was using a relatively new drive shaft, and didn't want to deal with replacing my SYE, I bought a 1310 yoke for the 60 so it would fit my u-joints. I figured I'd try this size and if it becomes a breakage problem, I'd switch to a larger ujoint and drive shaft later.

Maybe I missed... what are you doing for brakes? I did a disc conversion on my FF60 and got rid of those monstrously heavy drums that came on it. You need to know if it is a Ford or GM axle to get the correct bracket. The BOM search listed above will tell you that. The conversion bracket is pretty cheap (www.greatlakeoffroad.com), then you use 85ish GM front calipers and rotors (I used 8 lug 3/4 ton parts). Calipers are less than $20 new from autoZone (with a core exchange).

Here's a bunch of pictures from the axle build if it helps you....
http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/swillier/Jeep 3-0/Dana 60 FF Build/

Here's the brake conversion:

Hope this helps...

 

[kingmeirl]

dude that helps tremendously. I have no idea what I am going to do for brakes, all I know is I want em' big and all disc...

 

[ROKRWLR]

cool...

Glad to pass on some of the info I found. If you need anything else figuring out the build, let me know and I'll try to help.

Your hubs look different than mine, so i would guess it is not a Ford Dana 60, but not 100% sure about that. Definitely download the Dana XGI manual if you can find it to check the BOM and other part numbers. At least you are starting with 30 spline shafts. I had to replace mine since they were the early model 16 coarse spline ones ('73 F-250 axle).


Are you sticking with 8 lug or trying to go to 6 lug??? I don't think you can get the full floater down to a 5 lug. What front are you going to use? I did 8 lug 3/4 ton GM outers on a Ford HP44 for the front.

 

[kingmeirl]

I am game for staying with 8 lug, that is the plan at least. I would like to get a D60 for the front too, but have found some 44s for cheap in the area. ( i would also do the conversion). It came out of a tractor, not a truck, so i dunno who made it. The numbers on it dont match any BOM databases and I cant even find remnants of numbers on the shafts... my biggest thing now is trying to find brakes, or build brakes or what to even begin looking for, I want discs back there. Can I pull them off a truck?

 

[ROKRWLR]

Mine are front '85 GM K20 rotors and calipers.

The rotor will mount to the back of the hub flange. It is held on by the wheel studs.
The caliper will mount to the conversion bracket.
Then you need some short soft lines to mount between the caliper and hard lines you bend.

It's REALLY easy once you get the brackets.

There should be a BOM somewhere on your axle. It could be covered by years of paint and gunk.

Then for the front, depending on what axle you get, you could either use the Ford 8 lug parts if the axle you find is 8 lug. (I assume you'll get a ford axle to get a HP with a driver's side diff) Or, like I did, use GM flat top knuckles and the same '85 GM K20 outers, spindles, etc to get the 8 lug on a Ford housing. Then your front and rear brakes match, too (easy parts replacement).

If you can find a complete axle for the front that you only have to put brackets on, you'll be in good shape. I started with just a bare front housing, and spent a lot of $$$ collecting all of the parts I needed to complete it.

Ballistic Fabrication is your friend for reasonably priced brackets. I used their TJ/XJ brackets for the springs and lower CA mounts. Or the TNT front truss is nice, and they have versions for the different varieties of D44s.

 

[kingmeirl]

my D60 rear vent is on the bottom of the axle, whats up with that? won't all the fluid drain out of it? also, is it cast iron or cast steel or is there a way i can tell?

 

[ROKRWLR]

Dumb question, but are you sure you don't have it upside down???? A vent on the bottom makes no sense. Are you maybe thinking it's a high pinion and have it flipped over??? It is a low pinion axle.

If it is truly on the bottom, you could always weld the hole shut and drill a new one while it's all apart. I wish I would have done that on mine since my vent is a little farther back on the tube than I would like and if the situation were just right, I might be able to catch it on a rock.


The tubes should be steel (not cast), the pupkin I believe is cast and you shouldn't weld to it.

 

[99xj4x4]

Tubes are steel and the pumpkin is cast.
My vote is you have it up side down too.
What gears are you going with, if you going w. higher gears you may fall below the carrier brake. If your running a 60 id hope youd need lower gears b/c you want to run 37s min or larger.

Also from rearing everything I think your getting in over your head LOL.

 

[kingmeirl]

ya, im new to this whole thing, i traded my twin turby mustang that i built for a more baby seat friendly car.

and yes, when i saw that, i thought it was a high pinion too, but its not. if i were to run it as a high pinion i would be goung backwards in drive.... it truely is on the bottom and thats the only reason i thought it was high pinion. so, since its steel, ill weld it up and tap a new hole on the top. sorry if it is a dumb question, but im learning.

it came with 7.17 gears and a detroit locker, so im keeping the locker and changed the gears to 5.13's. 38" tires. my new 8 lug wheels will be in today so i can get this bad boy back together.

 

[ROKRWLR]

Everyone has to learn sometime, right??? Learning on the rear axle is good since it's so simple compared to the front suspension.

5:13's are over the ratio split so you will be fine with the detroit you have since you had the monster 7.17s.

When you put the new hole on top, don't forget that it is the mount for the brake line T-block. You probably don't want it on the exact top of the tube or your brake line will be pointing straight forward. I'd try to get your pinion angle set first, then decide where the hole should be.

 

[kingmeirl]

good idea, this axle came with no brakes, so i'll have to bend my own lines and get all the brake crap when the money is allocated from the wife =].
would the brake line t-block be better mounted forward pointing back, or back pointing forward (as far as trail rash is considered)?

 

[ROKRWLR]

Mine is toward the back so the brake line points forward and up slightly. THat's the way it is on the stock axle (both D60 and 8.25).

Mine is a little too far back, and I worry about snapping the breather fitting, but I'll probably put a 45" fitting on to keep it from sticking out so far.

For brake lines, I ran 9" braided soft lines (from poly performance) to a tab on the spring perch, then bent hard lines to the t-block (all an the upper back side of the axle). Don't forget that you need a soft line at the caliper.

Bending and flaring the lines is easy. You need a double flare tool, a small pipe cutter, and you can pick up lengths of straight brake lines at any autoparts store to cut and bend.

 

[kingmeirl]

ya, i'm a plumber by day and bent all my oil lines for the turbos on the stang. thats a world of help man, thanks!