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Teaser Dana 60 Build

DrSockMonkey

DrSockMonkey

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Washington
Well I picked up my new rear axle on Saturday. It's a Dana 60 with 4.88 gears (open) and Disc brake conversion. The WMS to WMS is 64 1/4". The plan is to narrow it by around 4". I will also be shaving the bottom for clearence, I have seen guys shave 60's to near dana 44 clearance. I will upgrade the Chevy 3/4 ton calipers to Eldorado Calipers with built in Parking brake mechanism. I will upgrade to 35 spline Chromoly shafts and an ARB locker. I imagine this project will take a couple months due to money constraints. But, I would rather take 2 months and have it done right the FIRST time than do it twice.

Here it is in the back of my good buddies pickup.

f1ikw7.jpg

Does any one see anything wrong with this picture?
32zq2dy.jpg

Hubs removed.
qyb7du.jpg

Carrier and pinion removed.
2czd73r.jpg


I will be making the housing narrowing tools on the lathe at work tonight. And will be chopping off the spindles later this week to bore them out to accept the 35 spline 1.5" shafts.

Jeremy
 
Nice pad install! I sold auto parts in retail stores for years. About every second year you'd get someone bringing in a noisy set of pads with wear on the wrong side.
 
Metal Thrasher said:
Nice pad install! I sold auto parts in retail stores for years. About every second year you'd get someone bringing in a noisy set of pads with wear on the wrong side.
Click to expand...
These guys had at least 10 wheeling rigs from full size to geo trackers, and seemed to know what they were doing. When after pulling the axles the guy drove/drug his ramcharger to the backyard on the front wheels, I thought Alcohol may be a factor in this pad being backwards...
 
Avanteone said:
Good luck finding those Eldorado calipers /w the parking brake mechanism.... unless you've already got a source and would care to share????? :shhh: :)
Click to expand...
Hmm, did the people at schucks lie to me when they said they were $69 with $10 core? I am assuming by your reaction they did. Perhaps a drive shaft brake like you got then, how much did that cost, or rather how much would that cost me?:rolleyes:
 
Did you ask the Schucks people if they actually HAD them anywhere? I tried buying a set a couple of months ago. I buy from Schucks, Napa, Olympic, and a few other very large suppliers. I think I found one side only back east somewhere. The only option I had was a used set from Cadillac King auto recycling in Southern CA and then having them rebuilt.

J
 
Avanteone said:
Did you ask the Schucks people if they actually HAD them anywhere? I tried buying a set a couple of months ago. I buy from Schucks, Napa, Olympic, and a few other very large suppliers. I think I found one side only back east somewhere. The only option I had was a used set from Cadillac King auto recycling in Southern CA and then having them rebuilt.

J
Click to expand...
Napa said they had some in their warehouse in florida. @ $89 ea
 
I have some questions....

What setup do you run now? ie tires, stroker, big block swap on 42's, lift blah blah blah
Your aspirations?
How much you spent so far?


I see no reason on this planet for you to run a Dana 60 anything. Other people yes, but aren't you only on radial 31's? I think you'd have been fine dumping $600 into a 8.25 and never had to worry about it. You're looking at a $1800+ rearend here.

I'm not trying to sound like a prick and I am curious where your goals lie to try and steer a lost soul in the right direction. Anybody can dump their money where they please, but I guess I just don't see the point here.

All this of course unless you do have aspirations for huge powerplant, ultra low gears, and a grippy set of tall, heavy tires.
 
Prick away my friend!

Currently I am running 33's
The goal to run around 37's after a diesel conversion with dana 44 or 60 up front. So far I am into my build $200. I anticipate around $1700-1800 total as well on the D60. I will also be doing a clayton 4 link rear. Please don't think I am gonna run 31's with a D60:lecture: I have always wanted to do a big build but never had the guts. It will take time to do it all but in the end I will have a rig that is uniquely mine and be a feel good accomplishment. I appreciate your words or warning. Feel free at anytime to throw in advice or comments.

Jeremy

mud1059 said:
I have some questions....

What setup do you run now? ie tires, stroker, big block swap on 42's, lift blah blah blah
Your aspirations?
How much you spent so far?


I see no reason on this planet for you to run a Dana 60 anything. Other people yes, but aren't you only on radial 31's? I think you'd have been fine dumping $600 into a 8.25 and never had to worry about it. You're looking at a $1800+ rearend here.

I'm not trying to sound like a prick and I am curious where your goals lie to try and steer a lost soul in the right direction. Anybody can dump their money where they please, but I guess I just don't see the point here.

All this of course unless you do have aspirations for huge powerplant, ultra low gears, and a grippy set of tall, heavy tires.
Click to expand...
 
Well I wasn't able to get at the lathe tonight so I came home and with the help of my older brother cut the spindles off. The main goal was to get the cut on the housing square and identical on both sides. The spindles will be turned down on a lathe to the correct length. The spindles will also be chamfered and bored out at the same time.

Here is cut #1
29nbhb5.jpg

Here is cut #2

118m3is.jpg


Both Cuts turned out GREAT! my brother was a machinist in a past life so this really helped in the prep phase. Only problem we had was the cutting disc got glazed 90% of the way through the second end. My brother asked if I had a dresser, and I got the one from my grinder. And voila! it started to cut like butter, or something a bit harder.

Jeremy
 
Last edited:
90exjay said:
If your gonna build a new axle for the front, might as well do another 60.
Are you gonna have custom axle shafts made? I wasn't aware of any stock or aftermarket narrow 60 shafts?

Sean
Click to expand...
I am going to do aftermarket chromoly custom length. $164 ea side. I would LOVE to do a 60 Front but at $1200 for a HP60 with nothing done to it?!?! I will wait and see if something comes up for less. Hopefully it will. I think I may start with with a HP D44 and sell it when a 60 comes along. Or I could just go with an aftermarket housing like a rock jock.

Jeremy
 
It would be almost as cheap to start off with an aftermarket center section for a front D60. Buy some DOM tubes, aftermarket C's, knuckles, ect... I looked into buying a Ford HP60, but at at least 1k for an axle that will need narrowed, new gears, locker, custom shafts, rebuilt kingpins, brakes, wheel bearings, ect... you will end up more in the end. A HP44 would be cool, but you can build a 60 for $500-$1000 more, depending on what route you go.

Ill have about $600 into my 14 bolt, with discs, 5.38's, full install kit, shaved and a plate welded. Yes, it will be wider than your 60 by a few inches over all, but a whole hell of a lot cheaper. It does help a whole hell of alot when you do your own work.
 
Well if I went that 14 bolt FW "route" except 4.88 gears full width stock shafts it would cost me umm.. $200 plus scrap metal for the shave. Now who's spendning too much?:twak:
CanMan said:
It would be almost as cheap to start off with an aftermarket center section for a front D60. Buy some DOM tubes, aftermarket C's, knuckles, ect... I looked into buying a Ford HP60, but at at least 1k for an axle that will need narrowed, new gears, locker, custom shafts, rebuilt kingpins, brakes, wheel bearings, ect... you will end up more in the end. A HP44 would be cool, but you can build a 60 for $500-$1000 more, depending on what route you go.

Ill have about $600 into my 14 bolt, with discs, 5.38's, full install kit, shaved and a plate welded. Yes, it will be wider than your 60 by a few inches over all, but a whole hell of a lot cheaper. It does help a whole hell of alot when you do your own work.
Click to expand...
 
I feel a wee bit better now :) What kind of diesel? I saw an old bronco (67-77 type) out at Evan's once running a Cummins. Dude had 10 or 12 inch lift springs giving half the lift. Each wrap of the coil was literally 1/4" from touching the next at all times. Crazy amount of weight.

Do what John did and buy a center section, some tube and inner Cs. That's the only way to build a P'side 60 - especially for custom width.

OR

You could run a doubler (Think box4rocks) and not flip it. Just get a Chevy D60.

edit: I type slow - shut up! Also, Eli-Just run the dualie wheels to counter the width :)
 
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