dana 60 gurus

[daves bronco]

found a dana 60 for 700, but it is out of a 99. Pirate 4x4 tech article skips over that year as a disirable one. I know it is ball joint but is there any other reason this axle would not be a good pick up.

 

[DanWheeler]

it will have unit bearings. In stock form they will apparently fall apart with big tires. Upgrades are $400+ from spidertrax.

houseofdiesel is doing a build with a late model 60. Might want to check his redlabel thread out.

700 + 400 = just get one with Kingpins and standard bearings.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Metric bolt pattern for the wheels.

good, yes. the greatest, no.

Also make sure it really is a 60. A lot of those trucks really only got the 50 and people just thought it was the 60. Wasn't until about '01 that the 60 went into the trucks in large numbers

 

[Scott C.]

I have a king pin style Dana 60HP that I am not going to use. It is an 80's model. I would sell it if some one wants it.

 

[RajinCajun]

Gonna put this post as a place holder They are tough axles, I have an 05' which has a few upgrades from earlier models, but we just put one under Heep from a 98 IIRC with OX locker and 42" IROKs. As stated make sure it is a D60 not a D50. To be 100% sure you almost have to pull the cover, knuckles etc are actually 60 on a D50, but center carrier is small. I will post more info. I honestly prefer the unit bearing(less mess to change/fix if needed on trail), if they can handle an 8k+ tow rig, they should be albe to handle my 4500# Bronco (and has so far)

My axle install:
http://www.bigcountryoff-road.com/Tech/BroncoAxleInstall.htm

Heep install:
http://www.texasoffroad.net/galleries/ohv/album436

 

[Justafordguy]

Aren't you afraid that the 05 SD brakes and tie rods will be to weak for an EB? LOL!!!!

If I didn't like my 05 SD so much I would put them in my Bronco. Hey I wonder if I could squeeze my PowerStroke in there? I think it's about time for a 2011 SD anyway.

 

[DanWheeler]

i'm sure the late model 60s would work OK but you'd be ignoring a lot of tribal knowledge to put big tires on ball joints and unit bearings.

for all the money you're going to put into a Dana 60 with wheels, link system, locker, seals, balljoints, bearings, driveshaft, etc. do you really want to risk it to save a couple hundred bucks?

FWIW i picked up my 89 Dana 60 w/ Kingpins for $700. It was stripped down and didn't include a carrier, rotors or lockouts but had everything else. I wasn't about to sink thousands of dollars into an axle that may leave me looking like this on the trail: