What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

5.38's in a D60 WTH?!?!?!? (UPDATE!)

B

Big89Burban

1/2 ton status
Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Posts
143
Reaction score
0
Location
Magnolia, Tx
I must have missed something huge.. I have a 4.10 down diff. and I bought a ring gear spacer thinking that would take up the space for the gear. After the install the pinion and ring gear dont even touch. Umm what went wrong? Do I have to get a 4.56 up diff. to put 5.38's?
 
Last edited:
Rear Dana 60? If so, are you sure it is a Dana 60? If this is a rear, you have a Dana 61 and there is no way to fix it.
 
I agree with Sled Dog, it sounds like a rear D61 axle and D60 gears. There are more ratios becoming available for the 61's now so you might just need to swap your gears out (assuming it's a new set).
 
sled_dog said:
Rear Dana 60? If so, are you sure it is a Dana 60? If this is a rear, you have a Dana 61 and there is no way to fix it.
Click to expand...

Wasn't there only one option for the D61 axle? I thought it was something aneimic like 3:08? I'm mostly just taking a guess since I thought I read it in a magazine doing a write up on common axle swaps and what to look out for.
 
TruckNutzDude said:
Wasn't there only one option for the D61 axle? I thought it was something aneimic like 3:08? I'm mostly just taking a guess since I thought I read it in a magazine doing a write up on common axle swaps and what to look out for.
Click to expand...

good point. You are correct, thats why the Dana 61 exists, was made for that ratio. I hadn't even heard there was any aftermarket for teh Dana 61. if it were me, I'd never touch one, Dana 60s are plentiful, get one and be done with it.
 
I just did a quick search and only found 3.54s and 4.10s available aftermarket.
 
My front 60 is really a 61 & im tryin' to figure out how to stuff 5.13s & get any sort of contact pattern. Its all in carrier choice.......
 
from what I understand, you can install 4.10 and down gears with a ring gear spacer on the Dana 61 carrier. But 4.56+ would require 2 spacers which you just wouldn't want to do. That is just what comes to my mind, I really forget the facts of it. I made a post here or on Pirate about it a long time ago, there was good info in it. I'll look as soon as dinner is done.

I've never heard of a Front Dana 61, are you sure about that?
 
Yeah, there are many front dana 61's. The trick I have heard is to run thick gears and a spacer (or a 4.10 and lower carrier with either thick gears or thin gears and a spacer). Not how dana/spicer engineered it and they didn't think this was a good way to run it (that is why they had to design the dana 61), but I have heard of people being able to set up dana 60 gears in a 61 this way.
 
yeah, that sounds about right... thick gears and a 4.56 carrier or a 4.56 carrier and a spacer with thin gears or two spacers... basicly you need to take up about 1/4" of space between your gears and your carrier to make this setup work.
 
one LARGE problem with that thought process. Thick gears don't exist for the Dana 60. Only the High Pinion Dana 60(Reverse Rotation).

I found a few posts on Pirate chronicalling this stuff, just need to know if he has a Dana 61, would be nice if he responded.

Look at the housing, it should have the number cast into it(in a front anyway). It will obviouslly say 60 or 61.
 
100_0621.JPG


not the best pic,but its out of a 89-91 dodge 1 ton...went in my k5

Here is the 'mess' i have collected...

With a 4.56 carrier & a Reider racing spacer ( .440) you can run 4.56+ gears in a 61 housing
With a 4.56 carrier & Mr. Gasket spacer (.160) you can run 4.56- gears in a 61 housing
OR
A Dana 61 carrier # 706400x & Mr. Gasket spacer (.160) you can run 4.56 + gears

This is what I have gathered after wading through a sea of D61 BS....not sure of any of its validity....:doah:

EDIT: I just found this
/http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1447094&postcount=6
 
Last edited:
ok guys. I wish I had the truck at the house right now but unfortunately its at work and I cant get to it. I did look up the BOM# and I dont remember it being a D61, but now that you mention it. The gears that were in it were 3.09's
 
I do not believe you can get 3.09/3.08s for a Dana 60 so it is likely a Dana 61. Thats why the 61 was produced, for the lower(numerical) gears.
 
mudnmyvayne said:
100_0621.JPG


not the best pic,but its out of a 89-91 dodge 1 ton...went in my k5

Here is the 'mess' i have collected...

With a 4.56 carrier & a Reider racing spacer ( .440) you can run 4.56+ gears in a 61 housing
With a 4.56 carrier & Mr. Gasket spacer (.160) you can run 4.56- gears in a 61 housing
OR
A Dana 61 carrier # 706400x & Mr. Gasket spacer (.160) you can run 4.56 + gears

This is what I have gathered after wading through a sea of D61 BS....not sure of any of its validity....:doah:

EDIT: I just found this
/http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1447094&postcount=6
Click to expand...



I just read through that post and that is probably gonna be what I do. I already put too much into this axle ( sand blasted, painted, disk swap, etc) to go and toss it and have everyone say its not worth anything. So I guess I'm ordering a different spacer & a 4.56+ carrier.

thanks
 
sled_dog said:
if you already have the work in it, might as well keep it.
Click to expand...

Ok. so this it what I got.

D61:
77 603713 (3/4 ton other than pickup) FF


So I called up reider racing and the guy I talked to knew everything I was talking about. He kept talking about using lockers and posi units cause it would move the gear over closer. I told him I was going to use the 4.56+ carrier and asked about the .404 spacer. He said that it would probably work. The only thing wrong with using a spacer that thick is that the ring gear would want to move around and would eventually make the bolts loose. He said I could probably get away with it for a while. I asked if I could get a custom one made that has the "shoulder" (inner lip) for the gear to ride on so that it would have something to keep it in the right spot. So then he said I should tig weld around the carrier and make the "shoulder" bigger so that so the spacer would ride on it right.

This guy was really knowledgable about it, but didnt really offer any easy alternatives... :doah: :crazy:

I think its bout time to call it a loss and find a d60

[Sympathy ploy] Anyone in TX got one they wanna sell cheap? [/Sympathy ploy]
 
Ok guys. I figured it out.

My buddy talked to his friend at Randy's ring and pinion. They found me the proper carrier for the d61 w/d60 gears. Dana/spicer in fact makes an xtra tall D61 carrier that will allow you to run d60 gears.

I measured from a flat surface to the top side of the gear surface with the diff. gear side facing up. This is just to give and idea (there not exact)

d61 stock 2.16"
d60 4.56+ 2.41"
d61 xtra tall 2.66"
d61 w/ .160 spacer 2.81"

So instead of using a 4.56+ carrier with a .404 spacer you can use:
Dana/spicer 706400x with Mr gasket spacer 904a (.160) to get 5.xx gears in a Dana 61.

So Dana 61's in fact are not junk and I will be 4x'ing proudly with mine
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom