Buying a 92 Dodge Dana 60

[UTCH4130]

I'm buying it this weekend but I'm a little nervous. I'm swapping it into a 80 k5 and I'm not sure if I should look for a Gm or buy this one that I found. It's set up for leaf springs and has locking hubs. It Also is 67 1/2-68in wide. Are the perch's wide enough, are they the same width apart as a Gm, and am I going to run into issues that I don't know about or is going to go straight in? help out a rookie.

 

[atho]

try searching. this has been covered many times.

the perches are not the same. but they are very close.

 

[pauly383]

Its a passenger drop , internal locking hub , kingpin 60 . Buy it .

Even if you don't use it , someone will pay you for it and you may turn a profit

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

When did Dodge switch to unit bearing hubs. when did they switch to 32 spline inners and when did they switch to ball joints?

 

[84zz4ss]

The ball joint 32 spline switch was 93 or 94. As Pauly said if it's a passenger drop internal hub BUY IT.

 

[UTCH4130]

This is the last year of the king pin u-joint style with manual locking hubs. Not sure if it is unit bearing but if it was that would be a good thing right. With the perch's being different is it the width or the perch its self different. I was talking to a friend and he said even a GM front end, the width is a little different and you can see the leafs bow a because of the difference.

 

[UTCH4130]

So I did some more research and I think the only difference is the studs so I would have to tap it out. Now with the brake line being a single line in I could just buy Two lines or maybe I could use my old ones. I'm I right?

 

[YZEATER]

you don't want the unit bearing d60. that would be a ball joint axle. you can do the brake lines anyway YOU want.

 

[UTCH4130]

He said it's not ball joint and sounds like all I might have to do is tap the threads so I'm going to offer 800 if everything is what he said.

 

[onetonbb74]

You must use a 2.5 Inch wide spring w/ the dodge 60. The factory 1 ton 3" wide chevy spring does not fit on the dodge perch where the studs/bolts are. Your k5 should be 2.5" though. All lifted springs for the chevy are 2.5". The Chevy 60 is 69" wide and the dodge is 67.5" wide. Spring perches are off by 1" and the shock mounts need to be moved or bent to work. Make sure it doesn't have 3.07 gears, those are the D61.

 

[YZEATER]

look for a chevy d60. that's to much for a dodge one you'll have to mods to to make work.

 

[nvrenuf]

Imo, it's a fair deal (assuming it's not a D61, as mentioned). The only difference to deal with is the spring perch width which you can fix with bushings.

 

[pauly383]

Actually a Dana61 ( highway gear dana60 ) would be great with a 3 or 4 speed transfercase . Highway gears on street , low gears on trails . While full case locker choices suck , a lunchbox or welder works fine

 

[UTCH4130]

Thats what ORD said and it turned me off on the idea of getting it. They said they have shims for the width issue but still it would not fit right. I'm just going to wait till I find a Gm and that way its a bolt in install. We have about a month till it's Wheeling season here so I have some time. Thanks for the help see you in the hill's