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Dana-60 Spring Perch Replacement Question / bringing this post back from the dead

1-ton

1-ton

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I am getting ready to replace the spring perch on my Dana-60 because it is collapsed from being thrashed on by a PO. I see that both ORD and DIY4X4 have Dana-60 spring perches. The one that ORD has looks like a standard stock type spring perch, but the one at DIY4x4 looks like a different design with fore-and-aft supports on it that stock OE spring perches do not have. Is the DIY4X4 spring perch a better design?
 
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Your springs are so arched they wont sit flat on the super long spring pad. Would probably look ridiculous.

The DIY perch is exactly what you're looking for.
 
Thanks for the replies. That did not occur to me that the arch on my lifted springs would be of no good use on these spring perches, which is why I posted this thread in case there was something I did not think about. I was looking on Kurt's web site (DIY4X4) at his spring perches. That is where I will probably go for my spring perch.
 
On a 4 inch lift mine sat pretty flat on that size when I redid the ones on my 12 bolt. I don’t know that they really helped spring wrap much with the heavier spring rate of a lift spring though. Probably better off with a standard perch.
 
Has anybody had any experience with replacing a spring perch on A Dana-60? Is there any tricks to getting the spring perch located in the correct position so that I can weld it on? Also, is there anything I should watch for while welding a spring perch onto a diff? Is the DIY4X4 spring perch a better design than the stock OE type spring perch that ORD has?
 
i like and have had my hands on a diy4x perch for the front driver side of a dana 60 and its BEEFY and stock or stock replacement is just stock .

measure and make the spring center to center is correct and if doing off the truck clamp or block up the axle any way you can . use a angle finder on the old perch and note spec . check the other side on pass diff pad and note it . when i did a set on a 12 bolt rear they were out around 1.5* from each other so i burned them on the same each side to eliminate the factory slop job even tho it works .

and you need a BIG BOY welder . not a little 110 unit .
 
sweetk30 said:
i like and have had my hands on a diy4x perch for the front driver side of a dana 60 and its BEEFY and stock or stock replacement is just stock .

measure and make the spring center to center is correct and if doing off the truck clamp or block up the axle any way you can . use a angle finder on the old perch and note spec . check the other side on pass diff pad and note it . when i did a set on a 12 bolt rear they were out around 1.5* from each other so i burned them on the same each side to eliminate the factory slop job even tho it works .

and you need a BIG BOY welder . not a little 110 unit .
Click to expand...

All I got is a 110, but it is the most powerful 110 there is. It is a 140 AMP Lincoln capable of welding 1/4" in one pass or up to 1/2" in multiple passes if I use .035 flux core with Multiple Pass (MP) wire. The spring perch is only about 3/8" metal at most, and diff tubes are probably only 1/4" at most. What do you think?
 
Desert_K5 said:
I'm not 100% sure but I thought the front axle tube wall thickness is close to .500"

Edit for chart: http://www.dieselhub.com/axle/dana-60.html
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After doing a search the tube thickness is 1/2" for front Dana-60 tubes. I am just going have to find a mobile welder that will come to my shop to do the job. I can get it all set up, and then have them come over and do it.
 
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sweetk30 said:
i like and have had my hands on a diy4x perch for the front driver side of a dana 60 and its BEEFY and stock or stock replacement is just stock .

measure and make the spring center to center is correct and if doing off the truck clamp or block up the axle any way you can . use a angle finder on the old perch and note spec . check the other side on pass diff pad and note it . when i did a set on a 12 bolt rear they were out around 1.5* from each other so i burned them on the same each side to eliminate the factory slop job even tho it works .

and you need a BIG BOY welder . not a little 110 unit .
Click to expand...

If I get the left side spring perch location measurement right then I should be able to use a bubble level on the right side of the axle to get a reading, and then use the bubble level to set the left side perch to the same bubble level as the right side spring pad. I can then do a tack weld with the little 110 welder "that could" so it is ready for the mobile welder to just come over and zap it real quick.
 
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After doing a quick google search I found a mobile welder only a half a block away from my shop. In fact now I remember that I met that guy at the last hot rod car show we had at my commercial complex, and he gave me his business card in case I needed him to do a job for me.
 
1-ton said:
All I got is a 110, but it is the most powerful 110 there is. It is a 140 AMP Lincoln capable of welding 1/4" in one pass or up to 1/2" in multiple passes if I use .035 flux core with Multiple Pass (MP) wire. The spring perch is only about 3/8" metal at most, and diff tubes are probably only 1/4" at most. What do you think?
Click to expand...


Hit it with 3 passes if you are worried and you will be fine. Kerts brackets are only 1/4". I welded the factory perches back on a 14 bolt after a cut and turn with multiple passes using a hobart 140. Thing was a bitch to grind off, and held up to multiple years of wheeling.
 
Instead of a bubble level get a digital angle finder app for your phone, much more accurate.
 
1-ton said:
All I got is a 110, but it is the most powerful 110 there is. It is a 140 AMP Lincoln capable of welding 1/4" in one pass or up to 1/2" in multiple passes if I use .035 flux core with Multiple Pass (MP) wire. The spring perch is only about 3/8" metal at most, and diff tubes are probably only 1/4" at most. What do you think?
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as you said more below this will not be a good plan . i my self have a lincoln 140c the comercial version thats 77lbs NOT the reg store purchased from like lowes / tractor supply thats a 140hd and weighs 55lbs .

i have done some bigger stuff with my 140 and .035 wire solid core and c-25 mix gas but i am about out of that wire and dropping to .25 wire and make the machine more versitile for me as i dont need it for big stuff as much anymore . here is my welding combo to pick from these days . 140c / 216 power mig / precision tig 275

0925172140a-jpg.246369
 
@1-ton if the mobile guy doesn't work out you're welcome to come by the shop and use the welder. After next week we'll be clear enough for a little wrenching after hours.
 
'" if the mobile guy doesn't work out you're welcome to come by the shop and use the welder. After next week we'll be clear enough for a little wrenching after hours."

Thanks for the offer. The guy that owns the commercial complex building I lease (Art Goldstrum) has a Hot Rod Museum that the public can tour, and a shop that he uses to restore all his cars. His shop is set with up with 220-V outlets (my building only has 110-V right now), and all the welders you could dream of. He has offered to weld the perch on for me. All I have to do is remove my Dana-60, and wheel it over to his shop, which is only on the other side of the parking lot. I may in the future take you up on your offer if I have anything smaller that I can load into the back of my truck that needs to be welded with anything bigger than my little 110 mig welder.
 
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I need to talk to Kurt at DIY4X4 to see if his spring perches can also be welded along the front and back side reinforcements that his perches has that stock ones do not. Stock spring perches are only welded along the sides.

DSC01107.JPG
 
jekquistk5 said:
Thing was a bitch to grind off, and held up to multiple years of wheeling.
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That is the thing I am definitely mentally preparing for is the removing of the spring perch. That is going to be a b!tch. I have an angle grinder with plenty of cut off wheels and 40-grit flap disks to get that sucker off and down to flat clean metal.
 
your NOT saving the old = cut it off in chunks if you need to its that easy . then the 40 grit flap wheel for the clean up .

no me ..... plasma is great . but i know you dont have that to play with .
 
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