dana 70 ?

[Duntz00]

ive got a guy wanting to trade me a dana 70 with the b cast into the housing for the dana 60 rear axle out of my truck. The dana 70 has 4.10 gears, a trac-loc, and good drum brakes. My dana 60 has 4.10 gears, a power-loc, and brand new disc brakes.

Also i have been told that the dana 70 b has a limited gear selection, what gears would i be able to run? Wanting to run either 4.88's or 5.13's.


Thanks
Craig

 

[Mudstud]

I dunno about the 'b' thing but I'd go deeper gears if I had a 70 and doing it all again. I'm at 5.13 now only cuz of the limits of strength in deep gears for a 14 bolt.

Is your 60 currently set up the way you want it?

 

[nvrenuf]

Are you having problems with the 60 or breaking it? If not, why?

 

[Speedo]

A 70 B has the .625 offset pinion that by now is the most common offset for a 70 and has the most ratios available.

Gus

 

[Duntz00]

Is your 60 currently set up the way you want it?

pretty much for now till i can afford bigger tires

Are you having problems with the 60 or breaking it? If not, why?

not having any problems yet, alot of ppl have told me that it won't hold up to alot of abuse in a full size truck and i figured if i had a chance to get a 70 id jump on it since most are running either a 14bolt or 70 and a few are running eatons and haven't heard anybody say anything good about a 60 rear unless you are talking to a jeeper

 

[muddybuddy]

well spline count on a rear 60 is important. some are 35spline and those are pretty darn strong, plus u can always get chromo shafts and what not. you can always swap carriers and get 35spline shafts if urs isnt already 35spline. i think they also came in 19, and 30 spline, but i dont know for sure if those spline counts are accurate or not, but there were several different options available depending on what the axle came out of

 

[Duntz00]

it has 30 spline axles, and i have been checking on alloy axles for it, they are $130 for the 35 spline 1514h alloy yukon shafts and $216 for the rebuild kit for the power-loc to make it 35 spline

it came out of a 69 3/4ton chevy

 

[Duntz00]

was thinking on buying a detroit and 35 spline yukons for it and save the powerloc for a front 60 when i get the funds for a front 60

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

well spline count on a rear 60 is important. some are 35spline and those are pretty darn strong, plus u can always get chromo shafts and what not. you can always swap carriers and get 35spline shafts if urs isnt already 35spline. i think they also came in 19, and 30 spline, but i dont know for sure if those spline counts are accurate or not, but there were several different options available depending on what the axle came out of

99% of rear D60's are 30 spline, 1.31" shafts (the same size as half ton shafts). There are a few 35 spline full floating D60 rears out there but they are literally one in a thousand (at best).

The 19 spline shafts are in the older FF D60's and are similarly sized but probably have worse metallurgy. Regardless, its not anything you want.


The D70 will be MUCH stronger in every way. The shafts, ring and pinion gear are substantially stronger than a D60.

The only thing you should be afraid of with a D70 is that certain 70's don't have much gear selection (which it sounds like you already knew and it sounds like the "b" is ok).

D70's are good diffs. Most people go with FF 14 bolts because they are already meant to fit under Chevy trucks, they are a little bit stronger than D70's and they are very cheap and easy to find. D70's are generally capable of deeper gearing and usually have bigger (stronger) axle tubes.

 

[jms]

it has 30 spline axles, and i have been checking on alloy axles for it, they are $130 for the 35 spline 1514h alloy yukon shafts and $216 for the rebuild kit for the power-loc to make it 35 spline

it came out of a 69 3/4ton chevy

The inner diameter of the spindle on D60FF rears is typically too small to run 1.5" 35-spline shafts. It can be bored out, but check the spindle size. The smaller size (with the 1-13/16" thread, which seems to be missing from the Billavista axle guide on Pirate) does't look like it can be safely modified for the 35-spline shafts.

That said, I put 30-spline Moser alloy shafts (Strange might be better, but back then they were difficult to obtain) in my axle (from a '70 Chevy 3/4) 5 years ago and called it good.

P.S. From what I've read, I'd stay away from anything Yukon.

 

[Jimbo*]

All of the above posts are good info for you. One other thing to consider is the Powerloc you now have is a MUCH better limited slip unit than the Traclock he wants to trade you.

 

[Mudstud]

The 70 is a bit wider then even a van width 14 bolt which means wider then your 60. This is great if you plan on running H1 rims. Even then you'd still want to locate some standard 14 bolt hubs to put on the 70 to narrow it a bit more. Something else to consider.

The axle shafts are the same size as 14 bolt shafts but the carrier and pinion are BEEFY and the way the bearings hold the pinion in place is how I wish the 14 bolts were designed.

One more thing to consider- gear set is much easier on a 14 bolt then a dana axle.

 

[nvrenuf]

The width varies based on it's original application, not all 70's are extra wide.

 

[Duntz00]

i am more than likely going to stick with the dana 60 for now till i start breaking axles and other things, i only give 75 dollars for it so if it holds up to the abuse i plan to put it through i think it will be money well spent but if it breaks ill start hunting for its replacement

 

[DEMON44]

Funny you ask about that .......I just gutted a '95 Dodge with a D70HD rear. they really are big brutes. and from the specs I can remeber are dead equivalent to 14boltFF in overall strength. D60 rears being slightly inferior to them but not by much. I can get you some measurements off it or anything you want to know.

 

[muddybuddy]

demon, so does that dodge 70hd have the 4" tubes? just curious, whats the wms on those?

i will say i like my chevy 70hd with 4" tubes

 

[DEMON44]

they in fact aren't 4" tubes.........3.5" so does that mean its not an 70HD? Hmm I should research that up some more. The WMS is ~70.5" give or take a little. I assumed it was a 70HD, but regardless its replaceing the D80 in the back of my '98 Dodge so I can use the 80 in the back of the Chev with airbags.

 

[rjfguitar]

The D70 under the Dodges with autos are usually standard duty 70's. Standard trans Rams recieved the D80 regardless if it is a 3/4 or 1 ton.

The strength difference between a 70 and a 14BFF is minimal. It's pretty much a toss up on which to use. While the 14 has a cheap Detroit available, a 70's better gearing selection and a Power Lock is hard to beat too.

Can't go wrong either way.