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Non 78-79 Ford Dana 60's?

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NorCalAnthony

1/2 ton status
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Sorry if this has been asked before but I haven't been having much luck with my searches... I'm looking at swapping in some 1-ton axles but haven't had much luck finding a GM D60 for the front and when I do they're crazy expensive. Not really having any luck finding a 94 down Dodge D60 either but I have been finding a ton of Ford versions. I've been looking at the D60 Bible over at Pirate and it looks like the only Ford version that has a close spring pad width are the 78-79 versions but since I can't find any of those either, I'm wondering if anyone has found a way to make the 80's and up D60 work? Is it possible to get our springs (32" apart) to fit the wider spring pad width (36.5")? Does anyone make offset spring hangers that might do the trick? Are there any other options for our rigs that I'm missing or am I basically stuck holding out for a GM or early Dodge version and paying an arm and a leg for it? Heck I've seen a few 80's and 90's F-250's and F-350's go for $5-800 that I could probably buy, keep the D60, and part out or scrap the rest for a profit... Any other options out there that I'm missing?

ps I know the axles I'm talking about are driver's drop but since I'm gathering parts for my 5.3/4l80e swap I can always snag a drivers drop 241 at one of the local yards to match...
 
80's and 90's F250's are IFS/TTB Dana 44's and 50's, pretty much worth scrap value.

The 85-97 F350's had Dana 60's, but like you said, with the wide spring pad spacing. Nobody makes brackets to make those work to my knowledge. If somebody did, it would probably be $4-500 and then you're better off getting the GM D60.

FYI the 77-79 Ford D60's are the rarest and most sought after Dana 60 by far, you'd be really lucky to find one in the first place and even then, here in CO, they're about $1500 as junkyard take outs.

The '93 and older Dodge Dana 60's are ok, the spring pad spacing is easy to get around. They are 2" narrower than a GM D60 if that matters to you, the other downfall is the external locking hubs that are on 90% of them. They have a habit of working loose and breaking the bolts that hold the hub on (and if you go to 35 spline outers, there aren't any locking hub options), some make it work but I've seen several people that had problems with them and eventually switched to GM internal style hubs ($$$).
 
The springs on our year trucks will not fit the wider perches on the newer Ford axles. Your only option in a Ford axle is the 78-79.

Your other option would be to link it.
 
If you can hold out and you don't mind going driver drop... DO IT!

I have a '79 Ford HP60 under my Chevy and I love it. Stupid strong axle and the high pinion is icing on the cake. My front driveline is dang near flat compared to my buddies that run typical Chevy 60's.
Like you said though it comes at a cost. IIRC I paid $1,200 or so for mine and it was LITERALLY an empty housing that came with some stock inner shafts and Yukon 35 spline outer shafts. No locking hubs, no carrier and the brakes/hubs were in pieces.
But I still think it was worth it.
 
Hey I was in the same spot as you 3 months ago. I went around and around for a few months trying to do what you want to do because of cost reasons. I even debated on doing a 14 bolt front because there so cheap but in the end youll end up spending the same as if you bought the right axle. You have to watch Craigslist like a hawk!! I found a gm dana 60 for $600 but it sold within 15 minutes of being posted online so you know you need to be ready to roll if you find one. I got my 1985 dana 60 three months ago for $700 and it came off a running truck so it wasn't rotted away. My axle was a dually but being a machinist allowed me to make it a single wheel hub for next to nothing.

I got my 14 bolt ff for $80 because it didnt have brakes. Theres deals out there now and then!
 
You need to be patient and watch CL. Took me about a year to a year and a half to find mine (SRW GM D60).

I'm working on buying a couple more up north and bringing them down here to sell, if it works out I'll let you know.
 
skunked said:
You need to be patient and watch CL. Took me about a year to a year and a half to find mine (SRW GM D60).

I'm working on buying a couple more up north and bringing them down here to sell, if it works out I'll let you know.
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This.

Also watch Craigslist for POS trucks that have 1 tons. Just after i got my axles i found a truck in reno that was a 1 ton chevy that ran for $1000. Take 1 ton axles and jerry rig the half tons under the one ton truck and offload it at pick n pull and they'll give you $1000 for it if it runs. It can be done ive seen it!

Another thing to keep in mind is that you live close to what seems to be the epicenter of used offroad stuff...auburn/grass valley. Ive been to every junkyard around my area and i can say with some confidence you wont find a dana 60 there unless its a private yard.

Sometimes people don't know what they have so you have to do some investigation. I cant tell you how many times i called people asking for more pictures or how many u bolts there front axle had. Ive gotten a few things for next to nothing off of CL because of divorce sales, college student sales, etc.
 
Thanks for all of the replies guys. There’s nothing wrong with my stock axles so I’m not in any hurry at the moment but once I finish my engine swap a lift, bigger tires, and tons are next on the list. I’m trying to get things figured out now so I can start squirreling away parts and keep my eyes out for the right axle. I’ve been watching Craigslist off and on for over a year now and have only seen a couple pop up and when they did they were $12-1500 for a well-used one. I’ve been watching Craigslist and a few of the forum classifieds daily for the last couple of months without much luck but kept seeing the Ford D60’s popping up left and right so I started trying to figure out a way to adapt one for my truck (’89 K5). The front spring hanger looked like I might be able to just extend the mounting surface out 2” on each side with some ¼” plate and then brace it up against the frame rail (similar to the shackle flip kits for the rear leafs) but I could never figure out a good way to make the shackle work. Maybe install a FUSH kit on the outside of the frame rail, notch the bottom of the frame rail to clear the shackle, and then box in that section of frame with a small cut out to allow future access to the shackle bolt. It didn’t sound all that hard just overly complicated for an axle swap and I wasn’t sure how well it’d hold up in the long run. Linking it would be an option but I’ve always thought that’d be overkill for what my rig will be used for and would most likely be out of the budget... It sounds like I might be better off just holding out for a GM D60 and biting the bullet on the price tag though.

Out of curiosity, what did Ford do from 79-85? Whenever I look up anything for D60’s I only see stuff for the 77-79 or 85+ Fords but nothing for those in between years…

skunked said:
You need to be patient and watch CL. Took me about a year to a year and a half to find mine (SRW GM D60).

I'm working on buying a couple more up north and bringing them down here to sell, if it works out I'll let you know.

Thanks dude, let me know when you get around to doing that and how much you’ll be wanting for one of them.
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wetoolowdingbangow said:
This.

Also watch Craigslist for POS trucks that have 1 tons. Just after i got my axles i found a truck in reno that was a 1 ton chevy that ran for $1000. Take 1 ton axles and jerry rig the half tons under the one ton truck and offload it at pick n pull and they'll give you $1000 for it if it runs. It can be done ive seen it! That’s actually one of the things I’ve been looking in to as well but it seems like anything with a passenger drop D60 by me starts at $3500 and goes up from there. That’s another reason I was trying to figure out how to make a Ford work since they pop up way more often and can be had dirt cheap. I just saw a ’90 F-350 with a kingpin D60 front and D70 rear with engine problems on Craigslist a couple days ago for $800

Another thing to keep in mind is that you live close to what seems to be the epicenter of used offroad stuff...auburn/grass valley. Ive been to every junkyard around my area and i can say with some confidence you wont find a dana 60 there unless its a private yard. You’re right about that and non ½ ton straight axle rigs in general are starting to get hard to find at the yards by me. I see stuff occasionally pop up for sale in the Auburn/Grass Valley area but those guys think their stuff is made of gold and want over a grand for one that's been hacked up and is missing half the stuff...
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Yeah there have been people tripping balls on what they think things are worth since day one of craigslist.

To me there's no way in hell id pay $1200 for an axle that needs $1200 in parts. Thats often whats out there but something will come up. These damn passenger drop 60s are like guns, something you should never get rid of. Hell even the CUCV's that people buy are going for way more than they used to and i believe that's because of the axles under them.

I think in the near future ill start making 14 bolt front axles. Its not super hard if you make accurate jigs. Even so they wouldn't be any cheaper than dana 60 but more plentiful. There must be at least twice as many 14 bolts out there in the world.

Depending on how much work you want to do you could make it driver drop. I nearly did but i didn't have the funds to do a motor,tranny etc. I think in the long run it wouldn't save you much but perhaps if you bought some beater fords you could off the axles or do a trade to get a passenger drop.

I know the struggle all too well!
 
There is a Ford high pinion Dana 60 sitting under a truck in the pasture across the road from me. It has been sitting there for 20 years. Old timer won't sell it.

Martin
 
82355 said:
There is a Ford high pinion Dana 60 sitting under a truck in the pasture across the road from me. It has been sitting there for 20 years. Old timer won't sell it.

Martin
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I know what you mean about stubborn old timers. There's a sweet Gen 1 Blazer sitting out in the grass along one of the roads I take to the gun range. I swear that thing hasn't moved in a decade or more but he won't even consider selling it. Sometimes I think those guys do it on purpose to torture us lol.
 
...then their kids sell it for scrap when the old timer dies.
 
NorCalAnthony said:
I know what you mean about stubborn old timers. There's a sweet Gen 1 Blazer sitting out in the grass along one of the roads I take to the gun range. I swear that thing hasn't moved in a decade or more but he won't even consider selling it. Sometimes I think those guys do it on purpose to torture us lol.
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Exaclty. Its the same as ammunition. Every friday i drive past big 5 and theres a bunch of old timers waiting to buy up all the newly shipped ammo. Theyll be dead long before itll ever get chambered. :dunno:
 
I feel bad for you guys on the west. Dana 60s arent as abundant as they were a few years ago but you're still talking $400-$800 for a GM dana 60 and on the lower end for a dodge. The wide perch fords are the same price range and the 78/79s are crazy expensive here too. Hell I saw a 78/79 dana 44 for sale for like $900 the other day. I just laughed.

OP other than converting the truck you probably wouldnt want the wide perches if you are going with a large tire. They are known for colliding.
 
I keep hearing people spending over a grand for an axle that needs a grand worth of work. Why I got out of selling these. I had the most sought after axle out there, 78/79 high pinion Dana 60 that was completely rebuilt, crossover steering, 15" brakes along with the stockers. Couldn't sell it for $1200 SHIPPED, when I've seen others sell that just got pulled from a swamp after 20 years for what I was asking for mine. I ended up selling it with the truck. Since then I have only have had 2-3 60s, one being another 78/79 HP that I won't sell. Sold the other ones dirt cheap. Local yards get them now and then, one has prolly a dozen at least, half being HP60s from the 80s/90s. Check clist, they are out there...
 
I've had good luck with buying clapped out trucks and parting them. Usually I can buy a complete truck cheaper than I can buy the axle that someone has pulled. In fact, I just bought a pair of CUCV's last week for $1500. I currently have 4 chevy 60's and an 88 Ford 60 in my stash.

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