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Rear Dana 60 out of a Ford 78-79..??

k5 krawler 50

k5 krawler 50

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This is the axle i found bolted to a frame out in my friends farm. I believe its out of a ford 78-79 truck but not 100 percent sure. I havent been able to pull a shaft yet, so i dont know what the spline count is, so if any one knows cna you please help me out. Also how hard or easy will it be to put under a chevy? Thanks.
http://coloradok5.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=12158
dont know how to post pictures so here is the link. sorry..
 
from what I understand they bolt in with little inconvenience. Some of the pros and cons are,

Pros:
dual piston brake calipers
4 ubolts that hold it to the leaf springs no studs or bolts into the casting.
The biggest PRO high pinion

Cons:
weaker in the knuckle area
Parts are generally more expensive
The biggest CON, Pumpkin on the wrong side.

All of these Cons can be overcome. Especially if you plan on doing a doubler setup.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/60_front/index.html

Go read this and you will learn a few things I'm sure.

EDIT: One more con to add, Being an older axle it has the neck down.
 
Umm, he said rear D60....

I had a Ford R D60 I was going to use. You will have to re-locate the spring perches. I think the Ford versions are more desireable than the GM models as the bearings and such are bigger.

Disc kits for the Ford model can be easily found. That year should be at least a 30 spline model I believe. Did you check to be sure that it is a FF model? Ford used several SF models in their trucks = less desireable.

Some of the benefits are more gear choices. More locker choices. Significant upgrade to a 10-12 bolt. Stronger ring and pinion/carrier (9.75")

Disadvantages. The axle shaft diameter is the same as a 10-12 bolt.

I would not mess with the SF version. The FF version would be a pretty decent choice, and not just because I am using one /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Sure it is not a D70? That would be an ideal choice /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
That axle does look like a late 70's / early 80's Dana but make sure it is not a Dana 61 . It looks to be an HD version by the webbing in the "chunk" part of the casting.
More than likely that axle will have the small 30 spline shafts ( always check though ) and the wheel bearings should be the larger ones but that is not always the case.
Get the B.O.M. # and run it to be sure.
Good luck . Tom
 
I have only seen the axle once and when i saw it i was looking for bom numbers, and i couldnt find any numbers on the web parts around the diff, the only numbers I found were on top of the housing and they were really hard to make out.
 
I was also thought at first that i was a D70 because i've never seen a D60 with that type of casting around the housing, i also believe its a full floater, but not sure until i can pull a shaft and check out more of it. Thanks for the help.
 
My buddy has a '79 F250 4x4. His D60FF rear is 30-spline. He's snapped a shaft too. No serious wheeling, open diffs, 33s - just that a 7000lb truck w/NP435 isn't very forgiving.

I don't think Ford did the D60SF until '80 for the body change.

BOM number is the way to go for sure. Run the number at Dana's website:

http://www2.dana.com/expert/
 
Looking at the pic (now) I am leaning towards that thing being a D70.... They are notorious for not stamping the #70 to thge bottom right, below the cover. The extra webbing screams D70 also.

Nice score /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

If you can 'just pull a shaft', then it is a FF....

If I need to step up from the 60 rear, it will be with a D70....
 
[ QUOTE ]
Umm, he said rear D60....[ QUOTE ]


Just goes to show how one track minded a person can get. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
I understand....Your info was right on the dot though /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Ok, i had my friend look for some numbers on the axle, he said the only numbers he found were on top of the housing which said 333, but he didnt check under the housing, u think there mite be some there? Thanks.
 
Are those 4" OD axle tubes?? If so, snatch that baby up. Might want to measure the WMS on that thing, but I would grab it.

Other things to really tell the difference are, the D70 has 1.5" axle shaft dia., 10.54" ring gear vs. 9.75, and the before mentioned 4" axle tubes....
 
If the axle in question is this one:
16801rear_d60.JPG

Thats definitely a D60, not 70. I've seen literally thousands of rears and know a 60 and 70 when I see one mainly by the size of the tubes and pumpkin. Thats a 60 rear however. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
I thought it might be a 60 but wasnt totally sure, and it only had 333 as the numbers on the housing which was on top of the housing, and there were no others on the casting, so does any one know what this means, or where i can find out? Thanks.
 
I was reading the pirate tech article on the Dana 70 rear, and they said that the axle tubes of a 70 are 3.562 inches, and the axle my buddy measured was 3.560,.. also if it is a Dana 60 with the 30 spline, is it possible to upgrade to 35 spline. I thought i saw an article in Peterson's about detroit coming out with a 40 spline locker, or something like that. Any ways thanks for the help.
 
I've looked at thousands of rears too, but never one that wide.

Oh, you mean on TRUCKS /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif...

-- A
 
After work today, my friend and i went out to his farm and looked at that axle. I pulled the right side shaft and it was 1.350" in diameter, and had 15 splines..( it didnt seem right for a 60) then i took of the diff cover and checked out the ring gear, it was 9 and 3/4 tall( with just eye balling it cuz i didnt take it out) and had these numbers on the ring, 41-10, 30360. Does 15 spline and 1.35 diameter shaft sound right, and do those numbers on the gears stand for 4 10 gear ratio, also i found out its out of a 74 Ford 1 ton.
 
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