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What trucks have Dana 60 front diffs?

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 9:43 pm
by CRUSHU
What trucks have Dana front diffs, and how useful are they in a conversion? I have heard that the front diff in a Ram is not quite a D60, and is difficult to use in a conversion.

what other front diffs are there in full size trucks? please, nothing small like a GU or cruiser.

The Dana 50? in the front of a F250 around the mid 80's is a twin traction beam front end, so is useless in a conversion.

any help is appreciated.

also, must have disc brakes!!

will be converted for coil springs, as used in a 79 f150 ;)

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 10:00 pm
by POS
Dana 60's are very rare and quite hard to find here in Australia.

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 10:33 pm
by daddylonglegs
Very few trucks sold in Aus had D60 fronts. K20 Chevs , early OKA's but I can't think of anything else.
Bill.

dana 60

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 11:04 pm
by justinC
WHY DO YOU WANT TO PUT SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT OF UNSPRUNG WEIGHT INTO THE FRONT OF YOUR VEHICLE????????

SOMEHOW THIS WEIGHT HAS TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE SHOCKABSORBERS.

I doubt you will bust a DANA44 front, maybe bend it though with the weight of the vehicle above it.

A good 4X4 is a LIGHT 4X4, and a light 4X4 is a happy 4X4.

I think a call to Jenny Craig is in order here.

Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2005 11:36 pm
by Slunnie
Will a Dana44 withstand a full size truck on 44's with a supercharged 400ci V8? Big call. :lol:

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:20 am
by CRUSHU
daddylonglegs wrote:Very few trucks sold in Aus had D60 fronts. K20 Chevs , early OKA's but I can't think of anything else.
Bill.


K20 chevs actually had either a low pinion Dana 44 with heavier duty knuckles, or a 10 bolt chev diff. I have one of these diffs already.

I think early F350's had them? but am unsure.

I don't know what will break first in my Dana 44, or even if replacing the axles with Moser alloy axles, and quality u joints will strengthen it sufficiently, but if there are other bits that will break after that, well I don't see the point of spending big $$$ on it.

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:30 am
by RaginRover
Slunnie wrote:Will a Dana44 withstand a full size truck on 44's with a supercharged 400ci V8? Big call. :lol:


Hmmm haultech boys seem to say that they are expensive to rebuild and getting harder to find parts for, I think 44's and a 400ci would certainly test it out - and probably break it.

Tom

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:17 am
by 83 lux
CRUSHU wrote:
daddylonglegs wrote:Very few trucks sold in Aus had D60 fronts. K20 Chevs , early OKA's but I can't think of anything else.
Bill.


K20 chevs actually had either a low pinion Dana 44 with heavier duty knuckles, or a 10 bolt chev diff. I have one of these diffs already.

I think early F350's had them? but am unsure.

I don't know what will break first in my Dana 44, or even if replacing the axles with Moser alloy axles, and quality u joints will strengthen it sufficiently, but if there are other bits that will break after that, well I don't see the point of spending big $$$ on it.


if you can find a Dana 60 go with it heaps stonger and better
dana 44 weak as piss

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 4:31 pm
by Wooders
Go the 60 - but saidly there's SFA of them over here - you might finid it cheaper and easier to buy one from the US and get it shipped over....

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 5:31 pm
by spazbot
new f250s have em
and old international 4x4 trucks have em but they are the 35spline balljoint types

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:11 pm
by RUFF
spazbot wrote:new f250s have em
and old international 4x4 trucks have em but they are the 35spline balljoint types


As far as im aware the new F250 has a Dana 50 not a Dana 60.

But yes the old Inters did have them.

Re: What trucks have Dana 60 front diffs?

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:17 pm
by RUFF
CRUSHU wrote:What trucks have Dana front diffs, and how useful are they in a conversion? I have heard that the front diff in a Ram is not quite a D60, and is difficult to use in a conversion.

what other front diffs are there in full size trucks? please, nothing small like a GU or cruiser.

The Dana 50? in the front of a F250 around the mid 80's is a twin traction beam front end, so is useless in a conversion.

any help is appreciated.

also, must have disc brakes!!

will be converted for coil springs, as used in a 79 f150 ;)


Not putting you down here BUT Seriously what are you going to drive in this? Its big, Its TALL and its BIG. I realy cant see this getting into the terrain where its going to need a D60. A well built D44 should hold up. But if you plan on using the HP to do 4wd burnouts etc, then you may need to look for a D60.

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:09 pm
by Strange Rover
I fairly sure the international trucks had closed knuckle D60s which have the same sized U joint as a D44.

Sam

Re: What trucks have Dana 60 front diffs?

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:28 pm
by CRUSHU
RUFF wrote:
CRUSHU wrote:What trucks have Dana front diffs, and how useful are they in a conversion? I have heard that the front diff in a Ram is not quite a D60, and is difficult to use in a conversion.

what other front diffs are there in full size trucks? please, nothing small like a GU or cruiser.

The Dana 50? in the front of a F250 around the mid 80's is a twin traction beam front end, so is useless in a conversion.

any help is appreciated.

also, must have disc brakes!!

will be converted for coil springs, as used in a 79 f150 ;)


Not putting you down here BUT Seriously what are you going to drive in this? Its big, Its TALL and its BIG. I realy cant see this getting into the terrain where its going to need a D60. A well built D44 should hold up. But if you plan on using the HP to do 4wd burnouts etc, then you may need to look for a D60.



I plan on doing some 4wd mudracing, and think that with a fair bit of tyre speed, if it finds traction, something will break.

I also will be spending some time on a guys test track, that he runs his 2 monster trucks on, so I imagine a few hills/jumps and cars etc.

do you think a 44 can be built strong enough, maybe with moser axles and quality u joints? i have new warn hubs, new 4.56 gears and a dana spicer lsd already.

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:36 pm
by Shorty40
OKA ;)

Try ringing 3WJ in Sydney - I know they have OKAs.

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 9:48 pm
by CRUSHU
thats not to say that the Dana 60 is the best thing around....... maybe there is something else that will do as good. even if it is better! or bigger.

By the way, I have already gone down the path of using 2.5ton rockwells.
unfortunatly they require more lift, and a complete replacement of my steering and suspension to make fit properly. :cry:

Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2005 10:00 pm
by Strange Rover
D60 is definately the best way to go. This axle is just so much stronger than the d44. Not only in the U joint but also in the ball joints, wheel bearings, king pins and housings - not to mention crown and pinion. Guys in the US that run really built D44s basically just start breaking everything else when running big tyres and big HP.

Hardest thing about the D60 is actually finding one. I have heard that some new F250 and F350 had the D60 front - can get these in the US but not sure what came to OZ.

The old F350s in Australia only came with the D44.

Sam

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 8:33 am
by Timmy
this was posted by a guy on the jeep forum last week:

To any here who need’s a stronger diff
Forget the Yankee Dana and corporate stuff we have the Nissan patrol h230 and h260 diffs at any good wreakers.
Nissan
How this h260 is 260mm or 10.25 inch with 1.51 inch 37 spline shafts
The smaller h230 is 230mm or 9.2 with 1.26 inch 31 or spline shafts or 1.31 inch 33 spline shafts

Dana 30
30 Ring gear diameter = 7.25"
44 Ring gear diameter = 8.75" 30 spline
60 Ring gear diameter = 9.75" come 30 some 35 spline
70 full-floating. 8 lug. 10.5" ring gear

Corporate
10 bolt, 8 1/2" ring 28 spline shafts.
12 bolt, 8 7/8" ring 30 spline shafts
14 bolt full-floating. 1 1/2"x30 spline shafts. 8 lug. 10.5" ring gear.
14 bolt semi-floating. 9.5" ring gear. 1 3/8"x33 spline shafts. 8 lug

Ford
9 inch 9 inch ring 28 spline most common

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 8:35 am
by CRUSHU
just a thought, I have a spare chev 14 bolt diff, pumpkin, complete. could i fit my axle tube onto the chev housing, and get some axles made?

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 8:43 am
by CRUSHU
Timmy wrote:this was posted by a guy on the jeep forum last week:

To any here who need’s a stronger diff
Forget the Yankee Dana and corporate stuff we have the Nissan patrol h230 and h260 diffs at any good wreakers.
Nissan
How this h260 is 260mm or 10.25 inch with 1.51 inch 37 spline shafts
The smaller h230 is 230mm or 9.2 with 1.26 inch 31 or spline shafts or 1.31 inch 33 spline shafts

Dana 30
30 Ring gear diameter = 7.25"
44 Ring gear diameter = 8.75" 30 spline
60 Ring gear diameter = 9.75" come 30 some 35 spline
70 full-floating. 8 lug. 10.5" ring gear

Corporate
10 bolt, 8 1/2" ring 28 spline shafts.
12 bolt, 8 7/8" ring 30 spline shafts
14 bolt full-floating. 1 1/2"x30 spline shafts. 8 lug. 10.5" ring gear.
14 bolt semi-floating. 9.5" ring gear. 1 3/8"x33 spline shafts. 8 lug

Ford
9 inch 9 inch ring 28 spline most common


ok, the 9" is only a 31spline axle in any 4x4 application,
also the h233 is the only nissan axle that can be used in the front. if i went the nissan path, i couldn't afford the wheel spacers needed, and the wheel bolts will have to be made of unobtainium, to be strong enough.

also, how does the jap crap compare to the us stuff for material strength??
no point having 1.5" axles if they are made of bread sticks.
spline counts are irrevelent, they all use different pitch splines, how do you compare to something with a coarse spline?

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:13 am
by CRUSHU
can we please have this page added in to the links section, it is very informative

http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 3:59 pm
by spazbot
save up and buy a rock crusher front diff

Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 4:07 pm
by CRUSHU
rock crusher is about 8 grand, and i don't think it comes with brakes.
I don't know what a dynatrac is worth, but probably similar.

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:15 pm
by bigsteve
For sale section here

http://www.opw.com.au/

might be of interest.

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 5:19 pm
by CRUSHU
bigsteve wrote:For sale section here

http://www.opw.com.au/

might be of interest.


i'm a little short on the whole $12,000. I also don't know what to do with the rear diff.

Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:12 am
by Bush65
Rockcrusher, are high pinion. AFAIK the high pinion D60 gear set was only made for F350 fronts, but I don't know if any Australian F350's have these.

Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:46 am
by CRUSHU
Bush65 wrote:Rockcrusher, are high pinion. AFAIK the high pinion D60 gear set was only made for F350 fronts, but I don't know if any Australian F350's have these.


YES, 77 - 79 f350 4x4's had them. unfortunatly there only a few of them around.

Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 12:56 pm
by zzzz
You need 60's!!! :armsup:

A high pinion dana 44 with CTMs and superior alloy axles will probably not hold up to that heavy truck and tyres bigger than around 38's or so :(
It would cost you a lot money to build one up as well.

I know of some Dana60's
front and rear diffs
high pinion
35 spline
avalanche high steer arms
heavy duty tie rod and drag link with chevy rod ends
disk brakes (rotors and calipers) front and rear
full float rear
locking hubs front
no lockers, gears or shafts

PM me for more info.

You could also look at building a HP 9" using 60 outers.
Sunray engineering in the states make them and they call it a 609, but I am sure someone here can build something similar.

cheers

z

Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:06 pm
by CRUSHU
zzzz wrote:You need 60's!!! :armsup:

A high pinion dana 44 with CTMs and superior alloy axles will probably not hold up to that heavy truck and tyres bigger than around 38's or so :(
It would cost you a lot money to build one up as well.

I know of some Dana60's
front and rear diffs
high pinion
35 spline
avalanche high steer arms
heavy duty tie rod and drag link with chevy rod ends
disk brakes (rotors and calipers) front and rear
full float rear
locking hubs front
no lockers, gears or shafts

PM me for more info.

You could also look at building a HP 9" using 60 outers.
Sunray engineering in the states make them and they call it a 609, but I am sure someone here can build something similar.

cheers

z



You reckon a 9" is strong enough?? I just pulled one out of the back because it wasn't up to the task.

BTW, I only want a front diff, I already have converted a chev diff into the back.

Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:33 pm
by cuz
K30 Chev trucks had a 60 in them.bout the only place to get one will be to import it from the US have a look here www.boyceequipment.com for pricing.

Also you could break alot of Dana 44's before you paid for a Dana 60. :roll: