Looking for a Dana 60 housing and I don't know what vehicles I should look at. I'm not worried about it being machined for a snubber since the car will have Caltracks. Are there any differences I need to worry about with later housings from the 90's? Looks like a couple mid 90's Ford F-250 trucks in the local you-pick-it yard.

Thanks...

late 80's f250 vans

Mid 90 fords F250's do not have Dana rear axles. They are the 10.25" and rarely fail so nobody buys them. Did you look under them? Do you know what a Dana 60 cover looks like?

I've seen a few D200 Dodge pickups for sale cheap with D60's under them.

Pretty much any '60s to '80 3/4 ton truck dana 60 will work.
The one i put in my diplomat came out of a '79 Ford F250, and i built it to '68-'70 b body specs.

The best one I found was in a mid 60's Ford halfton and it had a power lock in it. I just had to change the sidegears to 35 and narrow it. I think 70's 3/4 ton pickups are the best source but they're getting harder to find in junkyards.

All Dana rear ends,27,30,44,60 series and so on are mark with the casting number of that housing on the passenger side bottom rear axle brace
Dana 60 rear and front axles came with several different axle tube outside diameters, 2.5,3.0, 3 1/8, 3 1/4 and as large as 3 1/2 inch O.D.
Look for a Dana 60 housing with the 3.0 O.D. axle tubes to use with stock 8 1/4, 8 3/4 and 9 1/4 inch Mopar car rear ends that had the same size U bolts to hold the rear end onto the leaf springs

I appreciate the input everyone. Reason I'm looking at the local pick yard is I can get housings for $100. There isn't anything wrong with my 8.75", so I can take my time looking for one. With this being a rust belt State anything older than 90's is extremely slim. I was unaware that 90's Fords no longer had Dana axles. I also didn't think about the axle tube diameter. Thanks again guys!

A ford van is an E250 and they did have Dana 60's in the 80's. Look on the cast iron center from the rear and you will see 60 or 70 cast in there. You don't want a Dana 70. And you do want the 3" axle tubes. Good thing you have time to find the right one.

I believe Ford vans also had Dana 61s under them, as did Dodge.

R.

Around '87 Ford started using the Sterling rears in trucks, but I've seen vans with Dana 60s into the '90s.

More like they started in 1984 or1985. I own and 86 and look at 85 and 86 fords in wrecking yards, they ALL have the 10.25 axles.

1983's still have danas.

Just an update: I found a D60 that was pulled out of an 1983 F250 on Craigslist and got it for $150. Already dropped if off at the shop to start work. Thanks again guys!

Since the wrecking yard will only have 3/4 ton truck stuff. Have you considered a new S60. There are many advantages with this route.

This is going in your 5th Ave? You might be the first guy to have a Dana 60 in a 5th Ave!

Heh, maybe for a 5A, but not an M. There is guy on here with one in a Diplomat. I've been wanting to change axle ratios back to 3.5x and the D60 thread on here got me thinking about the porker of a car I have with Caltracks and drag radials. Figured better safe than sorry.

I need to figure brakes out now. From what I've read since I'm having the housing shortened I should use Ford ends and Explorer disk brakes. I'll go yard hunting soon for caliper brackets.

This forum has been an absolute wealth of knowledge.

Talk to Doctor Diff on the brakes. I'm sure he will recommend going with Ford ends and some sort of Ford brake system but he also has classic Mopar stuff if you want that. Might as well put disc brakes out back while you're doing all the work.

I would go with the ford ends and explorer brakes.You used to be able to buy complete explorer brake kits for reasonable price.

that is what i did

Just an update: got a housing from a 1983 F-250 off of Craigslist right before Christmas and had it rebuilt using parts from Doctor Diff. Power Loc, 3.54 and Ford Explorer discs. Can't wait to install it. Thanks again everyone.