Dana 60

Dana 60 - 02/03/14 08:04 PM

Hi Guys,

Can anyone tell me if the diff casings on a Dana 60 4 wheel drive are the same front and rear? I know the axle offset is different just interested in knowing if the diff casings are the same

Thanks

Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Dana 60 - 02/03/14 09:53 PM

Most of the dana 60 I've seen for the front of one ton 4whd where 60-2 casting, that # is cast on the top of the frontof the center section above the pinion gear

I have tried to contact Dana Spicer Corp. many different times about trying to use a standard rear gear set in them, I have not been able to get a response from the Company yet

Posted By: sixpacksteve

Re: Dana 60 - 02/04/14 02:21 AM

just ask dr.diff

Posted By: astjp2

Re: Dana 60 - 02/04/14 02:30 AM

GM and dodge yes, ford maybe, depending on if its a high pinion axle in the front. Look for Bill Vista's dana 60 article on the Pirate Bulletin board. Also be careful you dont get a 61, its a 60 with a low gear ratio. The housings look the same but are machined differently. Tim

Posted By: 340SHORTY

Re: Dana 60 - 02/04/14 02:30 AM

Quote:

just ask dr.diff

Posted By: Polarapete

Re: Dana 60 - 02/04/14 02:43 AM

I have in my garage a Dana 60-2. I have modified it for use in my 1987 Dodge D100. I think the only difference between the D60 and the D60-2 is that the axle tubes are 2.875" in OD and the D60 can have tubes as big as 3.125" in OD. I was able to identify it by the 6 digits on the back of the right side axle tube and that corresponds to a Jeep J-20 rear axle and was obviously not a steer axle. So I think the center casting is the common part around which a rear end is built with pieces to match the application

Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Dana 60 - 02/04/14 04:43 AM

Quote:

I have in my garage a Dana 60-2. I have modified it for use in my 1987 Dodge D100. I think the only difference between the D60 and the D60-2 is that the axle tubes are 2.875" in OD and the D60 can have tubes as big as 3.125" in OD. I was able to identify it by the 6 digits on the back of the right side axle tube and that corresponds to a Jeep J-20 rear axle and was obviously not a steer axle. So I think the center casting is the common part around which a rear end is built with pieces to match the application

the Dana 60-2 I have in the shop has 2.5 inch O.D. axle tubes in it

I talked to Cass at Dr Diff several years ago and he use to bore the Dana 60-2 center sections out with the 2.5 inch axle tubes to three inch and put new axle tubes in them but he stopped doing that years ago, to much labor and effort to make the changes with junkyard prices on Dana 60 cores being so cheap now

I've seen Dana 60 with stock 3.0, 3.125 and 3.25 O.D. diameter axle tubes in them from Dana Corp

The Dana 60-2 I have was supposidely out of the front of a 4x4 that got hit by a train down in the Mojave desert years ago, it had both ends cut off of it and a severaly bent axle tube left in it when I bought it as a core, my point is I'm not sure if it was a front or rear housing or not

Posted By: Polarapete

Re: Dana 60 - 02/04/14 08:37 AM

I could be off a little on the tube diameter as my eyeballs occasionally need re-calibration

The real determinant of OEM application is still the 6 digit code on the right axle tube and if you don't have that tube, your guess is as good as mine. On mine it was #603137-1 which indicates standard 4.10 ratio. Now somewhere along the line, mine had a Powr-Lok carrier added to the mix and if OEM, the number should have been #603137-5. Another problem is even if you have the numbers, you will need to find a catalog that goes back that far. I have found that when Dana Spicer prints a new catalog, they drop the old numbers. So you need to find a dealer that has retained the old catalogs and search those until you find your numbers. Makes the research a little challenging.

Check out this link for more info and additional links.

www.panther4x4.com/Dana60-2/

I am doing the swap because of 4.10 gears, Powr-Lok carrier, tapered roller axle bearings, 12 inch drum brakes and stock 35 spline axles with 5 on 5.5" bolt circle. I bought the axle newly rebuilt in 2010 for $400.00 and it kicked around my garage for years, until I bought the '87 D100 which has a 3.21 single track 8.25". The Dana 60-2 will be a huge upgrade in strength and performance.