time for new axles!

[bucketobolts]

Be careful Chuck, vans often had the D61. Looks just like a 60 but has an offset pinion. It is made for high gears like 3.00. I don't think you can run much lower than 3.50's without some sort of a spacer for the ring gear.

[SC74]

fdezone - Are you going to narrow it or upgrade the front to full-width also?

[fdezone]

fdezone - Are you going to narrow it or upgrade the front to full-width also?

Upgrade the front to full-width. Just gotta find a matching a 60 for up front.

[SC74]

fdezone - Are you going to narrow it or upgrade the front to full-width also?

Upgrade the front to full-width. Just gotta find a matching a 60 for up front.

That's going to be the hard to find and expensive one! The balljoint types are a lot easier to find and usually less expensive, but don't offer enough room on the driver side tube for the arms.

[SC74]

Here's a balljoint front 60 on pirate now.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=633835

[fdezone]

That's going to be the hard to find and expensive one! The balljoint types are a lot easier to find and usually less expensive, but don't offer enough room on the driver side tube for the arms.

Well, I found the BOM on the axle, it's 603381-5. Turns out it is a HD FF D60 that came from a 73/74 F-250 3/4 ton 2WD truck, not a 79 F-350. Not a big deal in this case, just nice to know.

So what should I be looking for exactly, an 85-91.5 Ford F-350 king pin axle vice a 78-79 F-250/350 king pin?

Source: http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/60_front/

[SC74]

That's going to be the hard to find and expensive one! The balljoint types are a lot easier to find and usually less expensive, but don't offer enough room on the driver side tube for the arms.

Well, I found the BOM on the axle, it's 603381-5. Turns out it is a HD FF D60 that came from a 73/74 F-250 3/4 ton 2WD truck, not a 79 F-350. Not a big deal in this case, just nice to know.

So what should I be looking for exactly, an 85-91.5 Ford F-350 king pin axle vice a 78-79 F-250/350 king pin?

Source: http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/60_front/

King Pins are preferred for strength, but if you're not going to go hardcore off-road then balljoint front end will be adequate. You will just have to find a way to mount the arms - it has been done so I'm sure there are plenty of people who have pictures and advice on how to overcome the short drivers side axle tube. Maybe CAGE's SAS bracket will work since it is not as wide. I don't think that the years of king pins necessarily matter, just the king pin vs. balljoint.

I've also read, re-read, and continue to use that article on Pirate for help with the 60's.

[fdezone]

Oh, and for the record, this is not a hi-jack Chuck. I figure you'll have to conduct the same research and address the same concerns. Think of it as me doing all of the leg work (with a little help from our friends). :wink:

[fdezone]

Here's a balljoint front 60 on pirate now.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=633835

That's funny, I was looking at the same axle but on the club site. You're absolutely right though, looking at the driver's side axle tube, I don't know how the hell you'd mount the radius arms, it's all housing. The research continues, I'm not rushing into that purchase.

http://forums.xjsrule.com/viewtopic.php?t=638

The other thing is I need to know what the WMS to WMS measurements are. On that note, do you know whether converting the rear D60 from drums to discs, will cost you an inch or two in width? I'm thinking in the end you might need to run spacers on an axle to match 'em both up.

Oh, and FWIW:

Dana 44 has an 8.5" Ring Gear with a 1.376" Pinion Shaft (26 Spline)
Dana 60 has a 9.75" Ring Gear with a 1.626" Pinion Shaft (29 Spline)
Dana 70 has a 10.5" Ring Gear with a 1.750" Pinion Shaft (29 Spline)
Dana 80 has an 11.25" Ring Gear with a 2.0" Pinion Shaft (37 Spline)

Source: http://www.drivetrain.com/rearend.html

[blazinchuck]

Oh, and for the record, this is not a hi-jack Chuck. I figure you'll have to conduct the same research and address the same concerns. Think of it as me doing all of the leg work (with a little help from our friends). :wink:

I appreciate all the leg-work...c'mon 8)