Dana 60 front axle install

[F250MudPatrol]

I am having some difficulty finding information on how to install a Dana 60 (1995 F-250) front axle into my 1970 F250. I have removed the original Dana 44 and noticed that the measurements are different. This is a leaf spring setup where the 44 measured about 32 inches between the perches. The 60 measures about 37. How do I continue with this install? Recommendations? Thanks

[Wes]

I don't think you can, you'd have to fab up new spring hangers to move the springs. The left spring perch is part of the diff housing if I remember correctly. Only other options I can think of are re tubing the pumpkin or get an axle w/ correct width perches.

[F250MudPatrol]

Thanks for the input. I've got this one figured out by fabrication. Local 4wd shop in OKC. Not sure about the details yet but I will post pics when its done. Anything is possible.

[averagef250]

Anything is possible.

Just wanted to add, while that's very true time and $$$$ usually plays a large part in making many things possible. You'll have an engineering nightmare getting a balljoint D60 axle to steer lock-lock under a pre-79 4x4 and if you had a late kingpin axle to work with you'll have more into it retubing it yourself than you can buy a complete 78-79 axle for.

Just been down this road before and wouldn't do it again, hope you get it worked out for the best though!

[Levis]

Average; It sounds as though you know what you are talking about, so let me run this by you. The D60 that I plan to put in my '72 4x2 F-250 is from a '90 F-350. My plan is to make crossmembers to bolt on just under the frame, both front and rear, with the correct spring width for the axle. I have a set of 6-leaf springs from a '73 F-250. Instead of swinging shackles for the rear, I will use rollers. This will allow me to save the frame any notching. For the steering, I assumed that I could use the original 2x box, And a high-steer arm on top of the passenger side outer knuckle. These high-steer arms are made to face forward, but I would flip it to face rearward. Since they come with no holes in them, I could drill the hole As far or near to the pivot as neccessary to obtain lock to lock. Then, I would drill the pitman to 3/4 and use a rod with two spherical rod ends to connect the two.

I'm sure that there are problems with this plan, and it would be very helpful to me if you could point out the areas where I will run into trouble.

[Wes]

1 problem I see is the steering linkage and the front axle and drive shaft may hit. This is why you the steering gear on 4x4 in front of the axle. as for the spring perches I'll leave that to more experienced fab peps.

[averagef250]

Wes is probably right about the rear steering linkage, I have no experience with that.

How do the rollers work to replace shackles in front springs? Make sure your front springs have no side-side or up and down play. If they do you'll have to add a panhard bar to prevent death wobble.

I hope it works, but I don't see a HP60 fitting under a 2wd frame and engine crossmember with stock highboy springs and crossover steering. Crossover is tight with a 4" lift. There's just no room with stock springs. The front diff will be in the engine crossmember, probably real close to the steering box too if it would fit in the 2wd spot.

[Levis]

I appreciate all of your guys' advice. I Will hopefully have this done before summer, It is kind of odd driving around with a twin-sticked 205 and no front axle.

The rollers are used a lot in drag racing, for rear leaf suspensions. They provide very smooth spring travel because the weight of the truck is no longer aiding or fighting the angle of the shackle. In my case, they will work very well because I will not have to come up with a way to massage a swinging hangar into the framework, and the eye of the leaf does not change height through the travel of the spring.

[willysrul]

I'm with Average on this one. I don't see getting a HP60 under a 2wd without major front end rearrangement. Good luck with the build. Please post pics of your progress I wanna see this.

[averagef250]

and the eye of the leaf does not change height through the travel of the spring.

The eye of the leaf really doesn't change height through full spring travel with stock springs. Stock 6 leaf springs only have maybe 2" of positive arch. The shackle stays nearly completely perpendicular to the frame through full travel.

I hope you will appreciate how important locating the axle is especially if you plan any sort of crossover steering arrangement. The knuckle steering these trucks are built with had some inherant bump steer issues, but never side loaded the axle in steering. With crossover the steering action is forcing the axle side to side. Take the panhard rod off an '86 or newer F-350 4x4 and try to drive it. That's what it will be like to drive your truck without stout rear shackles locating the springs and crossover. It'll be even worse if you steer off the rear of the knuckle.

[Levis]

Wow, do you drive that truck with a spool on the street? My cherokee has a welded 8.25

Dustin; when you say that the axle wasn't side loaded, do you mean that the panhard bar absorbed the force? Why would loading it from the rear cause more problems? Now I can see why a hydraulic assist would be so desireable.

[willysrul]

No.
It's a trailer queen.

[averagef250]

Knuckle steering acts on the axle fore and aft. The leaf springs prevent the axle from deflecting fore-aft. The 1980 and up trucks steer off the tie rod like crossover steering and they use front shackles that can deflect a lot. The tie rod steering on the front of the axle with the shackles in the front makes a panhard rod necessary. If you take the panhard off one of these you cannot drive it, the steering becomes unmanageable. If you put the shackles in the rear and beef them up you can drive one of those trucks without the panhard rod.

Point is shackles are important, they have several purposes under the front of a 4x4. A lot of heavy trucks just use leaf sliders, but NOT 4x4 ones. Anything that goes on uneven terrain has shackles on the front springs.

[Levis]

I see what you mean. I will have to be sure that the rollers are strong, with no side-side movement. A panhard bar would probably still be a good idea though, and not (seemingly) too hard to build.

[averagef250]

The 86+ axles all have panhard mount on them anyway, shouldn't be hard to relocate it for an old truck.

Something you might consider is how the later axles are also wider than the old stuff. Something I've always noticed is how the lower the truck and smaller the tires, the more a wider front axle really stands out. You're front tires may look funny hanging out the sides of the truck at stock highboy height.

When I had my '70 at stock height I built a low pinion 60 front axle and made it several inches narrower than the '86 HP60 I used for parts in order to keep the 33.5" 255/85R16 tires from sticking outside the fenders too far. I made it the same width as the 59-75 drum brake F-250 axles.

Wheel offsets can be fiddled with though.