As some of you know I'm searching for axles. I'm not very mechanical and would have others do the work for me mostly because I want it done right. So what's with the pricing on Dana 60's nowadays? Is there gold in them thar axles? There should be for the price people are charging. I can get Dana 44's for a couple of bills, easy and they are plentiful. Damned 60's are much more and hard to come by. Yes I remember supply and demand economics but this is the "used" or recyled market. I've talked with DYNATRAC and they are HUGELY proud of their very new and very stout axles but you'd have to be a rich kid or a crack dealer to afford them. I've talked with Boyce who's axles have suddenly jumped in price just recently (my luck). I've talked with Sam's, nice people but their rear 60's cost more than the front 60's and I just don't get that at all. I've talked with other shops that have reasonable prices but they don't have any front 60's currently. Jesus what did someone tell somone else that I'm ready now and to take all the 60's of the market or take up crack smoking and need to pay for their new habit.

OK so I'm looking for any used GM 60. Factory disc and manual hubs, you'd think there'd be a half a million of them someplace since GM made several million 1 ton trucks over the course of a couple of decades. but NOOOOOOO! I can't find one anywhere and those I find are either outrageously expensive and 5000 miles away making the axle a ridiculous option or they are dually or the person selling changes their minds.

Shit I can't win for losing. Oh well done with the vent. But if you hear even a whisper of a 60 someplace in the west that's available, look me up.

mjw@mjw.com

I feel your pain. Really I do. It really bugs me when people get them for next to nothing (when they are lucky) and try gouge someone else for them so they can make a huge profit. Share the wealth.

i had two of them one i traded off to a friend that needed it and the other i sold for a shitload of money. why, because it wasn't worth that much to me. i sold it, took the money and bought a new set of 38.5x14.5 sxs and took the rest of the money and bought a 2 1/2 ton with rockwells. way more axle for a hell of a lot better price. there will be more fab work on my end but thats free to me. they all ready have 6.72 gears all i need is a locker for the front and im off. plus my cheap ass is going with a set of 14x20 michilins on it. i can have lockers,gears and tires that are 48 in tall cheaper than a 60 front. mike

Yup. I know what your talking about. I've called all over So. California trying to just find a front 60 and thats impossible enough. The two that ive found after months of searching the guy wanted $1500 each. used. Rears are all over the place though and for a fairly good price. I bought my Dana 44 front from a waggy for 200 bones, and a 8.8 exploder axle for 400 with disc brakes posi all that shit. Im just about ready to say forget it and just stick with the 1/2 tons. There holding up to my 38's so far, and they get well beatin. But im only running a 6cyl and an auto trans... Maybe one of these days I'll have 60's :D

I know exactly what yer talkin' about! I'm rebuilding 3 of them
for my cruisers. Scavenging parts off ebay, word of mouth from
other 4 wheelin' buddies & checking out other 4x BB's is the
only way I could find stuff. Cuz there's nothing local in the
yards & I have yet to find the farmer who just wants to get rid
of "that old axle". I can tell you from experience, when you see
a complete rebuilt one for sale for under $1,500, IMO, that's a
good deal. The one's I'm building up, 35 spline out w/drive
flanges, locker & hysteer will run me over 2K each. :eek: I
bought each one in different stages of completeness too.
But, they will all be about the same cost when I'm done :(
Sunray Engineering, Jim's Off Road, Ebay & a local 4x shop
were my main vendors. Good luck on your quest!

I have found that it is all about luck and timing. I have any where form $100-$400 for a Front 60. I have found many more for $500+. Why do I not buy them up. Its not worth it, to me, or most anyone else. why buy the rear then have to put another $300 in it? I have also bought a whole parts truck for $1200, 90 F-350. But I was after more then the front rear, has a perfect front clip, cab, and a 7.3 in it. I only sold one of the 60 and I needed the money for school, and for $500. The only way I found to get them "cheap" is to search them out. I will go to the junk yard in the middle of nowhere and root around all day. But then again I will also buy up anything I can make some money on. If you are only calling the yards you may never know that they have 2 of them way in the back. Lets face it how many people care about the 79 Ford or Chevy, it never got put in the computer. I stick to the smaller yards where you talk to the guy and he knows where everything in the yard is off the top of his head.

Must be a CA thing. Around here (MN) they are plentiful - and not as desirable on a jeep - small rocks lots of mud and stumps. You might consider trying to find a complete truck out of state with the axles you want and drive it home. I've seen a couple under $1000 Chevys with 60 fronts and 14 bolt rears for sale lately.

I agree with the last message. In parts of the country where rust kills vehicles (Northeast and North Central) I've talked to people who say old one ton rigs are cheap and plentiful. You will always get a 14 bolt cheaper than a rear Dana 70. I share your chagrin with Dynatrac's prices and Boyce's recent gouging. Incidentally, Boyce sells ancient GMC 2.5 ton axles (from early 50s M35s) which are 6.17, single reduction, removable 3rd member, Detroit Locker available, same or cheaper than their 1 ton axles). If you're running 44s then 6.17 times top gear in a 5 or 6 spd = 4.50, pretty reasonable. And with these axles you can safely run 13.00R20s (46"), 14.00R20s (49.5"), or even 16.00R20s (53").
Charlie

Buying a "donor" is becoming more of a viable option with each passing week. I've noticed that I can buy 60's and 60ff rears or corp 14's for 1200 for both back east and that includes the 454 that drives it. So yep, it appears to be a West Coast thing.

And for those of you who scored and got a super killer deal, and are using your axle, sweet, I'm happy for you. Hope you don't mind when I call you a lucky bastard.:beer:

For those of you that scored a super deal and then just resold it for a boat load of money and raped your 4x4ing neighbor - :flipoff: . It's not that I'm against you making a buck or profitering from your find, but for scalping your wheeling buddies and making them bend over and take it up the ass, I say piss off.

Hmm, I wonder if the fact that 60's back East are cheap and plentiful is a sign of less butt f*cking there.

I still want someone to explain to me the pricing structure at Sam's. How can a rear built 60 cost the same, close or more than a similar built front. Also if the front 60, 5 bolt cost more than the 8, due to labor to drill and fill, why is the 5 bolt rear less money than the 8 bolt rear? Ahh questions like this will boogle the mind and keep me up at nights. Seems like someone is lining up another customer in the bend over competition.

Guess you can't tell that this search is begining to aggravate me.

"why is the 5 bolt rear less money than the 8 bolt rear?"

fewer parts, came stock in dodge cars

there is a lot more to converting a d60 front to 5 lug then "drilling and filling"

$400 is all your willing to pay? get back on the porch :flipoff2:

I realize that this may not help easterners, but there's a local do it yourself pic and pull where axles are $150. No regulation on what they are. I've seen some really big axles in there. The one I'm talking about is on Monterey road in San Jose. I don't think there are a lot of serious wheelers in the immediate area, mostly street queens.

How do I tell a Dana 60 from a GM axle? # of bolts?? Tag?? Hell for the right price I'd pull them and put them in the back yard for you to pic up.

Help me help you.
408-685-6726
Greg

WTF is the big deal about finding a good deal on an axle and selling it for high dollars??? We still live in America, right? I say, everyone who wants to just go buy a 60 out of the want ads pays premium. If you want a deal, go work for the deal. Find a donor, scour the junkyards, get creative, etc. How the hell is selling stuff for what the market will bear screwing people?? It would be different if you "needed" 60's to survive. You don't. They are a luxury. I have never sold a 60, but if I did, you can bet it wouldn't be for less than $1500. Why?? Because people pay it! If you don't want to pay it, then get to work scavenging. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by mj
"why is the 5 bolt rear less money than the 8 bolt rear?"

fewer parts, came stock in dodge cars8 bolts came stock on GM's. Really? What parts are missing in the 5 bolt rear? I'm really interested in the part that's $945. Especially since here at the local yards you can get rear 60's for under 100! You'll pay for the fronts and that's where my gripe is.
http://www.samsoffroad.com/samsoffroadsto/dana.htm
there is a lot more to converting a d60 front to 5 lug then "drilling and filling"Yep. Just over-simplifing the process.
$400 is all your willing to pay? get back on the porch :flipoff2: Where did you get the 400 from? Currently I'm pricing completed sets of axles in the 4-8 thousand range. :rolleyes: And that's 4K *IF* I can find the front under1200 to rebuild.

As far as someone making a buck, HELLO, I already said I don't mind someone making a buck but jeez if you got a good deal, why not pass it on.

But you guys are right, I'm just a whining :crybaby:.

Air from my PowerTank is now 25cents for 30 seconds.:flipoff2: No free rides and I justify it by saying that's what the going fair market value is. Course if it's out on the trail with no other air for miles around, the price goes up 150% just because your the poor sucker that'll have to pay it.

Right on Aceguy. Supply and demand. Love the capitalist society. Buy low sell high.

Belly Dragger : watch the for sale board here on POR. Check it a couple times a day and you will get a feel for what 60's sell for. And, it shouldn't take you more than a few seconds to locate one. Now you just have to have the $$ :D

That said, I will shamelessly plug my own ad :flipoff2:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16166

Rick

Originally posted by rickb
That said, I will shamelessly plug my own ad :flipoff2:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16166 I love it when a plan comes together. You have email waiting. Thanks.

Have CASH want AXLE.

Originally posted by Belly Dragger

Air from my PowerTank is now 25cents for 30 seconds.:flipoff2: No free rides and I justify it by saying that's what the going fair market value is. Course if it's out on the trail with no other air for miles around, the price goes up 150% just because your the poor sucker that'll have to pay it. [/B]

lol. That's what I meant about "if you needed 60's to survive it would be different." I have unloaded my literal rolling shop more than I care to remember to fix, weld, fill w/ air, etc. the unprepared or just unfortuanate fellow wheeler. I have also given away many parts. That is a totally different situation. When on the trail, options are limited and taking advantage of someone's misfortune isn't too cool. Back at home in the real world is a different story. If you came to me on the trail and asked me for a 297x, I'd say "no problem. here ya go. don't pay me, just pass on the favor" If you knocked on my door and asked, I'd be like, "what the hell? go buy one yourself, you cheap sucker!" I hope you see the BIG difference in my two views. ;)

Originally posted by Aceguy
I hope you see the BIG difference in my two views. ;) Sure enough do. It's all good in the end. And realize that this was my vent and dealing with the frustration of have 6 deals fall apart already and looking like I can't do the swap because nothing is available or way outta reach for my pocket book which I didn't think had that small of a limit.

Looks like I'm ordering the axles from Rick just as soon as he gets me his paypal info.

Cheers.

:beer: :beer: :beer:

Info is coming over email.

Happy to hook you up! :beer:

Still got a HP Ford 60 if anyone needs it.

Rick
email:rboiros@yahoo.com

it is FAR cheaper around here to buy the whole truck.. mid 70's 1 tons sell for $700-$1000 in various states of rott.