I want to convert my rear Dodge D60, from 30 to 35 splines with some Randys full float shafts. I have a buddy at a machine shop that will bore the axle out if I strip it. Can I just change the side gears in my Detroit locker out to 35 splines by ordering parts??? I also have heard some Dodge 60s cant be bored out (hope its not mine, tubes are kinda skinny!)

Yes you just need the side gears and spindles big enough.

You are not boring out the tubes, just the spindles.
Never played with a Dodge 60 though so maybe the spindles are thin, I don't know.

I would just get side gears and 35 splines from the JY then use the shafts as spares if you want to run the yukon units

***edit****
Guess that won't work with the detroit, I was thinking welded, sorry.

Im thinkin I wont really need spares, as the Yukon units have got to be alot stronger than stock, as they are alloy. I know they may not be the strongest alloy type on the market, but for the $ you cant go wrong, and it should be considerably stronger than stock stuff, so Im gettin both a fatter 35 spline shaft, and alloy. Im just hopin it can be done as the previous owner was under the impression that the D60 he installed has spindles that cant be bored out. Ill have to get some numbers off the housing tommorrow and pics of the hubs. Im wonderin how much $ the Detroit 35 spline side gears are??

Read the bottom half of this page. Medusa used a Dodge 60 in his truggy. http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~jrice/cruiser/D60HD/D60.html

Thats cool, but I already have the whole axle in the Jeep, Detroit, ladder bar bracket on, and disc brake brackets for that particular (whatever it is) bolt pattern spindle. Id like to try and use it, instead of making a major project.Ill try and locate stock spares before I invest lotsa $$$$, it doesnt take long to change a full float axle!! (Just pray for the locker:D )

If it uses the same inner and outter bearing then you are fine it can be bored out. If the oputter bearing is small and the inner bearing is real large then you are screwed.

don't listen to Dean........

Like he doesnt know what hes talking about:rolleyes: , right!! What physical signs do I look for, specifically when I pull the shafts tommorrow, and what axles had the "small" outer bearing???

if they look like this then you're good. Dean bored mine out.

Turns out it might cost a bit more than I thought, as the business's Ive dealt with cant/wont get parts for the detroit locker(told me to call direct), and tractec wont sell direct (tech guys an as#$$hole), so Im stuck either buying a new locker (wouldnt give my money to tractec ever after being treated so rudely), like an ARB or spool. F this, guess Im pullin shafts to look for spares!! Gonna need em!!!

I converted my 30-spline Detroit to 35-spline by buying new side gears from Reider ~$100, and my only complaint was that they shipped em FedEx - and that's because FedEx sucks here, not Reider's problem. This was an old-style Detroit - if you've got the new style Sof-Locker, there's a few more parts involved and it's a more expensive conversion. Took the open front side gears and welded them into the old open rear carrier, put the Detroit in the front and the welded carrier in the rear. BTW my spindles were the same as in the pic above, uses same inner and outer bearings, and I reamed them by hand (not recommended). I've not seen any of the type Dean described as unsuitable, but have seen some that have the same outer bearing as the above spindle (posted the Timken number for this a while back but don't recall what it is right now) with a larger inner bearing (number also posted). All of these I've seen have been 1.6" ID from the factory.

go mail order.
you could also look at changing your spindles for d70 version
though they take the same small outer and large inner bearing that many 60s use

Im thinkin depending on the locker scenario about just changing the spindles out. I assume a competent axle shop should be able to accomplish this on a bare axle in just 1 or 2 hours.