Has anyone ever cut and turned the pinion on a dana 60 front? If so what did you do about the spring pad on the differential? I'm trying to get ideas before I start grinding and screw up a perfectly good 60.

Good question :D . I'm looking at the exact same thing myself. Once I get the axle mounted with the pinon up where I want it I plan to grind out the welds around the C's knock them off, then weld them back on with a couple degrees of positive caster. I think this will be easier then cutting the tubes themselvs and trying to get them aligned properly again. But getting the axle mounted properly seems to be the issue, I'll have to deal with before that.

But I keep looking at that spring pad and thinking about it, and I can't come up with a easy solution. I breifly thought about some kind of wedge insert and threw the idea out, even if it could be made to work, I don't think it would be very strong.

I have also thought about building up the front side of the pad and filling the stud holes with the welder, then mill the spring pad back off flat were I want it. and redrill my stud holes. But I am unsure how strong that would be and uncertain how that much welding and heat would affect the pumpkin.

My last thought was to add on some big ass axle truss onto the top and build my perches on both sides into the truss. But so far the best I can plan this, it still makes the perches 2' further from the center of the axle, (kinda like having 2 inch blocks in the front). I'm not sure how this will affect spring wrap, I think for this to work there will have to be some anti-wrap bars made for the front axle.

Again these are all just ideas at this point, I'm no further ahead then you are. I'd be really interested to hear from someone who has done it already.

There are plenty of capable shops out there that can do this for you. Try searching in the Gen4x4 section.

Smash K20, My thoughts were to cut the pad off and grind the housing smooth. I can then make a new pad and set the pinion angle where i want it. I've done that a bunch on scout dana 44's with good results, but they have two ubolts on that side. I'm still stuck as to what to do with the studs. I'm thinking like you about filling the holes, machining flat, then redrilling new stud holes. I just question strength as well. I've seen wedges put between the spring and axle, then another between the spring and ubolt plate. I'm hoping for something a little cleaner looking than that.

as having whitnessed one done before i did notice they used a tube axle truss and welded a new spring perch over top of the old one

as far as i know the guy rnning 44's on the dana 60 hasn't broken it yet with 500 HP

Smash K20, My thoughts were to cut the pad off and grind the housing smooth. I can then make a new pad and set the pinion angle where i want it. I've done that a bunch on scout dana 44's with good results, but they have two ubolts on that side. I'm still stuck as to what to do with the studs. I'm thinking like you about filling the holes, machining flat, then redrilling new stud holes. I just question strength as well. I've seen wedges put between the spring and axle, then another between the spring and ubolt plate. I'm hoping for something a little cleaner looking than that.

Yea, no matter how you do it you have to have those stud holes pointing up, so you have to move them. But then I start to wonder how thick the side of the pumpkin is there. No matter how I look at it my spring perch on that side are going to be higher then the factory one. Meaning that I will have to make the perch thicker or add a block to the other side.

More or less what you are going to do is roll the perch back into the area I have circled. I don't think the pumpkin is thick enough in this area to keep the perch at the factory height. Thats why I think I'll have to make a thicker perch to accomadate the studs.

Would it not be as simple as two counteracting wedges? One under the spring pack to level the pad and pin, and one to replace the plate on top of the pack with the reverse (inverse?) angle. Reliefs would need to be machined into the plate to zero out the bolt shoulders but beyond that clamping value should be close.


Nomex is my friend... especially if this is a stupid and dangerous idea.
HTH
B, M.E. (Mullet Engineering)

Here is a thread about rotating a 60 9* with shims. I'm not sure I like it. but so far seems the most popular solution. The way it's done in this thread does'nt look half as bad as I had pictured in my mind. Here he machined the perch down for half his rotation then welded on a wedge for the other half.

Installing wedges like in this thread + Bondages idea of putting releifs into the plate so the bolt shoulders sit flat is probly a workable idea.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303418&highlight=Turning+D60

Having the perches built into a axle truss is probly stronger, but because of the height it would add to the perches and the increased chance of spring wrap, I'm starting to like the wedge idea more.

the 2 shim idea is fugly.

the coolest perch idea I have seen was where the perch was cut with a porta band starting at the midpoint, the resultant removed wedge is then welded to the front portion of the perch forming the new angle.
still have to get the stud holes machined or get creative with a huge Ubolt.

mine was just machined down to the new angle and the rear stud mount was made up of nuts welded to the housing, front stud was redrilled
ended up lower perch then factory.

my new 60 is gonna be linked so no perch fun to fix.

:flipoff2: And a huge Fawken ubolt is your idea of elegant?
As long as someone who can do the math tells me its strong enough, I'll settle fur a fugly vote from mj :D

Has anyone ever cut and turned the pinion on a dana 60 front? If so what did you do about the spring pad on the differential? I'm trying to get ideas before I start grinding and screw up a perfectly good 60.No this has never been done and you are a fool to even try it and mess up a perfectly good 60. :shaking:

ahh no
the huge ubolt sounds fugly
and will never grace my POS
but I have yet to see it in person

I bet it isnt as fugly as the spring cap hanging at an odd angle.

Edit: After thought my idea sucks, next........

what about doing some kind of u bolt flip setup like a ford uses, i know u end up pointin ur ubolts down, but it might be easier, someone has had to do this, id like to see a pict myself, i wanna do that to the 60 in my truck. its not really an offroad truck, but i hate the non cooperative front angle it gets.