Dually front Dana 60 differences.

[mooktank]

I am looking at a 1979 front dana 60 right now from a dually truck. What is the difference between this and a regular front end? Is this a good axle to have or will it be a low pinion? Thanks.

[chrono4]

nothing that couldnt be figured from some measuring, is it all the same width, and size?

[Andy351]

probably just the hubs

[mooktank]

Well i searched and cant find anything. I can't measure it I don't have it. Look at the wheels on a dually front. They are offset like a motherfucker. They gotta be spaced out or something. I would hope it's a wheel spacer but i dont know. Whats the deal with these front ends anyways. Are they high pinion?

[mooktank]

alright did some more searchin found its a high pinion kingpin axle. I just need to know about these dually front ends.

[Andy351]

They gotta be spaced out or something. I would hope it's a wheel spacer but i dont know.
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/141954/original/DSCF0441.JPG
srw in front, drw in back. i'm sure the front is high pinion too

[mooktank]

ahhhhh so it looks like im gonna need some new rotors eh?

[saf-t scissors]

Nah, rotors should be the same. They were in my case, anyway. You just need hubs. Any Ford D60 78-97 ought to work, tho I'd shy away from stuff after 94 or so, just because the wheel bearing part numbers and stuff changed somewhere in there. I'm not really sure what the difference is. 78-79 axles use 1/2" studs, and anything after that should be 9/16", but you can have the early hubs bored out to accept the larger studs.

D50 TTB hubs work as well.

[chrono4]

wow, if you go for that axle, better change out them bearings whille your in it, talk about leverage.

[Mr. Pink]

I wonder how bad it would look if you ran those hubs with standard offset H1 wheels?

[chrono4]

how much offset are they???

[Landslide]

wow, if you go for that axle, better change out them bearings whille your in it, talk about leverage.

:confused: :confused: :confused: How do you figure :confused: have you ever looked at a dually on the road? Notice the rims have a major backspacing inward... This allows rear wheels to be used up front also - i.e. similar spare tire/wheel assy.

I'd say just new hubs and go. I've heard DRW front ends are narrower then SRW but I've never measured one myself.

[Landslide]

I wonder how bad it would look if you ran those hubs with standard offset H1 wheels?

This WILL put way too much leverage and stress on the spindles and steering components I'd say.

[chrono4]

sorry bout that, i was thinking reg rims, not duallys, i was thinking way to much stress.

[rocknbronco]

I think the H1 wheels would work alright just replace the bearing and races.

[saf-t scissors]

Running H1 wheels on dually hubs is no different than running 2" BS wheels on regular hubs. The effective backspacing ends up about the same.

But then you have to figure out WTF to do in the back.

Ford DRW front housings are the same as SRW. The only difference is in the hubs, IME.

[chrono4]

sorry bout that, i was thinking reg rims, not duallys, i was thinking way to much stress.

[mooktank]

Well this is going under a ranger so i need to have it regular width WITH H1 wheels as well. Daily driver baby.

[wetnsloppy4x]

This WILL put way too much leverage and stress on the spindles and steering components I'd say.Yeah, that's what I thought too untill I saw my buddies truck in action. He's got a mid-80s 1 ton Dodge that started life as a DRW. A PO had modded the truck as a pre-runner for dunes but left the DRW spacers on the front with standard wheels. This truck has taken a pounding.
This summer I helped him pull apart stuff for a brake job and expected the bearings to be wiped, but they looked like new. They were at least 4 years old.
I think the (poor) handling characteristics with the wheels pushed out that far is enough reason for me not to do it. The thing steered funny on hard pack and was impossible to hold a line in the mud. The wheels/tires are always grabbing the sides of ruts trying to climb out. That truck is a bead loosing machine up front.