I don't know if this info can help anyone out. I looked before starting this and ended up just guessing, well here it is.
I have a D61 front that came with 3.08 gears. Running the BOM and even talking to Spicer's tech line everyone told me this axle would only run 4.11s at most. D60 carriers run up to 4.10, 4.56 to 7.17, and this carrier pushes the ring even deeper than the 4.56-7.17 carrier. The part number is 706400 X. This carrier combined with a ring gear spacer will fit any 4.56-7.17 gear into the 3.08 61's.
:D

.250 sapcer required ;)

i can confirm (see sig)

Nope, less than 3/16. :flipoff2:
It's the one Randy's sells, which is just a Mr. Gasket.
You could prob'ly skip the spacer and install a thick ring gearset too.

anyone know how hard it is to go the other way? teller than 3.55 gears in a forward rotation dana60? is it even possible?

Okay, I've read every 61 thread a quadrabazillion times, and I've seen a few vague answers to my question, but not all are in concensus. So, while this thread is up, I'm going to ask.

I talked to Sandy Cone, and he says that if I run a 60 4:56 and up carrier(spool), and a .277 spacer, I can run my regular thickness standard 5.38's.

My question is, can I run a .250 spacer and get the .027 out of the shims? I am assuming so, as I have read that that's what redruM and a few others have done. I also called DTD as some have suggested, and after explaining my situation, he had the right spacer for $60, but couldn't tell me if it was just a .250 spacer(which I can get cheaper elsewhere if it will work), or if it was a custom thickness(like .277).

Anyway, I'm probably complicating a simple question.

Sandy says .277, but from what I'm reading, .250 will work?

BTW, Randy's wouldn't tell me how thick the spacer they sell was either(just a standard 60 carrier break spacer). The guy said that people call them and get dimensions, and then make thier own stuff, so they don't give out dimensions:confused::confused:

Sheesh, it would help to know how thick it is so I know wether or not to BUY it from them.

Anyway...

Sorry, rear 61, 3.31's stock.

Originally posted by mytzlflick
anyone know how hard it is to go the other way? teller than 3.55 gears in a forward rotation dana60? is it even possible?


that's why they made the D61 was for that exact reason, 354 is the max in a 60 housing

Originally posted by Ryan
BTW, Randy's wouldn't tell me how thick the spacer they sell was either(just a standard 60 carrier break spacer). The guy said that people call them and get dimensions, and then make thier own stuff, so they don't give out dimensions:confused::confused:

Sheesh, it would help to know how thick it is so I know wether or not to BUY it from them.

Anyway...


Mr Gasket is owned by Randy's?? that's news to me...

Originally posted by DSI



Mr Gasket is owned by Randy's?? that's news to me...


I'm guessing you meant to quote this post?

Originally posted by Slagburn
Nope, less than 3/16. :flipoff2:
It's the one Randy's sells, which is just a Mr. Gasket.
You could prob'ly skip the spacer and install a thick ring gearset too.

i didnt measure the spacer... i will measure it next time i change the fluid

Originally posted by redruM
i didnt measure the spacer... i will measure it next time i change the fluid

Did you get your spacer from DTD? I'm thinkin' about just gettin' the .250 spacer for $40 and givin' it a shot. I've never set up a diff, but I would imagine you could make up .027 in shims. Everybody running low gears in a 61 isn't using a custom spacer, are they?

I just measured the Mr. Gasket spacer. It is .160"

Originally posted by DSI



that's why they made the D61 was for that exact reason, 354 is the max in a 60 housing they used to make 3.33 for the dana 60 but they were discontinued when they made the dana 61 so yes you can get taller but you have to use a used gear :D :flipoff2:

hmm, 3.33 is not going to help my highway rpm much. what runs a drivers side drop dana 61?

A retubed Dodge 61.

mine was at least 1/4" maybe .277 but mine is a rear from a 1987 ford E300 van

Originally posted by redruM
mine was at least 1/4" maybe .277 but mine is a rear from a 1987 ford E300 van

Mine is from a mid 80's van as well. Where did you get your spacer? DTD? I'm so sick of searchin' and reading 61 threads I could puke, and if I can avoid doing it all over again to find out where you bought your spacer, I will(since I think I remember you posted where you got yours at one point).

Do you remember where you got it?

Originally posted by Ryan


Mine is from a mid 80's van as well. Where did you get your spacer? DTD? I'm so sick of searchin' and reading 61 threads I could puke, and if I can avoid doing it all over again to find out where you bought your spacer, I will(since I think I remember you posted where you got yours at one point).

Do you remember where you got it?

all 61" are c-clip right??

and How the hell did randy's sell me a detroit for a c-clip60 if they "don't exist"

I better go open hte box and see if it has slots in tthe carrier..

Originally posted by Moab Austin


all 61" are c-clip right??

and How the hell did randy's sell me a detroit for a c-clip60 if they "don't exist"

I better go open hte box and see if it has slots in tthe carrier..

I have no personal experience with c-clip 61's, but the word goin' around is that all semifloat 61's are c-clip. Mine is a FF.

As for Randy's, they seem just like about every other big company out there--depending upon which dilrod answers the phone, you might or might not be getting reliable info.

Every time I call Randy's I feel like I'm calling Autozone(Checker, Kragen, whatever). You ask for a front axle u-joint, give them the part number, and they then proceed to quiz you about the year, make, model, engine, tranny, 2 or 4 wheel drive(not kidding), blah, blah, blah.

Sandy told me nobody out there knows jack about 61's, and I'm really starting to confirm that through my own experience.

Jason was the guy at Randy's who figured out the problem when none of the other shops I called could. His extension is 5563.
I have bashed Randy's in the past because they deserved it for selling offshore gears as Dana Spicer. I gave them a couple years and they seem a lot better now. The gearsets I've received lately have either been Spicer or US Gear.