I'm looking for someone who has done this swap before. I have a HP 78 Dana 60 from an F250/350 on it's way to me and would like some advise ahead of time. I heard the driver side can be left alone and you can just shorten the passenger. will this alow me to have a stock length axle or will I be a little longer? Does anyone know how much I have to shorten the passenger side. What will have to be done to the radius arms and c caps to fit the larger axle tube. James Duff has a set of brackets to weld on to a stock size axle for the radius arms will these work for the D 60? Any help would be great.
Thanks.

If you are going to go to all the work to run a 60 in the front, why would you narrow it?
What size tires are you running? How much lift? What are your goals?

i swapped in a 78 D60 under mine and i cant understand why anyone would want to go back to narrow axles! i LOVE the stance my EB has and it is way more stable on those precarious situations! if you want narrow just run a set of unmodified hummer double beadlocks!

all you have to do is make some 3/8" (IIRC!) spacers and they fit just fine. i had some plate laying around i just cut and drilled

-cutts-

I would like to run full length axles but I diden't think there was enough room on the driver side to make it fit properly without the right side poking out. If there is enough room between the diff and c to mount the radius arm and have it sit even under my EB I would like to do that. Do you know if this is possibale or would the driverside have to be retubed? My plans are to be on 40-42 inch tires with an np435 203 D20 D60 f/r 5:13 gears.

I cut mine with a dewalt 18v sawzall. I cut the shaft at a 45 and ground a deep V groove in it and TIG'd it up. It's held up fine with a diesel, 35's and a locker so far.

If you wanted to use stockers, I'd look in those bibles lying around somewhere. You could probably check the differences between the drivers side shafts 79+ verses 79 style. Shortening an axle is easy. Using hummer H1s is possible without a spacer [I did it]. You just need histeer arms which are convenient to have anyway. Do it up.

I have never shortend an axle before. What is involved?

It's a simple thing. Just slice the axle tube down to the length you want, grind out the weld holding on the inner "C" and pound out the tube stuck inside. Hammer the C back on to the remaining tube and weld it up. That's it.

Will I have to have the inner c pressed out. Then press it back on the shortend tube.

Sorry you answered that one before I got it out of the holster. Where do I measure from for the new axle shaft length?

My 78 60 is fullwitdh, I don't understand your questions?
Yes the driveshaft runs at a slight angle towards the driver side, but its no big deal
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/215212/fullsize/dsc01279.jpg

Yes! You can leave it full width and there is plenty of room on the axle tube to mount the radius arms and center the axle under the frame. You will regret narrowing it with the rig it sounds like you are building.

Great I would love to leave it full length. The only reason I was going to narrow it was because I thought there would be centering problems. Does anyone know of a good doner for a rear 60 with about the same width?
Thanks for everyones help

Anything mid/late 70's F-250,350 would work fine. They are not too hard to find and are usually pretty cheap, at least out here by me.

I've been finding the 60 rears harder & harder to come by. 70 rears, on the other hand, are all over the place. I usually can pick them up for $50.

I have a 78 D60HP under my fullsize truck frame using radius arms. I bought the wedges from James Duff.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/170664/original/imgp0522.jpg

No grinding was required. I did have to make a spacer though that fit between the arm and cap of the radius arms.

The wedge fit the axle tube diameter perfectely and as you can see there is plenty of tube length on the short side of the pre 80 D60's. The guy at Duff said I was going to have to grind them to fit on the 60. Don't know why.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/170665/original/imgp0523.jpg

Here it was mocked up with the bushings compressed on the wedges a fair amount. I was trying to decide how thick the spacer needed to be. From research, I found people had used from 1/4" to 3/4". I ended up with 1/2".
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/172033/original/imgp0536.jpg

I just drilled another hole in the spring cups so they would still bolt down to the arms and caps with two bolts.

why the hell do you wanna run a 60 out back? in im my opinion they are about as weak as a D44 up front! it's not all that hard to find 14bolt, sterling, or D70.

do it right the first time!

hey DRKelly, how close did you fit your wedges up to the drivers side spring pad? i just butted mine up against it and welded along the straight edges.

-cutts-

why the hell do you wanna run a 60 out back? in im my opinion they are about as weak as a D44 up front! it's not all that hard to find 14bolt, sterling, or D70.

do it right the first time!

hey DRKelly, how close did you fit your wedges up to the drivers side spring pad? i just butted mine up against it and welded along the straight edges.

-cutts-

x2 on the 60 out back. Get a 14 bolt.

I put my wedges about half way between the spring pad and inner C. I had the opposite problem that you guys with the EB's have. I have a 85 full size bronco frame that is very wide at the front, so I needed to spread my lower coil mounts apart, but at the same time not push them too far to create tire to radius arm rubbing problems at full lock.

I am very happy with my 60/14 hybrid out back, nothing wrong with a rear 60with 35 spline axles, BUT if doing it over again I too would do a sterling or D70. I gots' 42's, 5.13's and a 5.0 case and I romp on it pretty hard, Nothin's broke yet.

your post just made me order the wedges from JBG
now I have to buy a detroit for it
this is all your fault

I have a 78 D60HP under my fullsize truck frame using radius arms. I bought the wedges from James Duff.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/170664/original/imgp0522.jpg

No grinding was required. I did have to make a spacer though that fit between the arm and cap of the radius arms.

The wedge fit the axle tube diameter perfectely and as you can see there is plenty of tube length on the short side of the pre 80 D60's. The guy at Duff said I was going to have to grind them to fit on the 60. Don't know why.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/170665/original/imgp0523.jpg

Here it was mocked up with the bushings compressed on the wedges a fair amount. I was trying to decide how thick the spacer needed to be. From research, I found people had used from 1/4" to 3/4". I ended up with 1/2".
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/172033/original/imgp0536.jpg

I just drilled another hole in the spring cups so they would still bolt down to the arms and caps with two bolts.

your post just made me order the wedges from JBG
now I have to buy a detroit for it
this is all your fault

Ha ha, glad I could help! What are you building, an EB?

It seems everyone is leaning toward the d70 for the rear. Does anybody know what year and model vehical the d70u came in? thanks EBK.

Ha ha, glad I could help! What are you building, an EB?

my brother and I both have 1978s
those wedges look too easy to not try for stuffing a d60 under it
now I have to sell the polished d44 (detroit/yukons/8 lug flattop knuckles)

I decided to use my 87 axle, after looking at this I am thinking this was a bad idea. I am going to run 44s, and I was just looking around on here to see if there was any way to keep the tires out of the arms. I am going to make my own arms, and plan to make my own way attaching them to the tube, but I was just wondering if it is even possible to use that housing. I measured and I thought it measured the same on the sort side as the 44 thats in there. I also plan to put the axle 4" forward to try to keep it out of my roll cage and body mount. It is a 78 frame with tubes all over it, not much body left.

ksbronco,

Look at this thread. My post is #17.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=445125&highlight=radius

It seems everyone is leaning toward the d70 for the rear. Does anybody know what year and model vehical the d70u came in? thanks EBK.
Dont know about year, but allll the early ford vans I have looked at pretty much had 70u's in them. DUnno about spring perches or width on them going under an Eb or in relation to a fullsize axle.