Sooooo, what's up with the newer Superduty F-350 Dana 60s? All the info and writeups I've found are on the older Dana 60s. Is anyone using the new ones in their projects? I know they have unit-bearings, ball joints and the funky wheel bolt pattern, but are the older ones really that much better? Is the matching rear axle (the 10.5 I think) a turd or a decent axle?
--Pete

but are the older ones really that much better? Is the matching rear axle (the 10.5 I think) a turd or a decent axle?
--Pete



Yes to first one, and good axle (Sterling 10.25)to second one

for the right price id use them for sure the rear 10.5 is a great axle and you will have some good brakes too.

Its a catch 22. I hate balljoints so I avoid them like the plague.

However, unit bearings make axle shaft changes faster and easier. You wont need to worry about getting dirt into them. the funky wheelbolt pattern isn't THAT big of a deal. And the newer ones (06 07?) are 35 spline from factory.

The 10.5 is also a decent axle.

for the right price id use them for sure the rear 10.5 is a great axle and you will have some good brakes too.


I was thinking it was teh 10.25 for some reason,hmmmmmmm. Maybe I should stick to the Dodge section:laughing:


OK, I was right.......partially, the 10.25 is for the older Superduty, and the 10.5 is found from 99 to current

10.5" started in 99....but 10.25 gears will fit in them with 10.25 bearings.

Good axle with discs.

10.5" started in 99....but 10.25 gears will fit in them with 10.25 bearings.

Good axle with discs.

Hey, what's up mad flex? You send some pics to that guy? Sorry I put you on the spot, but could not help myself:laughing:

I was thinking it was teh 10.25 for some reason,hmmmmmmm. Maybe I should stick to the Dodge section:laughing:


OK, I was right.......partially, the 10.25 is for the older Superduty, and the 10.5 is found from 99 to current

IIRC the super duty started in 99. I thought there was no technical 98 f250 or somthing weird like that?

IIRC the super duty started in 99. I thought there was no technical 98 f250 or somthing weird like that?

You are correct. There are no true 98s.

IIRC the super duty started in 99. I thought there was no technical 98 f250 or somthing weird like that?


Yea, the Superduty started production in mid-1998 for the 1999 model year.
I guess that makes Projectgoat completely wrong and maybe he should stick to the Dodge section. :laughing:

Its a catch 22. I hate balljoints so I avoid them like the plague.

However, unit bearings make axle shaft changes faster and easier. You wont need to worry about getting dirt into them. the funky wheelbolt pattern isn't THAT big of a deal. And the newer ones (06 07?) are 35 spline from factory.

The 10.5 is also a decent axle.

most people avoid them because the unit bearings do not like big ass tires... along with the ball joints...


buuut im sure if you were a trail only rig, it would be fine.

read. http://pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=549674

It all depends what your going to use it for. They are pretty beefy axles. I agree that they arent great for huge tires, but only if it is a heavy rig. But there are tons of superdutys running 37's with diesels on top of that axle and dont have any problems. On a lighter rig, you could run much larger tires imo. And I dont have any complaints about unit bearings. I have 192,000 on mine and they still run just fine with 35's.

And for the 10.25 vs 10.5 debate, mine has a 10.25 rear as it is a "early" 99. (manufactured 11/98) it also has a dana 50 front. I believe ford went to the 10.5 and dana 60 front on 3/22/99 ("late" 99)

I was going to type more earlier...but was on the phone and couldnt multitask.


As for the front...balljoints (ugh), and unit bearings, the unit bearings suck on the superduties under the weight of the diesel, this is where they get their bad name. The main reason they are weak is because the bearings are back to back very close to each other (cant handle leverage). The dynatrac kit offers servicable bearings spread further apart...but is a nice chunk of cash.

They are so damn easy to replace though its not even funny.

They suck for crossover steering because they are not flattop, and you need to buy a whole new knuckle for crossover steering....and to this day their are no knuckles for histeer that i know of.

30spline outers 99-04 (leaf sprung, very wide, no room on drivers side)
35spine outers 05-08 (coil sprung, radius arm)


Other than that, watch out for the d50s which have necked down shafts, slightly shorter ring gear and shorter/smaller pinion (you cant put the guts of a D60 into a D50 housing either)


ALSO...D50s were used up front from 99 into 2002 on the f250 and F350....except for duallies (d60). In 2002 was the switch to D60s all around....but they had TONS of D50s left over, and ive found D50s in Superduties in LATE 2002 even....Excursions ive heard being even later. After that, everything should have been D60.



Thats all i have to say about that. lol

ProjectGoat, :laughing: no Panthers65 and i know each other pretty well and have talked on the SAS for those trucks more than a few times

They suck for crossover steering because they are not flattop, and you need to buy a whole new knuckle for crossover steering....and to this day their are no knuckles for histeer that i know of.

Pic attached of SD knuckle ready for highsteer. We have done over a dozen of these knuckles.



30spline outers 99-04 (leaf sprung, very wide, no room on drivers side)

Bore the unit bearing and you can run 35 spl stubs

i look at your website and couldnt find the knuckles. Can you supply me with some more info. I have 2000 model F-350 dually diffs with 4:30 gearing. I am looking for parts or any info such as for sure its a 60 verse a 50 in the front and the rear is 10.5 verse 10.25. and the reason i ask this question is because i have heard conflicting suggestions. Oh and i plan on running 44's should i sell these diffs and go for something else? Oh and the application is rock crawling in a stroked small block s-10 blazer so not alot of weight.

EMS,

I definatley want more information on your highsteer setup. Thats a great Idea. What do the arms look like? Do you sell just the arms?

Thanks!

EMS,

I definatley want more information on your highsteer setup. Thats a great Idea. What do the arms look like? Do you sell just the arms?

Thanks!
x2, i want some info on the high steer setup also!

Unit bearings are teh suck foor the above mentioned reason... Plus the biggest one - Price. I replaced one (myself) and still almost dropped $500 on one bearing...

True, I had it done in about 30 minutes, but dayum!!!


I can do the bearings on my 86 '60 in an hour or so...and they're further apart!! (and much cheaper)

Unit bearings are teh suck foor the above mentioned reason... Plus the biggest one - Price. I replaced one (myself) and still almost dropped $500 on one bearing...

True, I had it done in about 30 minutes, but dayum!!!


I can do the bearings on my 86 '60 in an hour or so...and they're further apart!! (and much cheaper)

I sold my D50 with two perfectly good unit bearings for $320. If you can find any they are worth their price in unit bearings alone!!!

up here asking price for just about ANY 60 is $1000 minimum:(

Ball joints and unit bearings bring the suck.

80's HP60's can be had for well under $500 bucks in great shape all day long.

I paid $700 for my superduty D60, I never see any front D60's for sale around here, with the exception of the DRW chevy fronts it seems.

I plan to abuse the hell out of it so we'll see how it holds up!

I will post up a few pics of the arms when I find them.

Since you have a DRW truck, you will have the front 60 and all the 98+ SD came with the 10.5.

By the First of the year we will have the Ford Hub converstion kit out, to get rid of the unit bearings.

i dont mean to hi-jack but if someone is looking for a complete superduty 60 front w/ 4:30 gears pm me

I also have a front 60 and the matching rear with 4:30 gears was the year model. I would get rid of for the right price. email scrapin_frontier@yahoo.com

I'll give you $350 shipped for the front 60, no DRW. In nevada :)

So I finally got around to building my own high steer setup. I designed arms in Autocad that would require the least amount of milling on the knuckle and space the bolts far enough appart for strength. The studs and socket cap bolts are 9/16 fine thread with D44 cone washers. I helped my neighbor mill the arms and knuckles and as simple as it looks they were quite a bit of work. I'll be running these with a surplus center hydro assist ram but I'm fairly confident they'll hold up fine.... I'm much more worried about the GM TRE's.

Hopefully the pics work since this is my first time using photobucket.

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss64/84sixty/CIMG0219.jpg?t=1254421210

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss64/84sixty/CIMG0220.jpg?t=1254421252

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss64/84sixty/CIMG0221.jpg?t=1254421293

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss64/84sixty/CIMG0222.jpg?t=1254421348

I know....... the rig needs much bigger meats! The economy has really put a damper on my plans to get a set of 40's or so.

Unit bearings are teh suck foor the above mentioned reason... Plus the biggest one - Price. I replaced one (myself) and still almost dropped $500 on one bearing...

WOW did you get ripped off on that bearing. They are about $220 ea at any parts store around here.
pwrstrokr99 yours would be the first known SD to have a 10.25. Do you have rear disc brakes, and metric wheel bolt pattern? If so then you have a Sterling 10.5". The 10.25 all had 8 on 6.5" BP and the F-series 10.25" had drum brakes. The Sterling 10.25" stopped production in 1997.
The 05+ D60 housing is a LOT beefier than the 99-04 D60 housing. The tubes and "C's" are much stronger, the GAWR is higher too.

I picked up 2 NIB unit bearings for $120 on craigs list :)

and actually ORU makes a high steer kit with their own recast knuckle but its goofy lookin and looks more for 4x4 jamboree rigs.

and lastly, i'm sure it will survive under your rig as my buddy has an xj thats caged, on 44 boggers and he's using a '97 dodge d60 (those are really the suck, 32 spline, CAD/multipiece shaft, even shittier unit bearings) and he hasnt broken it yet.

You can put the older spindles on the new knuckles and use the old bearings, just drill 4 holes in the spindles so it bolts in just like the unit bearing and then you also have to align the brake caliper with some shims.
I know about many trucks running this setup here in Iceland on 44"+ tires (including my fathers 46" Econoline) and haven't heard of one problem with that setup...

But then the unit bearing also isn't that bad but it sure is expensive to replace!

Sorry to dig up an old post with dumb questions. I've been looking for a 60 front for my Ranger and found a 2002 Super Duty front 60 and rear 10.5 for sale. It has the stock shafts with 5.13 gears and lockers. I'm planning on 3 linking the front for sure, undecided on the rear. Probably running around 40 inch tires or so. Do I need to keep looking or is this a good axle to have? I haven't really found any aftermarked support as far as chrome-moly stuff, the hub part that makes it full time locked, stuff like that. Am I looking in the wrong places or is it just not out there yet? The set is $1300 and needs new balljoints. They've never been off road, the guy said he changed his mind and isn't going to use them. What should I do? Thanks for the help. Mike

It's a decent axle but not alot of support. $1300 is WAY too much. If I were to do it again I'd get a king pin axle, peferably the 78-79 axle. I paid $300 for my set of axles.

It's a decent axle but not alot of support. $1300 is WAY too much. If I were to do it again I'd get a king pin axle, peferably the 78-79 axle. I paid $300 for my set of axles.

+1

if you can find a set of SD axles for 500 or less, its a good deal, but over that you might aswell save the the extra dough for a kingpin axle with more aftermarket support.

my kingpin(88) D60 and sterling 10.25 with all new brakes, bearings was $700. and that was a few years ago when the economy hadn't taken a shit yet.

if any of yall are paying a grand for a D60 you are gettign screwed. unless it's geared or locked. take a look at parts cost to see what they cost to build after purchase.

Supply and demand...
Ive heard of Superduty front/rear combos going for 400-600 in many JYs...as more and more SDs make their way into JYs and the off road community starts using them more and more, they are only going to go up in price.

my kingpin(88) D60 and sterling 10.25 with all new brakes, bearings was $700. and that was a few years ago when the economy hadn't taken a shit yet.

if any of yall are paying a grand for a D60 you are gettign screwed. unless it's geared or locked. take a look at parts cost to see what they cost to build after purchase.

Thats a good point. Another thing to consider is you're not going to just pull a JY Kingpin D60 and run it without a rebuild....but you might be able to with a late model SD 60. Just more food for thought...

as far as the unit bearings go, the early stuff was prone to failure, they updated the design years ago, and honestly, i don't see hardly any unit failures any more, mostly ball joints getting sloppy only, but, they are a wear item so thats expected. btw, i see prob. 25 superdutys a day, 5 days a week, most are diesel w/35" or bigger tires, the units just aren't a problem anymore, but the rap seems to follow... .02