I have made a few posts on the board already regarding dana60's and am still dreaming....

I am looking for some good writeups if there are any on dana60 swaps into a jeep TJ, but CJ, YJ whatever is good.

Dana60's don't exactly grow on trees here in Australia so I have been looking at the cost to buy a complete 1978-79 F350 and taking the axles and anything else I need off it and then selling the rest to try and get back a few dollars. what t-case do they run and is it worth using the t-case out of it as well? is it too long for a SWB?

Something like this: Ford F350 1978 10ft tray, reco motor & diff, mech A1, CXQ089 $4500 firm - That is US$2300 or so, and there are a lot cheaper ones than that sometimes.

Correct me where I am wrong:

I believe I am right in looking for 1978-79 F350's. so as to get HP
They will be something like 8 lug and I will need new beadlocks.
I will need to get them narrowed to something more like 63" WMS-WMS. one side or both?
Also will need gears and lockers, and new shorter axles due to narrowing?
Work out welding brackets on for control arms/springs. easy
I have no idea on steering - can the stock TJ gear be used or can I swap the steering off the F350 on? How much more work is there in going high steer?
etc. etc.

I know there are a hell of a lot more little steps than just finding a set of D60's. Seems like that is all the info that is around though. Find yourself some 60's and throw them under your rig and go wheel. I need more details if anyone can help....

there are a lot of my answers here (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/search.php?s=) and I have been looking for a while but need some more help.

cheers

Transfer case will be an NP205, super stong, but lousy gearing and way to big and heavy for a jeep, although it has been done, rear axle will be a 60, but a GM 14 bolt from a Cab & Chassis truck might be a better solution. Ford disk brakes will probably need at least 16" rim, or swap to Chevy disks and grind away to fit 15's

I ground my ford brakes to fit 15 inch rims no problem

Okay, nevermind, I was under the impression that the dual piston calipers would need too much grinding to clear 15", but I've never tried, so there you go.

Because you are putting this into a TJ and will need to weld on the coil buckets, etc...You will probably only want to narrow the long side of the front axle. Either way, those axles shafts neck down and can't be shortened..and they are crap. The ford outers are kinda shitty too.

You might be better off buying a Chevy one ton and then also swapping in a D300 t-case. this will require some exhaust mods etc..but the Chevy D60 is better.

Also, your current D30 isn't HP, so you don't really have to have a HP D60.

Originally posted by Scout Dude
Because you are putting this into a TJ and will need to weld on the coil buckets, etc...You will probably only want to narrow the long side of the front axle. Either way, those axles shafts neck down and can't be shortened..and they are crap. The ford outers are kinda shitty too.

You might be better off buying a Chevy one ton and then also swapping in a D300 t-case. this will require some exhaust mods etc..but the Chevy D60 is better.

Also, your current D30 isn't HP, so you don't really have to have a HP D60.

Not sure what we have around here in terms of chevy one ton trucks. Can someone let me know a few models? like fords are F350 etc. and 1978-79 seems the best canditate for a swap.

Dana300 is definitely in the plans - again just a shortage of any 1980+ CJ's to find one in. They just don't really come up in wrecking yards because not many were imported here.

I would like high pinion as the near future also includes creating a nice flat transfer case skid and the HP's will make that a lot easier to tackle. well relatively easier, and my drivetrain will appreciate it a lot more.

The average dana60 bolt pattern is 8 lug? Is that correct?
np205 - thought that might be what it was and definitely a monster t-case but I think I will stick with dana300 for now. Unless I can find a killer deal on an atlas. :D

So no one has a bit of a writeup on the process to swap in dana60 axles? Doesn't matter what vehicle really, just trying to give myself an idea of what I am really in for. Then I can see what I can do personally and what I will pay a shop to do.

Thanks for all the help....