I came across a 60-2 from a J-truck, 5 on 5.5, while looking for a c&c 14 bolt. My problem is, I have broken and bent 2 D44 axle housings in my last 2 wheeling trips. Most likely from bouncing up ledges, but not very hard bouncing. I have a 258, T-18,4:56,D300, w/35" swampers. No plans to go larger than 36" tires with 1/2 ton axles.
I have searched and read all the info on these Dana 60 semifloaters. I realize the axle tubes are weaker compared to a FF60. Breaking shafts is to be expected with a D44, but swaping housings is a p.i.t.a.
Anyone with a 60-2 under their rig have any realworld info for me?
What gear ratio is common in these?
How is availability of bearings, gears, lockers,seals, etc.
If I truss the axle somehow, can I expect it to survive moderate to heavy thrashing? (I'd like to be able to push it a little harder than I have my D44 :rolleyes:)
I have not weighed my jeep, but it has the usual, heavy skid plate, rock sliders, heavy rear bumper/tire carrier, with fullsize spare, not a lot of tools or gear.
btw, I could probably get this thing pretty cheap so initally it wont be expensive, but I dont know about the rest.
Any info or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

-Jeremy

H ow teh hell are breaking shafts so much with 35s and a six cylinder....? :confused:

He said he's breaking and bending HOUSINGS, not shafts.

I'm not breaking shafts much, twisted splines pretty bad on 3 or 4. I have lots of spare shafts but dont have anymore weak ass housings.:flipoff2: The last housing, spun the axle tube(pinion went up about 5-7 deg.) and bent up and forward about 1.25", couldnt hardly get the axle shaft out and definetly can get a good one in. I even had the axle tube welded to the pumkin in 3 or 4 places.

-Jeremy

It will be a stronger housing than the 44 and the axle shafts strength will be signifiacantly greater. The only draw back I can see is it is a semi-floater and 30 spline. It should definetly hold up far better than the 44. I have a buddie with a J-4000 (3/4 ton)and he has beat the shit out of his rig and he has had no breakage and he is running 35's. So I'm assuming that this will hold up rather well in a small jeep. I don't know about the parts pricing though.

Jason R: With a T-18 4.56 gears and a dana 300 that is enough gearing right there to snap 44 axle shafts all day long, regardless of what motor is in front of the whole setup. Plus the 258 is a torquey motor.

blt2crl, thanks for the info. And a mandatory :flipoff2: welcome to ya.

JasonR, Yes I could snap D44 shaft fairly easy, but usually drive with finess, not skinny pedal power. My 258 is slightly built, (cam, bored, ign. upgrade, carb swap) it has an amazing amount of torque at 1200 rpm. But when your wheeling with 1 ton jeeps on 38's, I have to give it a "little gas" sometimes.

I was under the impression that all the 60-2 were 1.5" 35 spline shafts. But I've been told/read wrong before.

Anyone know what the axle tube thickness is on the 60-2?

-Jeremy

Originally posted by blt2crl
The only draw back I can see is it is a semi-floater and 30 spline.

60-2 is 35 spline ;) :flipoff2: Welcome newbie

I just happened to find this page today... It has a lot of useful info on common axle dimensions including axle tube diameters etc. Thought it might be helpful.

http://www.cj7jeep.com/info/axle/axle.html

Originally posted by Keith Strong


60-2 is 35 spline ;) :flipoff2: Welcome newbie

My 60-2 is 30 spline Welcome oldie :flipoff2:

Yes the tubes are a little thin, I plan to this winter weld in some 2" 1/4 wall square tube along the top from perch to housing, then run a brace over the top (future 4-link mounts).

Depending on what the 60-2 came out of, may have 30 or 35 spline, mine is out of a IH Travelall with 5x5.5 pattern 63.5" WMS to WMS. The housing is basicly 60 center section and 44 outers. The shafts are a tad bigger then 44's but neck down to 30 splines. I think mine uses set 10 Timken bearings. And my TSM brake kit for the 44 bolted right up to the 60-2.

I'm running a welded rear, with 727/D300 4:1/3/73's with 36's in a Scout II. I've got two con trips, and 4 other trips this season with no breakage in a 6,000lb rig.

BTW, I've killed two 1310 jointed rear d-lines this year and one 60 yoke.

That hermafrodite axle has 60-2 stamped on it? :confused: Never seen anything like that before....all 60-2's I know of have been 35 spline :flipoff2: Why bother with it? Sounds like yours is a glorified 44?

Starting to get some good info here. I can call about prices for gears and locker etc, but does anyone else abusing one of these axles have some input?

jdjanda: My jeep is no where near 6000 pds, those scouts are tanks! It probably doesnt weigh as much as a stock ScoutII. So far I have had no luck welding to Dana housings with high nickle rods. Got a better way or know of someone who has trussed one?

All: My D44 was new a year ago, new gears, bearings, seals, detroit, etc., I dont want to invest all that money again if the 60-2 will not hold up. I want a FF 14 bolt so I can "almost" forget about it, but even if I shave the hell out if it, with my 35's it will be a trencher, and I'm not ready to buy warns and ctm's for my waggy front, plus the 3/4 ton outers and 38's. I would love to, but financially its about 3 years down the road.

Keep the comments coming.:beer: :beer: :beer:

-Jeremy

Man Ive wheeled with my Dana 35 for quite a while and broken nothing...

Not picking on you but I just don't understand why a 44 wouldnt hold up for you. Have you considered a 9"? :D

Have you considered Pick n Pull a regular 60? I got my rear end for 101 dollars. New bearing and crap in it, welded it, and put it in. Yeah its 30 spline...but its full floater and spare shafts are a dime a dozen (havent broke one yet though)

If you plan to tgo 3/4 ton eight lug, do it now, and dont look back ;)

Oh, and I will have a Ford F250 D44 front built and ready to rock for sale in a month or so :beer:

Originally posted by Jason R
Man Ive wheeled with my Dana 35 for quite a while and broken nothing...

Not picking on you but I just don't understand why a 44 wouldnt hold up for you. Have you considered a 9"? :D

I dont understand it either, but I'm not going to put another dime in that rear D44. Pinion way too low on 9", not really that much stronger internally than a D44 unless you custom build it. I like the stamped steel housings though. Not gonna replace a 1/2 ton axle with 1/2 ton. I was all set to get a 14 bolt when I came across this 60. If I could get it for under 125.00 should I buy it anyway?

Originally posted by Keith Strong
Have you considered Pick n Pull a regular 60? I got my rear end for 101 dollars. New bearing and crap in it, welded it, and put it in. Yeah its 30 spline...but its full floater and spare shafts are a dime a dozen (havent broke one yet though)

If you plan to tgo 3/4 ton eight lug, do it now, and dont look back ;)

Oh, and I will have a Ford F250 D44 front built and ready to rock for sale in a month or so :beer:

I dont want to go 8 lug yet, definetly keeping my waggy 44 for a while, all new stuff, plus custom steering etc. I want to keep it around 63" wms to wms, so c&c 14 bolt or the 60-2, are about my only options with out building a custom axle. I thought the scout D44 would last for a few years, but that hasnt been the case.

-Jeremy

Originally posted by Keith Strong
That hermafrodite axle has 60-2 stamped on it? :confused: Never seen anything like that before....all 60-2's I know of have been 35 spline :flipoff2: Why bother with it? Sounds like yours is a glorified 44?

It is a hy-breed axle, sheet it's IH what do you expect :flipoff2:

Yes it's a glorified 44, but I wanted to make sure the carrier would hold up to being welded, and I've got 4 spare axles for it. Plus it was the width I wanted and this winter it's getting beefed up. Might go with gun drilled 40 spline axles :flipoff2:

Originally posted by Rat Patrol
jdjanda: My jeep is no where near 6000 pds, those scouts are tanks! It probably doesnt weigh as much as a stock ScoutII. So far I have had no luck welding to Dana housings with high nickle rods. Got a better way or know of someone who has trussed one


Search for preheat, but the housing should be easy to weld to, it's not cast iron. I was just going to run the hoop over the top of the case and attach to each side.

I'm talking about the jeep truck 60-2. I don't know about the other applications. A dana 60-2 semifloater out of a 70-72 jeep truck will be 30 spline. If was a full floater then it could be either 30 or 35. I'm a newbie to the site not FSJ's :flipoff2: :D

Originally posted by Keith Strong
That hermafrodite axle has 60-2 stamped on it? :confused: Never seen anything like that before....all 60-2's I know of have been 35 spline :flipoff2: Why bother with it? Sounds like yours is a glorified 44? Most Sime-floating Dana 60's have 30 splines (Chevy, Ford, IHC). Only Jeep and Chrysler ran 35 splines in them. Then again Chrysler was a 4 on 5.5 bolt pattern and Jeep was:
BOM .. Year . Type Truck Shaft Spline Bolt pattern
603137 69-73 J20 (Only) 1.5" 35 5 on 5.5"

Edit: Opps, I forgot about the 80+ Ford C-clip Semi Floating Dana 60's

WHy not look for a SF 35 spline 60 from a ford truck they have thicker tubes than the 60-2 and I think the shafts go from 1.75 to 1.5?

I've been running one for about 3 years now in a '75 Bronco with no problems. I put one in my wife's Wrangler and she has bent it after only a few months!!! I just picked up a FF that I am going to build for it this winter. The 44 ends just aren't beefy enough, unless you have room to truss it. My .002

Originally posted by blt2crl
I'm talking about the jeep truck 60-2. I don't know about the other applications. A dana 60-2 semifloater out of a 70-72 jeep truck will be 30 spline. If was a full floater then it could be either 30 or 35. I'm a newbie to the site not FSJ's :flipoff2: :D


The 60-2 i pulled from a J Truck was a SF 35 spline axle.

All the 60-2 I pulled or Jeeps that had them, they were all 35 spl. The Ford and IH 60-2 or 60-3 were 30 spl. Just go with the Ford 80+ semi float 60. Yes I know they have c-clips. But since the axle is thicker then a D70 axle, the rest of it not the splines, I doubt you'll break it.

Also with welding the housing, do not weld the entire length of the housing, it will warp. unless you chain it down and put a little preload on it.

Originally posted by MilspecXJ



The 60-2 i pulled from a J Truck was a SF 35 spline axle.
milspecXJ and i tore down this axle. I PERSONALLY counted the splines like 4 times to make sure. it was absolutely 35 spline, and the shafts didnt neck down either or anything.

im sorry but anyone who says they didnt come 35spline is incorrect.

also, when i cleaned the axle tubes, i was not particularly confidence inspired by them...they were definitely a little thin...but it obviously lived behind a j truck without and problems, the internals looked to be in great shape....i say truss it and run it
~John

I've got one in my comp Jeep, weighs 3600 now , used to be 4100ish. If it came from a J truck it has 35 splines. Sam Patton has run one for yrs and he's hard on equipment. Tube is 1/4 wall 2.75 OD if i remember right, maybe 5/16 wall. I pressed out the long tube (It's an offset axle) and shortened it to the same length as the short side for 58.5 wms-wms. I did twist splines on the axle i had shortened (moser). have a pair of mosert alloy axles in it now.

I've got a new detroit and some 4.56's if you're interested- good deal!

I stand corrected all that said the 60-2 from J-trucks have 35 spline axles are correct. I had my facts wrong.:D Seein how I am a new guy, I expect to get alittle flamed here. So fire away I have thick skin but not as thick as your moms calused ass.:flipoff2:

Thanks for all the info. I think I'm gonna give it a try and truss it real good.

Go2Guy I pm'd you.

-Jeremy

Originally posted by emsoffroad
All the 60-2 I pulled or Jeeps that had them, they were all 35 spl. The Ford and IH 60-2 or 60-3 were 30 spl. Just go with the Ford 80+ semi float 60. Yes I know they have c-clips. But since the axle is thicker then a D70 axle, the rest of it not the splines, I doubt you'll break it.

Also with welding the housing, do not weld the entire length of the housing, it will warp. unless you chain it down and put a little preload on it.


I've only seen 35 splines I'm going to have to look this up tomorrow.

I have a Ford E350 60 semi float 35 spline C-clip axle. All you need to do is use big ford ends and cut off the c-clip potion of the axle. Or as is most likely the case you can cut the housing to your favorite width and get new or resplined axles.

i've been running the jeep d60-2 for awhile now.. one thought that i didnt see mentioned.. the jeep version is off-set to the passenger side by 3".. so jeep could use both the quadratrac and d20 t-cases... and is wide.. mine was 66" wide..

so...

what i did was cut 3 inches out of the drivers side (long) and rewelded it together.. i then took some 3" tube.. sliced it down the center.. and then welded that to the top and bottom of the tubes.. on both sides.. have never had a problem with it..

as for parts.. expect to pay alot.. the bearings are around $75.. the seals are like $15 (hard to find).. the drums are about $115 a piece.. and the cylinders are $50.. so use the cj versions for $9... the brake parts kit is not made any longer.. so i had to use one from a mid 70's dodge with a close drum set up.. other than that.. its been a great axle for me..
if you can get the front axle... and it is drum brakes.. they are identical.. so rape it for parts..

im running a detroit locker with 4:10's (stock).. behind a 401 with 35" boggers..

I picked up the axle yesterday, it's not a good of a fit as I thought it would be but for $80.00, I figured I cant go wrong :D
All that was left of the truck was frame, rear axle and the bed, so I dont know what tranny/transfer case it had. It is off-set a little more than I thought. Probably gonna narrow 3 inches on the long side, to center the pinion a little more. Going with disk brakes, for what it cost to rebuild crappy drums, I can go with disk. This is my first experience with larger than 1/2 ton axles, gotta love those 35 spline shafts. :cool:
Thanks for all the info everybody.

-Jeremy

Cut down the long side so that it is the same lenght as the short side, then you only have to have on spare shaft. Not that they break all the time but you never know!!