Difference between Military Dana 60 and non?

[4WheelingPlus]

As it relates to the GMC/Chevy Dana 60 front end... Is there a difference between the ubolts on a Military Dana60 and a non-military D60?

I have sold tons of aftermarket ubolts for Dana 60 front ends over the years and I have a customer who says the aftermarket ubolts I sold him are too long for his military Dana 60.

He says his stock passenger side studs are 2.5" long. That seems really short considering the ubolt/spring plate thickness, leaf pack thickness and getting enough thread into the axle housing to be safe.

I was not aware of any differences. Are there any?

[WYJAX]

A previous owner probably cut the studs down for some reason. Ask if he has had those studs on a running truck at that length.

[4WheelingPlus]

Originally Posted by WYJAX

A previous owner probably cut the studs down for some reason. Ask if he has had those studs on a running truck at that length.

He said he took those studs off the truck when he went to install the lift kit. He says they were holding the stock leafs onto the axles.

I asked for pics of the stock leaf springs but he says he doesn't have them anymore.

I asked him if he chased the threads to rule out rust/grim and he said he did.

[WYJAX]

I'm calling BS on his side of the story then. If anything, the leafs on the CUCV trucks are a thicker pack for MORE weight carrying capacity, not less. There is one for sale that I'll be driving by tomorrow. I will measure and see if I can get a picture as well.

[BumpyDodge]

Fortunately enough, I just happen to have a bone stock original 1986 M1031 sitting in the driveway and a cell phone camera. Looks typical K30 to me.

[4WheelingPlus]

Here is a picture he sent me:

[4WheelingPlus]

Originally Posted by BumpyDodge

Fortunately enough, I just happen to have a bone stock original 1986 M1031 sitting in the driveway and a cell phone camera. Looks typical K30 to me.

THANKS!

Do you know if the mounting area where the leaves meet the axle or where the studs attach to the axle are different than non-military Dana 60's?

[trkklr77]

no they are the same.


some people will claim that mil axles have better inner axle shafts because they are non-neck down shafts. they are half right, all mil axles are non-neck down, but so are all other gm 60s after 1980ish.

[4WheelingPlus]

Originally Posted by trkklr77

no they are the same.

Thanks for your help/answers.

I am still baffled why the aftermarket Dana 60 ubolts are too long for this guys front end?

[trkklr77]

because they are designed for thicker shitty lift kit packs.

buy the ruffstuff ones, cheaper and will work with thin packs.

[4WheelingPlus]

Originally Posted by trkklr77

because they are designed for thicker shitty lift kit packs.

buy the ruffstuff ones, cheaper and will work with thin packs.

R U saying that the aftermarket ubolts are designed for thicker leaf packs?

[Grumpy_old_fart]

Originally Posted by 4WheelingPlus;

R U saying that the aftermarket ubolts are designed for thicker leaf packs?

I think he is saying what he is saying.

[4WheelingPlus]

Originally Posted by Grumpy_old_fart

I think he is saying what he is saying.

UGH. I am sorry. I don't speak fluent Pirate4x4 talk. Can you let me in on the secret language and tell me what he is saying so that I understand?

[Grumpy_old_fart]

Originally Posted by trkklr77

because they are designed for thicker shitty lift kit packs.

buy the ruffstuff ones, cheaper and will work with thin packs.

This is what he is saying.

[4WheelingPlus]

Originally Posted by Grumpy_old_fart

This is what he is saying.

I think I got it... Thanks!

[60crazy]

never heard of such a thing and swapped plenty of dana 60's hes something

[77k5]

Originally Posted by 4WheelingPlus

R U saying that the aftermarket ubolts are designed for thicker leaf packs?

Assuming that they are the Superlift kit, they are too long for just about any lift spring. We had this conversation with the only "expert" at Superlift years ago, he sounded about 100 years old and was appalled that anyone would consider swapping a Dana 60 under anything else (apparently they have some stupid thick spring pack for the front of 1 tons).

For that reason, we have our own u-bolt kits and studs that are actually right.

Originally Posted by trkklr77

buy the ruffstuff ones, cheaper and will work with thin packs.

I didn't see that they have the right size u-bolts or the studs, am I missing it?

[4WheelingPlus]

Originally Posted by 77k5

Assuming that they are the Superlift kit, they are too long for just about any lift spring.

I can see where they could be too long for some lift springs, but I have sold several Superlift 3418 and Rough Country 7699 Dana 60 ubolts and this is the 1st time I have been made aware that they were to long to fit a Dana60 front end.

I use them on my personal vehicles as well. Mostly Rough Country lift kits, but one Superlift kit.

Here is one of mine I just took a pic of with my cell phone:



I clearly list all the measurements in my ads, but long story short he is returning them and I am giving him a refund. All is good.

[trkklr77]

Originally Posted by 77k5

Assuming that they are the Superlift kit, they are too long for just about any lift spring. We had this conversation with the only "expert" at Superlift years ago, he sounded about 100 years old and was appalled that anyone would consider swapping a Dana 60 under anything else (apparently they have some stupid thick spring pack for the front of 1 tons).

For that reason, we have our own u-bolt kits and studs that are actually right.



I didn't see that they have the right size u-bolts or the studs, am I missing it?

they dont have the studs but they do have the ubolts by dimension. i have bought them personaly and for my shop, they have them.

[96Z40]

Why not replace the studs with u-bolts?


The u-bolt is 4.5" x 11.5" x 5/8"



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[Pietro]

I have the U-bolt kit from ORD on my 84' M1031 which is a K30 D60. The pass. side bolts have two lengths in the ORD kit. With the new ORD supplied springs, I had to use the longer bolts with two washers up top to keep the bolts from bottoming out before the U-bolt plate became tight. Other than that, it was bolt in easy peezy. All of the u-bolts needed to be trimmed after final tightening. Not sure what the issue is

The ONLY difference on the mil. spec D60 is the OEM 4.56 gears and if you made the correct military vehicle purchase such as myself, a stock traclok up front

[LOGANSTANFORTH]

Originally Posted by 77k5

Assuming that they are the Superlift kit, they are too long for just about any lift spring. We had this conversation with the only "expert" at Superlift years ago, he sounded about 100 years old and was appalled that anyone would consider swapping a Dana 60 under anything else (apparently they have some stupid thick spring pack for the front of 1 tons).

The current guy is a fucking douche and no better. He got pissy when I told him their Ranger/Explorer 5.5 inch kit sucked cause they don't send the right pitman arm that is needed...

[77k5]

Originally Posted by Pietro

I have the U-bolt kit from ORD on my 84' M1031 which is a K30 D60. The pass. side bolts have two lengths in the ORD kit. With the new ORD supplied springs, I had to use the longer bolts with two washers up top to keep the bolts from bottoming out before the U-bolt plate became tight. Other than that, it was bolt in easy peezy. All of the u-bolts needed to be trimmed after final tightening. Not sure what the issue is

The ONLY difference on the mil. spec D60 is the OEM 4.56 gears and if you made the correct military vehicle purchase such as myself, a stock traclok up front

We used to send bolts because the studs in the Superlift kit are way too long.

The u-bolts and studs are all our own now, correct length and work with pretty much anything. It's common to have to trim u-bolts, it allows us to make the u-bolts work on a variety of spring packs.

[Pietro]

Originally Posted by 77k5

We used to send bolts because the studs in the Superlift kit are way too long.

The u-bolts and studs are all our own now, correct length and work with pretty much anything. It's common to have to trim u-bolts, it allows us to make the u-bolts work on a variety of spring packs.

Probably didn't explain clear enough. I understand why you trim the u-bolts. I don't understand what the OP has an issue with. The ORD u-bolt works fine as long as you have 3 available brain cells to contemplate proper installation. Not very difficult concepts here...

[4WheelingPlus]

Originally Posted by Pietro

I don't understand what the OP has an issue with

The guy who bought the ubolts from me ran out of threads on the passenger side diff studs.

The orange circle in the image below is the area that ran out of threads. This image is just an example since there were plenty of threads on this install.



Makes me wonder how many other people I've sold these ubolts to have had the same problem but ended up stacking washers or ???