Thick/Thin/Carrier/HP60

[GiS]

I have a 79 ford HP60. I bought it used from a local guy and it currently has 4.56 gears installed.

Now here my dillema, I dont quite get the thick/thin/carrier limits..

I ordered 5.38's for the 60 thinking I would have TONS of time for the 14B 5.38's to come out before I was ready to install...Well fast forward, I dont wanna wait a year for the 5.38's. Im ready to roll, minus having no gearset in the 14B...

Is there a 5.13 gearset that will work in my HP60? Does it need to be thick or thin?

If the 5.13 wont fit, how much am I looking at for a different carrier that would accept it? Please explain the carrier limits, and how they work with thick/thin gearsets...

Thanks for your time,

-Joe

[wildgoose]

I think if you have a carrier that will work with 5.38 gears it will also work with 5.13's. The "split" is at 4.56. I would recoment having your carrier there in front of you if you are unsure what you currently have when ordering your gears so if there are any questions the gear guys can walk you through it.

[LCAC_Man]

I just got schooled on this a couple weeks back. There is no carrier break for the HP60 stock carriers, all are of the 4.10 and numerically lower type, 4.10 was the deepest gear you could get from the factory in an hp60.
If you have a stock carrier and are running 4.56 and up you already have thick gears. Now if your running an aftermarket carrier (detroit, arb, etc.. ) it depends on the model of the carrier whether or not you use thick gears.

[rock-rod]

When I talked to Dynarape about this very issue, they told me I could not use the current detroit I have in my low pinion 60 front with stock 4.56 gears mounted to it. They said I would have to buy a high ratio detroit (4.10, 3.73, ect) to use 5.13s in a HP60. But, you can get 5.38s that will fit the low ratio carrier.

This is the main reason I gave up on doing the HP60 swap in the front. It was getting way to expensive, unless I stay with 4.56 or 4.88 gears.

[welndmn]

You need to measure your carrier you have now or get the part number to find out what carrier it is.
5.13's are only make in thick gears so they will only run on the 2.73-4.10 high carrier.
4.56 are also made only in thick, but someone could of used a spacer.
check out
http://www.differentials.com/pdfs/13.pdf

[GiS]

Ok I will poke around tonight and try and find some part numbers or something along those lines. Will report back!

So I either have a stock carrier and the previous owner has installed the 4.56's, and was able to do this with a spacer? With the stock carrier you cannot go any lower then 4.10's right (numerically higher) ? Except with the use of a spacer?

Say I lucked out and the 4.56's were installed without a spacer, that would mean this is an aftermarket carrier and should be able to house the lower gears, whether they be 5.13s or 5.38s?

I should mention, this diff is open, no traction aiding devices.

Off to re-read the bible on how to measure my carrier!

Thanks again,

Joe

[welndmn]

If there is no spacer, it means you have thick 4.56 gears.
The Current carrier will run Thick 5.13 gears no problem.
If you wanted 5.38 you need another carrier or a shim, as those are made in thick sets.