rear end idea - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

iluvmy72 · 12-01-2002, 01:34 AM

say I was to upgrade to a 3/4 ton rear end but want 5 lug instead of 8.....would I be able to put the 1/2 ton axles in the shaft or would these not line up or fit correctly or am I looking at more work and a headache to do this?.....also.......someone told me there used to be a company that made adapter plates for this kind of conversion....anyone know or heard of this

mikep · 12-01-2002, 01:53 AM

I'm not sure if there is a company that made an adaptor of any sorts but the way full floating 3/4 ton axles work is that you have a stub shaft that goes out to a hub with its own bearings . The stub shaft can break or not even be there if its a positraction and the other side will still drive the truck. Or if the axle does break its a simple matter of unbolting the axle and changing the axle, In most cases you wouldnt even need to pull the wheel. Arent they great? Having said that ... Its not that big of a deal to convert 3/4 ton axles to 5 lug. It costs money but not a lot. $500-$600 or so. Not the end of the world. The flanges on the ends of the tubes get cut off and new flanges get welded on . Then custom made semifloater axles get installed . Curre makes them , dutchman makes them as do a dozen or so other companies. Ive had 5 lug axles made for Dana 60's and had the tube ends welded at Dutchman in Portland Oregon and the total cost was $550 which included parts and labor. Add to that the cost of the 4.10 geared 3/4 ton positraction dana 60 of $50 in the local paper and I had a complete 5 lug 4.10 geared dana 60 with bulletproof axles for $600. This rear end went under a 69 camaro but the same concept holds true if you are doing it for a truck.

Scrub · 12-01-2002, 02:14 AM

Dynatrac will build anything you want. I think they have a standard 5 bolt Dana 60, but it isn't full float.
http://www.dynatrac.com/dynatrac_axels.html

Seems to me that there was a stock Dana 60 5 bolt, but I have never seen one.

Do a search on dana 60 on ebay, and you will find some stuff

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=1873550472
Not sure about the pattern on that one and kinda high for a drum brake axle.

good luck

mikep · 12-01-2002, 02:45 AM

I am the proud former owner of a factory Dana 60 - 5 lug rear end . You wouldnt want one. I believe the pattern was 5 on 4 1/2" . Its whatever the Ford 1/2 ton pattern is. Remember the old road runners, super bees, belvederes, and assorted other chrysler products that came with Dana 60's behind their RB and Hemi 4 speed cars. thats what they came out of. Great concept until you opened one up and figured out they were 10 spline inch and an eigtth axles. You still see some floating around.

I had one under a 67 camaro that I picked up for cheap but it cost me as much to have the axles respined as I paid for the rear end when I had it narrowed. Forget about trying to find one cheap these days. You'd be fighting all the MOPAR guys looking to put one under their over-engineered MOPAR thing ( can you tell I dont like MOPARS ? )

Price on that Ebay one isnt high at all. Remember you're talking about a musclecar dana 60 with a detroit locker in 4.10 gearing. Most came at 3.54 . That rear end is the holy grail of MOPAR rear ends. I paid $450 for one over 10 years ago and that was from a good friend in need of cash. I'd pay over a grand for the same thing these days.

12-01-2002, 01:34 AM	#1
iluvmy72 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Springville, UT, USA Posts: 1,010	rear end idea say I was to upgrade to a 3/4 ton rear end but want 5 lug instead of 8.....would I be able to put the 1/2 ton axles in the shaft or would these not line up or fit correctly or am I looking at more work and a headache to do this?.....also.......someone told me there used to be a company that made adapter plates for this kind of conversion....anyone know or heard of this

12-01-2002, 01:53 AM	#2
mikep Used to have a truck Join Date: May 2002 Location: port orchard WA Posts: 1,552	I'm not sure if there is a company that made an adaptor of any sorts but the way full floating 3/4 ton axles work is that you have a stub shaft that goes out to a hub with its own bearings . The stub shaft can break or not even be there if its a positraction and the other side will still drive the truck. Or if the axle does break its a simple matter of unbolting the axle and changing the axle, In most cases you wouldnt even need to pull the wheel. Arent they great? Having said that ... Its not that big of a deal to convert 3/4 ton axles to 5 lug. It costs money but not a lot. $500-$600 or so. Not the end of the world. The flanges on the ends of the tubes get cut off and new flanges get welded on . Then custom made semifloater axles get installed . Curre makes them , dutchman makes them as do a dozen or so other companies. Ive had 5 lug axles made for Dana 60's and had the tube ends welded at Dutchman in Portland Oregon and the total cost was $550 which included parts and labor. Add to that the cost of the 4.10 geared 3/4 ton positraction dana 60 of $50 in the local paper and I had a complete 5 lug 4.10 geared dana 60 with bulletproof axles for $600. This rear end went under a 69 camaro but the same concept holds true if you are doing it for a truck. __________________ No truck :-(

12-01-2002, 02:14 AM	#3
Scrub Collector of rusty Items Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Sisters,Oregon USA Posts: 731	Dynatrac will build anything you want. I think they have a standard 5 bolt Dana 60, but it isn't full float. http://www.dynatrac.com/dynatrac_axels.html Seems to me that there was a stock Dana 60 5 bolt, but I have never seen one. Do a search on dana 60 on ebay, and you will find some stuff http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=1873550472 Not sure about the pattern on that one and kinda high for a drum brake axle. good luck __________________ Scrub Sisters, Oregon - Home of the Sisters Rodeo. 70 GMC 1,000,000 + miles 72 K-20 project, 456 Dana60 front, Corp14 rear w/locker, 265R19.5 tires 20-ply. Warn 12k winches both ends, Cross-over steering with raised tie-rod, Powerbox steering, 4500 watt 120-AC power, Air, Hydraulic aux power, 4 inch lift, 5000 lb air-bags both ends.

12-01-2002, 02:45 AM	#4
mikep Used to have a truck Join Date: May 2002 Location: port orchard WA Posts: 1,552	I am the proud former owner of a factory Dana 60 - 5 lug rear end . You wouldnt want one. I believe the pattern was 5 on 4 1/2" . Its whatever the Ford 1/2 ton pattern is. Remember the old road runners, super bees, belvederes, and assorted other chrysler products that came with Dana 60's behind their RB and Hemi 4 speed cars. thats what they came out of. Great concept until you opened one up and figured out they were 10 spline inch and an eigtth axles. You still see some floating around. I had one under a 67 camaro that I picked up for cheap but it cost me as much to have the axles respined as I paid for the rear end when I had it narrowed. Forget about trying to find one cheap these days. You'd be fighting all the MOPAR guys looking to put one under their over-engineered MOPAR thing ( can you tell I dont like MOPARS ? ) Price on that Ebay one isnt high at all. Remember you're talking about a musclecar dana 60 with a detroit locker in 4.10 gearing. Most came at 3.54 . That rear end is the holy grail of MOPAR rear ends. I paid $450 for one over 10 years ago and that was from a good friend in need of cash. I'd pay over a grand for the same thing these days. __________________ No truck :-( Last edited by mikep; 12-01-2002 at 02:54 AM.

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