Differential Question

[special-K]

Ever wonder about something yet never got around to looking into it? Well,here's mine...
Is a particular differential the same whether front or rear? Take a Dana 44. If I had a Dana 44 ring and pinion would it be the same part front or rear? I have always assumed a Dana 44 differential case is the same thing with the rest of the axle being configured for it's specific application. If I had a Trac-Loc,would it be for either front or rear?
How about a Dana 60. Could I take a Power-Loc from a '72 rear and put in a Dana 60 front axle? What about 10-bolts. Can I take a traction aid from a rear axle (I know there are two sizes) and put it in a front axle. And what about ring and pinions? I know axle spline counts car differ,but as long as they match,is that all there is to it?
I've never run into the need to really know until now. I looked up traction devises on a couple websites and it appears the listings for a particular differential are all one part,no matter what the car company. Am I missing something?

[Burt4x4]

I'm spinning
LOL

Dana "pumkins" ( the cast part) are generally the same inside 44 & 60. Now I'm no expert differential guy but I have setup gears before. The carrier or differential itself is the game changer.
Gear ratios of the ring & pinion determin witch carrier you will need.
You can't bolt a 4.56 Ring gear to a differential that was running say 3.08 R&P.
Basically when buying a new ratio R&P you need to make sure the diff can accept that ratio your wishing to move too.
other than that AFAIK you can use the differntial in front or rear of the same like pumkin..corse that raises another set of questions as some diffs are designed for rear only or front only so....fit vs. design etc...
.025c

[ncgamedog]

I can answer some of this for you ...

Dana 44's and 60's use the same ring and pinion, as well as traction aids, front and rear. With a few exceptions...

For dana 44's they are the same front to rear as long as they are both low pinion. Ford used a high pinion, drivers drop, dana 44 in both 1/2 and 3/4 ton trucks and broncos in a front application. These high pinion axles use reverse cut gears and have their own traction aids. I think 44's have a carrier break. 4:10 and up use one carrier, while everything below that use another. But for modern, open knuckle, low pinion, 44's the shaft spline count is the same.

For dana 60's the same is true. Ford used a high pinion 60 in the one ton solid axle trucks. These also have reverse cut gears. Now, this information only applies to kingpin dana 60's as im not familiar with the more modern unit bearing, ball joint, 60's used in later ford and dodge trucks. But as for the kingpin, low pinion, axles used in dodge and chevy fronts the gears should be the same front to rear. Ford also used low pinion 60 rears. Im not super familiar w the chevy 60 rears, as they were not very common, and were only offered in 69-72 3/4 tons IIRC. They were replaced by the corporate 14 bolt, which shares some parts with th older eaton rears. All that being said, low pinion, ring and pinion gears will swap front to rear no matter the make. There is also a carrier break at 4:10 w 60's. Now, traction aids...chevy (and probably dodge) fronts use 35 spline inner axle shafts w 30 spline outers (35 spline outers are available ). Most rear 60's have 30
spline shafts, so the STOCK side/spiders (or traction aids) will not swap front to rear. It is very common to upgrade 60 rears to 35 spline though, and should be done if used under high stress environments.

Now as to your question on 10 bolts, I have no idea, bc I consider them scrap metal ;-)

Hope that's as clear as mud lol
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[special-K]

Thanks for these answers,guys. And Burt,sorry for spinning your noggin. Go grab a cold beer and think about non-automotive of rears. Works for me. I figured the high pinions would be a variation...whole different animal. The 10-bolt does ok as long as you know it's limits. I'm swapping the 8-lug from my '91 Suburban (4.10) into my '85 Jimmy and a 14-boltff with Detroit Locker for the rear. I've seen some deals on 10-bolt posi units and thought it would be an enhancement for my mild wheeling/travel machine. But...I have an 8-lug Dana44 w/Tru-Trac,but it's a 4.56. I have a 4.11 Dana44 ring and pinion and assumed it was for a rear axle. All GM stuff,but the R&P is new. I got it in a lot of parts I bought. I think I'll stay with the 10-bolt for now just to get the Jimmy rollin' again. I'll play with the other axle when I get the time and swap it in later.

[jerry moss]

Tim,
i think i asked about the dana 44 "thing" a few years ago since i have a posi carrier from a 67 GMC rear 44 with 3:08 gears and i wanted to install it in the front of my 72 cheyenne with 3:73s. i have not done the swap yet but i did check the splines on a set of front axles and they match up perfectly with the splines in my carrier so one of these days (years) i'm going to do the swap.

[special-K]

Thanks Jerry. You know how it goes,"Everything you wanted to know about --- but were afraid to ask".