Dana 60 rear.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I want to put a Dana 60 in the rear of my truck to change the rear end ratio from 4.11's to 3.54, and take a bit of weight out of my rear end. At the same time I plan to add the disk brake kit so I take about 100 pounds off the back side in total.

All I do is drive around, and dirt road my C20 with AT's. I got the C20 for the brakes, and not any real toughness factor. So going down in rear axle's strength is not an issue for me.

Which truck would you get a rear Dana 60 from? I know the Ford's rear hub is bigger then GM's, but what about Dodge's Dana 60. I would like H2 rims on my C20 eventually, but cutting opening up the center hole is not much of an issue for me.

Also if I buy a lets say a Ford or Dodge Dana 60, can I convert it to Chevy status?

Before the Dana 60 hits my truck it will get the rear disk kit so any mods will be done then

[mrolds88]

Didn't GM use a 60 in the 70-72's?

[86c20]

better off geting a newer 14 with disc

[Pyrotechnic]

I assume what you have now is a 9.5" 14 bolt semi floating rear?

If that is the case, those rear ends came with gearing as low as 3.23 and I can't imagine the Dana 60 being much lighter. The 9.5" 14 bolt is about as good as it gets, just change the gears in it.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

No I have a 14 bolt floater.

I heard they did, but the other rear end in those years accounts for the vast majority I have found.

I want the D60 to save weight, and keep the 3/4 ton rating. Plus the late model 14 bolts is harder to find cheap enough for my budget, and weigh no different then my 14 bolt if I convert to disks.

[krazy_texan]

yeah your best bet is to find a 69-72 d60 i have owned plenty of those trucks mostly 3/4 tons and most of what i have owned had d60s in them i know i have a few still sitting at my parents but i live 800 miles from there so does no good.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Thanks Krazy,

Anything else I may want to know as I look for one?

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

Thanks Krazy,

Anything else I may want to know as I look for one?

Ford and Dodge.

[Pyrotechnic]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

Plus the late model 14 bolts is harder to find cheap enough for my budget, and weigh no different then my 14 bolt if I convert to disks.

OK, which 14 bolt are we talking about here? Are you aware that there are two models of 14 bolt rear axle that are totally different?

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

There 3 major models I am aware of, and I have a 14 bolt floater. I have a early model. 1974

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

There 3 major models I am aware of, and I have a 14 bolt floater. I have a early model. 1974

There is a 9.5" (semi float), a 10.5" and a 11.5" (full float).

[manimal]

But the D60 will not have the beef that the 14bolt does. The 10.5" is what you have and are PLENTIFUL in the yards. What are you gonna save...'MAYBE' 50lbs?

[huahuamick]

Hmmmm ... I'm going to have to think about that one.

[Pyrotechnic]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

There 3 major models I am aware of, and I have a 14 bolt floater. I have a early model. 1974

OK, a 1974 3/4 ton with a 14 bolt. That means you have a 10.5 inch full floating model, and yes it is a heavy beast.

The 9.5 inch 14 bolt is a lighter duty version that came only in 3/4 ton trucks from 1979 to 1987. Rather than full floating axles, it has semi floating axles where the wheel hub is part of the axle. It is quite a bit lighter than the 10.5 full float model, lighter than a Dana 60 full float, but should be close in weight to a Dana 60 semi float. The Dana 60 has a 9.75 ring gear in comparison, so the 9.5 inch 14 bolt is pretty close.

The 9.5 inch 14 bolt makes more sense to me because it's BOLT IN and already the correct width. No modifications to the axle required because they came in these trucks to begin with. They are CHEAP, because people generally want the full floating axles of the 10.5 inch model. Since it's a lighter duty rear end, you have gearing options from 3.23 to 5.13.

With the 9.5 inch 14 bolt available, the Dana 60 just doesn't make any sense.

[Your41Plague12]

I'll trade you my 9.5" for your 10.5"

In all seriousness though, the 9.5" is the axle to look for if you want to save a little weight. If it were me, I would re-gear the axle you have as it is much stronger, and generally better.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I always thought the 9.5 was a 6 lug, and used in light duty 3/4 tons.

As for the 14 bolt it is way more rearend then this truck will ever need. I will never put tire on larger then 33" or tow more then 5000 pounds nor see more the 350hp. So as long as I am looking for a re-gear the beast I may as well build it to suit my needs, and the D60 will help my goals along better then a 14 bolt. Plus the D60 is still more then strong enough to suit my needs.

I went with a C20 for bigger brakes as I want a bit of a pre-runner style truck, and by comparison to a C10 big brake upgrade it was free. C20's in my area often go for less then a C10, and with my limited budget to build a safe truck a no brainer.

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

I always thought the 9.5 was a 6 lug, and used in light duty 3/4 tons.

There is a 9.5" 8-lug 14bolt semi-float next to my back porch right now, pulled from my '82 K20 in favor of the much stronger 10.5" 14bolt full-float.

As for the 14 bolt it is way more rearend then this truck will ever need. I will never put tire on larger then 33" or tow more then 5000 pounds nor see more the 350hp. So as long as I am looking for a re-gear the beast I may as well build it to suit my needs, and the D60 will help my goals along better then a 14 bolt. Plus the D60 is still more then strong enough to suit my needs.

Why not just re-gear what you already have? It will probably be cheaper in the long run.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

A re-gear is not as cheap as a axle swap. A re-gear by the time I would be done with a rebuild kit, locker of some kind, gears, and labor. It would be atleast a $1000.

Rear end swap by taking my time, and looking around. $150 for the axle with what ever goodness is there or not. Toss in $30 dollars worth of new fluid I will be done.

I am leaving out brakes as my 14FF needs them in a year so I figure a wash here.

[Pyrotechnic]

Originally Posted by Ziegelsteinfaust

I always thought the 9.5 was a 6 lug, and used in light duty 3/4 tons.

As said above, you are wrong.

For C20 3/4 ton applications from 1979 to 1987, the 9.5 inch 14 bolt was the factory rear end with 8 lugs. Like I've been trying to tell you all along, there is a bolt in solution where size, weight, and strength is all similar to the Dana 60 semi floating. The 9.5 inch 14 bolt achieves all the goals you've originally described. In fact, that's most likely what GM had in mind when the 9.5 14 bolt was brought in to service for 3/4 ton trucks in 1979. The 10.5 inch was just pure over kill for a 3/4 ton.

Because these were just 3/4 ton trucks that weren't meant to be all out haulers and this was the age where overdrive wasn't universal, they usually have a reasonable gear ratio, somewhere in the 3.XX range like you are looking for.

I'll bet you a case of beer that you can't do the Dana 60 swap cheaper and in less time than the bolt in 9.5 inch 14 bolt. In fact, there are people that would trade you their great condition 9.5 inch 14 bolt for the 10.5 inch you have right now. Imagine that...no cost AND no fabrication!

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by Pyrotechnic

As said above, you are wrong.

For C20 3/4 ton applications from 1979 to 1987, the 9.5 inch 14 bolt was the factory rear end with 8 lugs. Like I've been trying to tell you all along, there is a bolt in solution where size, weight, and strength is all similar to the Dana 60 semi floating. The 9.5 inch 14 bolt achieves all the goals you've originally described. In fact, that's most likely what GM had in mind when the 9.5 14 bolt was brought in to service for 3/4 ton trucks in 1979. The 10.5 inch was just pure over kill for a 3/4 ton.

Because these were just 3/4 ton trucks that weren't meant to be all out haulers and this was the age where overdrive wasn't universal, they usually have a reasonable gear ratio, somewhere in the 3.XX range like you are looking for.

I'll bet you a case of beer that you can't do the Dana 60 swap cheaper and in less time than the bolt in 9.5 inch 14 bolt. In fact, there are people that would trade you their great condition 9.5 inch 14 bolt for the 10.5 inch you have right now. Imagine that...no cost AND no fabrication!

If he were closer, I'm one of them.

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

Originally Posted by Pyrotechnic

As said above, you are wrong.

For C20 3/4 ton applications from 1979 to 1987, the 9.5 inch 14 bolt was the factory rear end with 8 lugs. Like I've been trying to tell you all along, there is a bolt in solution where size, weight, and strength is all similar to the Dana 60 semi floating. The 9.5 inch 14 bolt achieves all the goals you've originally described. In fact, that's most likely what GM had in mind when the 9.5 14 bolt was brought in to service for 3/4 ton trucks in 1979. The 10.5 inch was just pure over kill for a 3/4 ton.

Because these were just 3/4 ton trucks that weren't meant to be all out haulers and this was the age where overdrive wasn't universal, they usually have a reasonable gear ratio, somewhere in the 3.XX range like you are looking for.

I'll bet you a case of beer that you can't do the Dana 60 swap cheaper and in less time than the bolt in 9.5 inch 14 bolt. In fact, there are people that would trade you their great condition 9.5 inch 14 bolt for the 10.5 inch you have right now. Imagine that...no cost AND no fabrication!

Like I said I always thought the 9.5 was a light duty 3/4ton 6 lug rear end. As I have never seen one with 8 lugs before. I have been to pick a part alot as of late getting knick knack things, and looking for a better bench option.

Maybe in other parts of the country the 14 bolts are wanted, but here in southern california they litter pick a part like dana axles.