Dana 60 info needed

[451Cuda]

I'm checking local scrapyards for a Dana 60 housing and carrier for modification. So far most of what I've seen are from 3/4 ton Dodge and Ford trucks, which are pretty cheap. Are there particular years and applications to avoid?

I haven't messed with danas much, and when I did they were originals under a musclecar.

 

[belmateo]

A Dana is a Dana as far as I know. They have probably improved over the years and you might want to look into gear sets to check on the applications and years to give you an idea of what to shoot for. The original cars had them made for them which meant they had the pad and bolt holes for a pinion snubber. If that is what you want, might be tough to find. So, if you don't need to run a pinion snubber you are in business.

 

[72ScampTramp]

If you are going though the scrap yard to find one get one with the best you can find. Such as power loc, gearing ect ect. I will have about the same money in my Dana as it would have costed me to buy a 8 3/4 with good gears and sure grip.

 

[Guitar Jones]

As was stated the truck rears don't have provisions for the pinion snubber. They also have much thicker axle tubes than the race or passenger car rears have. Other than that I would check to make sure it hasn't spun a carrier bearing in the housing before I bought it or at least get an OK that if it has you can return it and get another one.

Having said that have you checked the Strange Engineering S60 or the Moser? You can buy them as bolt ins for leaf spring cars and they have the snubber provisions.

 

[451Cuda]

I'm getting the dana for my '71 300, which is currently minitubbed and has been sitting in storage for a few years. Gonna dig it out and finish it, instead of buying another project. It will be a cruiser, near stock 440, custom interior, nice system, nice paint, and sit LOW.

Originally I just did a 8 3/4 and leaf spring relocation with the MP kit, and it sits way too high with the 16.5 x 31 MT's:

I basically want the dana for visual impact, since I've always loved how danas look under cars, but never bothered with one because of the weight. This isn't a race car, so I don't give a damn about extra weight.

After seeing the threads on the triangulated 4 link, I figure I can do something similar, along with a different wheel/tire combo, and make it sit about where I wanted it originally. I'm thinking Viper size wheels/tires would tuck underneath pretty well. I've already found a buyer for the centerlines and MT tires, and I'll keep the 8 3/4 around to roll the car around until I'm ready to get started.

Edit: just found this article
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/chassis/dana_60_axle_review/index.html