Cheap (relatively) axles thought?

[CRASH]

Not Fantasy Land, Reality. Not standard cut gears, reverse cut gear set for HP 60 out of a Ford. I did find a HP 60 in a Suburban so not fantasy. I thought the newer dodge trucks came with a 70 rear and HP60 front? It really works good thought because a front 60 is 35 spline and a rear 70 is also 35 spline so you dont even have to get custom axels. Ive seen it done twice with no sleave and it has held up through some of the most severe 4 wheeling in the world. A full pen 7018 weld is going to be stronger then the tube your welding to with normal cooling. It's the only way you can run more than 10 inches of suspention lift on a TJ without having oiling isues with the rear pinion bearings.

Wow, you found an HP 60 in a Suburban? That is interesting. Not only did Subs never come with a D-60 in front, no GM solid axle rig ever came with an RS diff, period. So I guess you found a pretty special Suburban that someone had taken the time to swap a Ford RS axle into. Oh, they must have switched sides on the pumpkin as well. Sweet.

Your latest post does not answer how this is possible, care to enlighten us?:

Get the 70 axels and install them with standard rotation gear set and you have high pinion 60 with 70 strength.

Welding D-70 ends on a D-60 axle is common practice, Though I wouldn't do it in the tube section without sleeving. Most guys do not have the facilities to normalize the welded area to reduce the heat affected zone's influence, so it would be better if the welded area shared the load a bit with an internal tube.

One thing you are also neglecting is that a Ford Dana 60 was not designed for constant service. They have oiling issues of their own, even without the added stress of being tilted up 15 or 20 degrees. They rely on a fairly small oil reservoir, and don't get this refreshed very much, as the internal passages are not set up to take advantage of the ring gear splashing fresh fluid onto the pinion bearings.

One final point. There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. You may get away with some of the practices you have outlined for a while, but in the end, it's not the correct way to accomplish a mission. When I design something for myself or others, I try to put myself in the shoes of a factory engineer. I ask myself whether the product will withstand constant road use, for 10-15 years, even if a dumbass is driving? Would I trust my life to it?

Anyway, food for thought. But please answer about using a standard rotation gear set in an RS housing, I'm very curious about that.

CRASH

 

[bluebeast]

Wow, you found an HP 60 in a Suburban? That is interesting. Not only did Subs never come with a D-60 in front, no GM solid axle rig ever came with an RS diff, period. So I guess you found a pretty special Suburban that someone had taken the time to swap a Ford RS axle into. Oh, they must have switched sides on the pumpkin as well. Sweet.

Your latest post does not answer how this is possible, care to enlighten us?:



Welding D-70 ends on a D-60 axle is common practice, Though I wouldn't do it in the tube section without sleeving. Most guys do not have the facilities to normalize the welded area to reduce the heat affected zone's influence, so it would be better if the welded area shared the load a bit with an internal tube.

One thing you are also neglecting is that a Ford Dana 60 was not designed for constant service. They have oiling issues of their own, even without the added stress of being tilted up 15 or 20 degrees. They rely on a fairly small oil reservoir, and don't get this refreshed very much, as the internal passages are not set up to take advantage of the ring gear splashing fresh fluid onto the pinion bearings.

One final point. There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. You may get away with some of the practices you have outlined for a while, but in the end, it's not the correct way to accomplish a mission. When I design something for myself or others, I try to put myself in the shoes of a factory engineer. I ask myself whether the product will withstand constant road use, for 10-15 years, even if a dumbass is driving? Would I trust my life to it?

Anyway, food for thought. But please answer about using a standard rotation gear set in an RS housing, I'm very curious about that.

CRASH

My bad about the dodge HP60 but I know for a fact you could special order a
front 60 on early model suburbans.But I got that 60 out of a lifted burb with 38s so maybe the guy did take the time to custom make it. It was a parting out rig.
I know the front 60 isnt made for constant service, but are you seriously going to drive a rig with full with axels on the street? and with tires big enought to warant the use of a 60 or 70? tell me what state you live in Im moving there.
It's not a standard cut gear set. It's all the original parts that the HP60 came with. the only weakness is that the drive force is on the wrong side of the teeth, unless you are in reverse. But since the housing is spun around backwards it rotates the tires in the right direction. Im not really the expert on this project though because Ive only helped friends and seen it work on the trail. The sleave idea may be a good one but it seems to me that a lot of suggestions on this site are extreamly overkill, maybe good for mil spec but too much for rock crawling. Ive seen some pretty crappy stuff hold up through a beating for years.
As for being street safe? isnt this advanced FAB? I would have left it stock if I wanted to drive it on the street or left it at 33's.

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Well, I don't know if this project will move forwared in any way, but I picked up a good '90 Ford HP60 housing last night for $25! It's king pin and has the steering knuckles, but is missing the spindles. It was from a dually and has the dually front hubs/rotors. It's missing some parts, but the housing is good and I got the inner and outer shafts and they are HUGE! I would like to make the housing into a rear HP60 for my MJ, but the oiling issues are somewhat concerning. I couldn't pass it up at that price though. Jeff

 

[Lincoln]

Well, I don't know if this project will move forwared in any way, but I picked up a good '90 Ford HP60 housing last night for $25! It's king pin and has the steering knuckles, but is missing the spindles. It was from a dually and has the dually front hubs/rotors. It's missing some parts, but the housing is good and I got the inner and outer shafts and they are HUGE! I would like to make the housing into a rear HP60 for my MJ, but the oiling issues are somewhat concerning. I couldn't pass it up at that price though. Jeff

You got screwed. Load that thing on a pallet and send it my way and I won't tell anyone.

 

[Goatman]

Jeff, when you decide that you can't use it, I'll double your money and pay the shipping.

Or, since I only want the ends, and you want the center section.........?

 

[BrettM]

Well, I don't know if this project will move forwared in any way, but I picked up a good '90 Ford HP60 housing last night for $25! It's king pin and has the steering knuckles, but is missing the spindles. It was from a dually and has the dually front hubs/rotors. It's missing some parts, but the housing is good and I got the inner and outer shafts and they are HUGE! I would like to make the housing into a rear HP60 for my MJ, but the oiling issues are somewhat concerning. I couldn't pass it up at that price though. Jeff

you sure it's from a 90 and kingpin!? I was under the strong impression that those years were all balljoint. regardless, great deal. I wouldn't worry about the oiling, of all the aftermarket HP60 diffs that people run in the rear, the RockCrusher is the only one with additional oil passages.

 

[CRASH]

Brett, they are KP until about 92.

CRASH

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

So what exactly would you do with the ends? Probably what I was going to do with the ends, right? Speaking of that, if you only want the ends, wouldn't it be cheaper to get a low pinion Chevy/Dodge 60 and use the ends off that? Is there some reason why that won't work? I would imagine that would still be cheaper than buying after market 60 ends, but I haven't looked into it that much.

On another note, I found another vehicle sitting in the weeds by my grandfathers place and I know it's been there for many years. It looks like a '79 Ford F250 extended cab (or possibly 4 door, I don't remember), but it's got a HPD60 king pin leaf sprung front and a FF 60 rear. I've inquired about it, but have no word yet. Anyway, I was surprised it had a 60 front because it is only a 250. Is the rear a 30 spline unit that can't be upgraded to 35 spline without opening up the spindles? Later, Jeff

Jeff, when you decide that you can't use it, I'll double your money and pay the shipping.

Or, since I only want the ends, and you want the center section.........?

 

[Goatman]

Yeah, I could find a low pinion 60......if I ever decide to go that way. We'll see how much more abuse my poor little old D44 can handle. 37's...............

Yeah, the HD F250's (above 8500 GVW maybe) came with front D60's. The one I had came out of an F250. The rears are all full floater D60's, 30 spline. I don't remember when they went to the Sterling rear end, I think mid '80's.

 

[MudDawg]

"Tell me what state you are livin' in, I'm movin' there"....Come to Florida...anything goes...at least in Central Florida....no mudflaps, no fender law...blah, blah, blah...wanna run 49's and rockwells on the street....no prob...All ya need is a bumper sticker that sez "If ya can't stop....honk as you go under." Actually there are a few laws, but it's all good unless you crash...or the rig is OBVIOUSLY unsafe.

 

[bluebeast]

"Tell me what state you are livin' in, I'm movin' there"....Come to Florida...anything goes...at least in Central Florida....no mudflaps, no fender law...blah, blah, blah...wanna run 49's and rockwells on the street....no prob...All ya need is a bumper sticker that sez "If ya can't stop....honk as you go under." Actually there are a few laws, but it's all good unless you crash...or the rig is OBVIOUSLY unsafe.

Im movin to florida haha. that sounds awsome. Im really into rocks though, isnt it mostly mud there?