Is this axle worth it?

[red97tj]

Does anyone know what it would take to get this axle ready for a TJ, other the obvious. I mean: how much has to be cut off width, what axle can be used, gears, maybe a quick guess on how much to finish? I guess what I am really asking is: Is this a good deal or would you be better off to just have a custom axle built?

http://cgi.ebay.com/DANA-60-Rear-Ax...992798009QQcategoryZ33731QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks, Dana

 

[waynehartwig]

I'm not an expert on D60's, but it looks good to me. Expensive to ship, though. With that involved, it might be cheaper to get them elsewhere as you will be into it $300 and you would still need gears, axles, etc. But even then, you might get it completed for around $1500. Which isn't bad... Just housings run about $4-600 from other vendors (Currie, etc).

As for the length, that is real close to a D35 out of TJ. I've never measured from the flange, but an 8.8 is just under about 54". With the known width difference between it and the D35, that puts it just under about 55.5". Which will make this axle a little on the wide side. Not a big deal though.....

But then you gotta figure out how far out from that flange is the wheel mounting surface. Something tells me that on a D60 it would be a lot further than a D35, just a hunch, no knowledge to back it up....

I know there are others on here that have more knowledge of D60's than I do....

 

[RockMonkey]

FWIW, I'd skip it. Shipping from Ohio would be expensive. Rear Dana 60s are a dime a dozen. You can find them all over the place for very cheap, and complete. You're missing a lot from that one. You would need all the outer bearings, the spindles, shafts, gears, pinion yoke (and probably pinion bearings/races). You can get a complete one locally for tons less, and if you can use 4.10 gears you're in luck because that's what most of them have in them. RockLogic, Mepco, and OLM are all capable of building the axle with your choice of gear ratio, locker, width, shaft size, etc, etc, etc. Any of the said companies can also build the brackets and install it under your TJ.

 

[DevinB]

.....but an 8.8 is just under about 54"....

Ummm, no. A TJ D35 is 60" WMS to WMS, a F8.8 is 59.625" WMS to WMS. And as for getting a D60, don't forget about bolt patterns for your rims, too. Something else to add to your headache...
Devin

 

[waynehartwig]

Ummm, no. A TJ D35 is 60" WMS to WMS, a F8.8 is 59.625" WMS to WMS. And as for getting a D60, don't forget about bolt patterns for your rims, too. Something else to add to your headache...
Devin

WM to WM you are close. The measuremtns in the auction are inside flange to inside flange. My measurements that I gave were estimated to be inside flange to inside flange so that Dana could compare apples and apples.

Soooo Ummm YES!

 

[DevinB]

WM to WM you are close. The measuremtns in the auction are inside flange to inside flange. My measurements that I gave were estimated to be inside flange to inside flange so that Dana could compare apples and apples.

Soooo Ummm YES!

Oh. I didn't realize you weren't going from WMS to WMS.

 

[waynehartwig]

Oh. I didn't realize you weren't going from WMS to WMS.

I think a TJ WM to WM is 61, not 60. Your measurement on the 8.8 seems very precise is why I doubt the TJ measurement. Either way, there is like 1.75" difference between the two, and your two measurements were only off by like 3/8" of an inch so one of them is inaccurate. I have an 8.8 in the shop, but it doesn't have WM to WM on flange to flange, so I can't check...

 

[red97tj]

Thanks for the advice guys, I wasn't real sure about it anyhow, you guys helped make up my mind. I am running 35's and just not sure what upgrade to go to. I broke the D35 when I was still running 33's and upgraded axle shafts then, I have only wheeled a few times since, not sure how it will hold up to the 35's.

 

[toys4rocks]

I am not sure but I don't think the shipping from Ohio to Missouri, would be all that bad, it would be worse from SLC to Missouri.

(I am going by his location in his profile)

 

[waynehartwig]

I am not sure but I don't think the shipping from Ohio to Missouri, would be all that bad, it would be worse from SLC to Missouri.

(I am going by his location in his profile)

That's true.... $70 for a new housing, carrier and pinion yoke is pretty good, IMO. Another $12-1500 and you would have a completely brand new axle. ~$1500 for a new D60 is pretty good. Dunnnooo I'm not a D60'ologist...

 

[DevinB]

Thanks for the advice guys, I wasn't real sure about it anyhow, you guys helped make up my mind. I am running 35's and just not sure what upgrade to go to. I broke the D35 when I was still running 33's and upgraded axle shafts then, I have only wheeled a few times since, not sure how it will hold up to the 35's.

The Ford 8.8" is always a good way to go. They can be had, brand new, for relatively cheap (~$450), are available with disc brakes, stronger than a D44, same bolt pattern as a TJ, and (most likely) you can find one that matches your stock gear ratio.

I think a TJ WM to WM is 61, not 60. Your measurement on the 8.8 seems very precise is why I doubt the TJ measurement. Either way, there is like 1.75" difference between the two, and your two measurements were only off by like 3/8" of an inch so one of them is inaccurate. I have an 8.8 in the shop, but it doesn't have WM to WM on flange to flange, so I can't check...

I got my 8.8 info from this thread at Jeeps Unlimited... Click Me! I've always heard that stock YJ/TJ axles were 60" WMS to WMS, so I could be wrong.

red97tj, check out the link above to learn everything you wanted to know and more about the 8.8 to see if it's something you might like.

Devin

 

[waynehartwig]

The Ford 8.8" is always a good way to go. They can be had, brand new, for relatively cheap (~$450), are available with disc brakes, stronger than a D44, same bolt pattern as a TJ, and (most likely) you can find one that matches your stock gear ratio.



I got my 8.8 info from this thread at Jeeps Unlimited... Click Me! I've always heard that stock YJ/TJ axles were 60" WMS to WMS, so I could be wrong.

red97tj, check out the link above to learn everything you wanted to know and more about the 8.8 to see if it's something you might like.

Devin

Lot's of great info there! Great website, Devin!!

I also have some 8.8 conversion 'how-tos' on my website under the tech area.
This one is probably the best overall -
http://www.alljeep.com/tech/install/ford_8-8_conversion_1.html
And this one is best for setting up the brackets -
http://www.alljeep.com/tech/install/8_8_tj/8-8_tj_swap_1.htm

I've used both. And if there was any wrong information, I have changed their write ups to be correct.

 

[Bud]

just remeber that the front axle is wider than the rear stock, so going an extra inch in width won't look funny nor hurt you. The easist ones to get and narrower than later model ones are from the 69-72 Chevy 2WD trucks. They were around 64" from WMS to WMS. I've used a few of these before, but they come with 19-spline axle shafts. No problem cause you can get hardened 35-spline shafts for under $200 a set from Randy's R&P....

 

[Bud]

That axle works really well if you need to cut down an inch or two cause Randy's has the extra long splined shafts that you can cut to length....