Look at what my son found, what shall we do with it?

[DaveB]

My son was out wandering in the yards when he found a very hard to find gem. Its a 78 Ford high pinion king pin Dana 60 with drivers drop, 4.10 gears, and the narrow width spring perches (long drivers side). The question is what should we do with it ? I came up with a few ideas:

A. Charge him for room and board and use the axle for payment.
B. Drop it in my commando when he's not looking.
C. Put it under his Comanche where I do all the work (oh yeah I already did that with an F250 axle).
D. Sell it to fund his stroker build on his 4.0
E. Save it for a future project.

He is leaning towards option D but I like A and B. What do you think we should do ?
PS These sure are heavy axles, it was all we could do to get it into his truck.

 

[lewis]

I had the same experience and learned that it is not an easy find and it should definitely be used since the chance of finding one so easy and cheap may never come around again. When I found mine I built it in hope of finding a truck to put it under which I eventually did.

 

[I Lean]

If it were mine, option E would get the nod since I have no immediate use for it....but if it were purchased cheap enough, I wouldn't let it get away.

 

[LT.]

Tell me what you want for it. I have been looking for one for a bit.

LT.

 

[Corban_White]

I have one EXACTLY like that (right down to the push-pull steering arm) that I paid top dollar for about 4 years ago. It has not moved from the spot where it got unloaded 4 years ago. Just a few more parts and it will make it under the truck......... Maybe next year I keep telling myself. Good luck. I like options A and B for you.

 

[snowboard3r411]

option sell it to me lol

 

[DaveB]

If it were mine, option E would get the nod since I have no immediate use for it....but if it were purchased cheap enough, I wouldn't let it get away.

We'll have to consider that. You have to love the places that charge the same for a Dana 30 as a 60

 

[iamsparticus]

I say keep it and rebuild it to a amazing axle

 

[Bart]

Nice find. If I had one of those my TJ would be going full width. Good problem to have.

 

[Gravy]

option A

 

[TJDukit]

You forgot option F Give it to me as a gift.

 

[DaveB]

You forgot option F Give it to me as a gift.

That would get it out of my garage, but I'll pass on that one.

 

[mbryson]

.....
PS These sure are heavy axles, it was all we could do to get it into his truck.

Yes, yes they are. It was ALL I could do to put mine in my old Chev pickup by myself (I did utilized some mechanical help, but it was muscled in there---it was missing a whole bearing hub/brake caliper/rotor assembly so that lightened it a little). I came home and just sat for a few hours. Unloaded a Jeep and then sat for the rest of the weekend....

I vote for option A or B

 

[Herzog]

Yes, yes they are. It was ALL I could do to put mine in my old Chev pickup by myself (I did utilized some mechanical help, but it was muscled in there---it was missing a whole bearing hub/brake caliper/rotor assembly so that lightened it a little). I came home and just sat for a few hours. Unloaded a Jeep and then sat for the rest of the weekend....

I vote for option A or B

They are freaking heavy. Once you pull all the outer and inner stuff out you can throw the housing around pretty easily though.

Congrats on the find.

 

[DaveB]

We were there just before closing time so we couldn't take anything off to lighten it up. We tried one of the two wheeled wheelbarrows but we didn't get it balanced so it was pulling a wheelie. We then tried one of the wheeled engine pulling frames but the chain wouldn't go down far enough so we had to tip the axle on end so that the chain would reach. Once we got one end supported we lifted the other end onto the A frame crossmember. When we got to the checkout the motor frame wouldn't fit so we had to transfer it back to a wheelbarrow. We balanced it better this time and only flattened the wheels. We did make it through the checkout without it tipping over thankfully.

 

[neagtea]

Humor us
How much was it?

 

[Silly Willy]

I would say A, B, and F
(F being payment for the work you do for him)

 

[DaveB]

Humor us
How much was it?

I shouldn't do this but the place we frequent has front axles for $69.99 however they charged us extra for the tie rod bar, steering shock and brake calipers. They also dinged us for cores on all of them (and tax). We ended up at $136.90. I had an extra steering bar , shocks and calipers at home from another Ford axle so we will be taking those back so it will end up setting us back about $85. Not bad eh ?

 

[bryson]

Holy crap. That's a pretty good deal.

 

[Devel]

I shouldn't do this but the place we frequent has front axles for $69.99 however they charged us extra for the tie rod bar, steering shock and brake calipers. They also dinged us for cores on all of them (and tax). We ended up at $136.90. I had an extra steering bar , shocks and calipers at home from another Ford axle so we will be taking those back so it will end up setting us back about $85. Not bad eh ?