Dana HP60 ? (Long Post)

[Faithful Old Road Dog]

So, I've been busting my butt at work and on my house. Finally I get really burnt out and took a day off on Thursday. I figured I'd go hit some boneyards to relieve some of my stress. While I hit the first Pick N Pull I come to find out they have a 1/2 off sale this weekend. I see a dent side 4x4 and take a look at the front axle for the HP44. It's all there including the steering box. So I look at the cab to confirm the year, I knew it was either 78 or 79 because of the 4 hole steering box. However, this front axle seemed a bit different, a bit bigger.
I couldn't find the casting ID, but the ID tag was still on the diff cover reading 3.54 D8TA YD 610023-2. OK, 3.54 gear ratio, but I believe the D8TA indicates 78? Whatever, it's complete lock out to lock out with the disc brake set up. I figure I'd come back first thing on Saturday morning to yank it out for 1/2 price weekend.
I was stressing about the whole thing Thursday night and all day Friday. My stress relief went out the window. I get my nephew to come with me first thing this morning. We're waiting in the boneyard lot at 7:30 AM. I'm sizing up the handful of guys waiting to get in. Thinking about who else might be after that axle. Only one guy I was concerned about, but he started looking at the bowties. Good for me, bad for him. About 15 minutes into yanking the axle, a guy walks up and asks if we're yanking the axle. I really felt for him because I knew how bad he felt. He tells me he saw it on Friday and was all set to yank it this morning. I told him i was indeed yanking the axle and sorry. He was cool as could be and said the early bird gets the worm.
In my haste to get to the boneyard, I forgot to bring my PB Blaster for those U bolts. Thank God I brought my nephew. I left him to disconnect other things while I ran to the store. Otherwise I could have lost the axle to the other guy.
We finally get the axle out. I thought we were going to lift this thing into the wheel barrow...NOT. It was way heavy. I grabbed one of those behemoth engine chainfall hoists, hooked up the axle and loaded it into the truck.
I scraped off some grime to look for the casting ID, but where I expected the 44F casting was just a diamond shape with NO in the center. I think it's a Dana HP60, definitely HP. It has a bigger pumpkin and the hubs are about 4" diameter. How can I confirm? I'll need to open that guy up and check the guts. I'll also need to get a set of 4.09 gears to match my 4.10 rears. I plan on going through this axle, checking/replacing bearings seals, etc. Any thoughts/opinions/experiences with a limited slip or lockers in the front?

[FORDification]

Yep, that is indeed a Dana 60...NICE SCORE!

Here's a page with a boatload of D60 info:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavist ... index.html

...and here's the PDF from Dana which shows '610023-2' as belonging to the 1978-79 F250 and F350 (Snow Fighter). You just found the best of the best!

http://www2.dana.com/pdf/X510-2CVSP.PDF

So...make us all hate you even more....tell us how much you actually paid for that gem!

[averagef250]

How in the world does a dana 60 end up in Upullit? That is a heck of a score! The best deal I ever got on one was trading a $1000 warn winch for one.

You won't find 4.09 HP60 gears. AFAIK, dana 60's only have 4.10's. All the ford low pinion and high pinion 60's I've had have been 4.10. As far as posi's and lockers go, really depends on what you're doing. If this is going to be offroad only, put a powerlock or even a spool in it or a detroit if you like lockers. If you plan to use it on the road as in muddy roads or ice and snow leave it open or run a trak-lok or an ARB if you want to re-invest all the money you didn't spend to get the 60 to begin with.

[Faithful Old Road Dog]

I never thought that I would find a HP60 in the Pick N Pulls. Thanks for the links on Pirate4x4. Interesting site. I'd also like to thank all those who have expressed their terms of endearment. So you're all going to express more terms of endearment when I tell you what I paid. The axle itself was $100. I also picked up the steering box for $22.50. But then came all the nickel and dime stuff... core charges, tie rod assembly, one u-bolt, u-bolt plates, center link, environmental fees and sales tax. They were even going to charge me for the stabilizer shock, but I told him I'd remove it. Total for all that was $210. I guess I still shouldn't complain, but I just hate when they do that.

I mentioned the 4.09 gears because that's what's in my 44 now with the rear 60 being 4.10. I'll look into the ARB option for the front. I'm not too sold on the lockers in the rear because I hate that clunking when turning. Always sounds like something breaking. What limited slip would you guys suggest for the rears?

[averagef250]

Differntials behave differently in a front axle and rear axle. Anything other than an open diff in the front will effect your steering. Really depends on what you want to do with the truck.

I'm guessing the truck will be driven on the street as you mention the clunking of a locker. I'm also not a fan of lockers. The way I see it, lockers are locked most of the time so if you're thinking about going locker why not save some bucks and get a spool. I would rather drive a lifted truck on the street with a spool in the rear than one with a detroit. The spool is 100% predictable.

The front axle presents some issues when it comes to lockers, posi units, etc. If you want to drive in ice and snow having both front tires locked together to turn the same speed all the time can get you in some big trouble making turns. The trac-lok is generally regarded as a garbage posi unit, but in a front axle it does give a slight advantage over an open diff, but still gives you some control in snow and ice. It doesn't do you any good though if one of your front tires has zero traction. The powerlock is the next step up and by far and away the best posi unit made. A 60 powerlock will hinder steering in snow and ice, but it will also give your truck a fighting chance if one of the front tires has zero traction.

The ARB lets you choose locked or open diff, but they're real expensive and you have to run a compressor on the truck. There are also electric lockers available now, but I haven't seen one yet.

[Faithful Old Road Dog]

My driving is mostly on the streets. I'm aware of the compressor for the ARB. I can't see why that can't double for airing up tires. Probably not enough to seat a tire, but enough to pump one up. I've driven in snow and mud with open diffs front and rear. For the most part, I do fine. I don't do anything too extreme off-road mostly because I'm by myself and don't want to get stranded. I just want added advantages with more traction than open diffs. But at $800 for the ARB, plus the compressor. I may have to wait. I still need the 4.10 R&P regardless. I guess a winch may be money better spent than the ARB.
I rebuilt a HP44 from a 78 dentside that I was going to put in my truck. I figure I'll sell the HP44 now that I have the HP60.

[Faithful Old Road Dog]

Well, I finally got the chance to start cleaning the D60. Not too bad considering the age. I started to tear it apart today as well. I just need to take the cover off and dump the skunk juice and take the ring and pinion out. Other than that it's just the king pins left. I noticed that the left side has seen some water and it was a bit wobbly before I took it apart. Not really wobbly, just a bit. I'll scrape the rest of the crud off the parts tomorrow and I think I'll visit the local car wash to blast the rest off.
I read up on the tech article on pirate4x4. That guy is right on when he said he had a hard time looking for the 7/8 hex bit. I went to a few places and ended up at my friend's shop asking for places on a Saturday to pick up a 7/8 hex bit. My last resort was to head back to Sears and pick up a 7/8 cold chisel since it was made of 7/8 hex stock. Say, if it broke...lifetime guarantee-no questions asked. Anyhow, my friend found some 7/8 stock. We tried to break that king pin loose with that stock, wrench and cheater bar. I ended bending his wrench. I felt really bad for doing that. I cut a 3" piece of that stock and plan to use my deep socket impact and a cheater bar for that tomorrow. Worst case, I'll heat it up with my torch.

[averagef250]

Most don't worry about replacing the upper pin. Unless it's corroded real bad I don't fool with it.

Yeah, you really got stroked over for $700! $1200 is a steal around these parts for a 78-79 60.

[averagef250]

Here in the NW ford axles are gold. I sold a bare 78-79 HP60 housing with a bent tube for $800 a few months ago. A solid 78-79 60 is a deal for $1500. I've seen them sell for $1800 and even one for $2000 that needed EVERYTHING! I used to throw 1/2 ton HP44's in the scrap trailer, but you can easily get a few hundred bucks for a drum 44 with 3.50 gears anymore.

[Faithful Old Road Dog]

PTODave - It came with the Ford hubs.

I've decided on the ARB locker up front. Should be nice on the highway snow trips up to Reno. A friend gave me an ARB compressor. I was thinking about buying the ExtremeAir compressor, but free is nice too.

[averagef250]

It's been my experience that the factory Ford hubs are twice the strength of any hub warn's made in the last 40 years. Good winches, but I'm not sold on thier hubs. On a locked up front axle, put a ford hub on the short side and and a warn hub on the longside and see which one goes first.

78-79 ford 60's use some pretty cheezball inner axles. If you think you'll need 35 spline outers it's a good idea to go aftermarket inner shafts as well. That being said, I've never broke anything in any stock 60 front I've ever abused.

[ptodave]

It's been my experience that the factory Ford hubs are twice the strength of any hub warn's made in the last 40 years. Good winches, but I'm not sold on thier hubs. On a locked up front axle, put a ford hub on the short side and and a warn hub on the longside and see which one goes first.

78-79 ford 60's use some pretty cheezball inner axles. If you think you'll need 35 spline outers it's a good idea to go aftermarket inner shafts as well. That being said, I've never broke anything in any stock 60 front I've ever abused.

Well lets see,2 broken stock stubs,1 long side inner,3 U-joint ears,1 detroit,and 1 pinion shaft. 40" tires with 10psi. When you buy a replacement inner its the large one. And the spicer hubs are the way to go. Got my HP60 in 1984.

[averagef250]

The big spicer hubs ford used on thier HD 44's don't really break except for the plastic knob. Believe you can buy new plastics for around $80. I have a dozen of them with bad plastics.

A 60 front is a far better choice than going rockwells for most any application. If you're thinking rockwells are a great solution, do some real research into what it will take to run them under a pickup. They'll cost a lot more than a built to the hilt HP60 and they weigh a ton more and create big problems if you want to drive your truck on the road.