4WHEELOFFROAD.COM 4-WHEEL & OFF-ROADNOVEMBER 2019 67
FORD 9-INCH
FOUND IN: ’74-’86 Ford F-150 pickup, Fullsize Bronco, E-150 vans
WIDTH BETWEEN WHEEL MOUNT SURFACES: 65 inches (pickup, Bronco);
68 inches (van)
SHAFT DIAMETER/SPLINE: 1.20-inch, 28-spline; 1.30-inch, 31-spline
COMMON GEARING: 3.00, 3.50, 3.55, 4.10
BOLT PATTERN: 5-on-5½
PROS: The 65-inch width of the more common pickup and Bronco is nearly
perfect as a factory-replacement for most moderate-to-hardcore 4x4
builds. The gears are easy to set up and very strong; aftermarket 31-, 35-,
and 40-spline axleshafts are abundant; and traction aiding devices can
be had for as little as $20. Yeah, Google it.
CONS: Junkyard versions are starting to get a little scarce, especially
the good “Camper Special” models with the Nodular centersection
and 31-spline shafts. The pinion is very low, which can make for poor
d rivet rain a n gles in sh o r ter- w h eelb ase vehicles. M ost c o m e w it h a f un k y
Ford-spec 1330 U-joint yoke that needs to be swapped out or run with a
conversion U-joint.FULLSIZE DANA 60/DANA 70 REAR
FOUND IN: ¾- and 1-ton Dodge, Chevy, Ford 1-ton pickup and van.
WIDTH BETWEEN WHEEL MOUNT SURFACES: Between 66-70 inches
SHAFT DIAMETER/SPLINE: 1. 31- in ch , 30 -sp lin e (¾-to n Da na 60); 1. 50 - in ch ,
35-spline (some HD ¾-ton and 1-ton Dana 60 rear); 1.50-inch, 23-spline (early
Dana 70); 1.50-inch, 32-spline (’87-’02 Dodge Dana 70); 1.50-inch, 35-spline
COMMON GEARING: 3.73, 4.10, 4.56
BOLT PATTERN: 8-on-6½
PROS: For a cheap rear axle you can slap in and flog, you can’t get
much better. Even the full-float 30-spline Dana 60 will live up to some
serious abuse. The 32- and 35-spline Dana 70s are as stout as anything
you’re likely to find on the trail, but even if you desire or require them,
aftermarket upgrade parts are available.
CONS: Many 30-spline Dana 60 axles require hogging the spindle bore to
fit 1-ton-size 1.50-inch, 35-spline shafts. There are a dizzying number of
different Dana 70 models out there, each requiring a different ring-and-
pinion and axleshaft length, so research before you head out. The book
Differentials, Identification, Restoration, & Repairs by Jim Allen and Randy
Lyman has a large section on identifying the different Dana 70 models.KINGPIN DANA 60 FRONT
FOUND IN: ’77-’91 GM 1-ton pickups; ’78-’79 Ford F-350; ’77-’93 Dodge
1-to n picku ps
WIDTH BETWEEN WHEEL MOUNT SURFACES: 67½ inches (Dodge); 69¼
(Ford); 69½ (GM)
SHAFT DIAMETER/SPLINE: 1.50-inch, 35-spline
COMMON GEARING: 4.10, 4.56
BOLT PATTERN: 8-on-6½
PROS: You’re pretty much not going to find a stronger junkyard front axle
to run in your 4x4. Burly housings, beefy shafts, a great ring-and-pinion,
and huge brakes are just a couple selling points. Furthermore, the Ford
versions are a high-pinion design that’s even stronger than the GM/
Dodge versions. Ford will have a driver-side differential, while GM and
Dodge are on the passenger-side.
CONS: Price, price, and price again. Good luck finding one of these in the
junkyard. This author has only seen one once, and shortly after it arrived
a fist fight broke out around the K30 housing it.W
e just don’t have room to run every cool junkyard axle
swap, so here’s some more food for thought.
The more-modern ball joint Dana 60s are now starting to
worm their way into wrecking yards. The ’80-’98 F-350 Dana 60s
have driver-drop differentials and high-pinion centersections, and
locking hubs.
Ford Super Duty Dana 50 and Dana 60 axles? There are millions
of ’em. The Dana 50s have 30-spline shafts, but large U-joints and a
good high-pinion centersection. The brakes are massive and they
have locking hubs.
The ’94-and-up Dodge Ram ½-ton Dana 44 and Dana 60 front
axles are pretty wide, but they’re all over the junkyard nowadays.
Again, driver-drop diff. Why not sling one under a YJ or that later
FSJ project? The only bummer is the lack of locking hubs, but the
’94-and-up versions don’t suffer from the same problematic unit
bearing design as the older ’70s Dodge axles.
We k ind of sk ipped over the high - pinion Ford Dana 44 a xles from
the ’70s. The trouble is, many were equipped with huge C-bushing
suspension mount s that may or may not be an integral par t of the
a xle tube. Sometimes retubing is required if you want to shor ten or
remove the C-bushing mounts.
Finally, we ran with a Toyota 8-inch rear, but not the front.
Toyota sheetmetal front housings didn’t really get good till the
last-year ’85 models and by then it was all over. They’re hard to
find, and chances are that some Toyota guy swooped you at the
junkyard. Expect to find dangling, bare leaf springs. Earlier axles
would require gusseting to prevent bending, and all suffered from
a relatively weak Birfield shaft. You can upgrade the shafts, but
if you’re going to go through all that trouble on a closed-knuckle
axle, why not start with something better like a wide-track Dana
30, Wagoneer Dana 44, or other option we listed, right?HONORABLE MENTION