[Outlaw Ram]

Anybody swapped a Dana 60 for a 44 on the Dodge half ton models? Is the Dana 60 the same width as the 44. I was also wondering if the 60 came with just an 8 lug pattern.

 

[79W-150]

All of the Dana 60's I've seen were 8 lug... but I think you can get/find them in 5 and 6 lug? I personally haven't seen any Dana 60's in anything but 8 lug tho.

I'm thinking of getting Dana 60's Front and Rear on my truck after I get my 360 in this week. But will have to wait and see.

-Chris

 

[Outlaw Ram]

Hopefully my next project truck will be a 3/4 ton so I dont have to mess with these conversions.

 

[wickedakota]

I took a look under my uncles 2000 Dodge Ram 3/4 ton and it had a Dana 60 front and Dana 70 rear.

 

[WMIF]

i think the 60/70 setup is standard on 3/4 trucks. you could probably have axles made to 5 or 6 lug pattern, but i think i would stay with the 8 because its a little more heavy duty.

 

[79W-150]

The 8 lug is alot more heavy duty than any 5 or 6 lug setup. Only thing is that I don't think 15" rims will clear the Dana 60's so you'll have to go 16, 16.5, or bigger rims. I'd personally go with 16.5 as they are commonly available in 8 lug. And 16.5 is a fairly common size for big tires.

-Chris

 

[WMIF]

I agree with chris. i can also vouge that 15's wont clear. actually my 16's barely clear. ive got striped scratches on the inside of my rims from rocks getting stuck between the caliper and wheel. i think im gonna go with 16.5's when i get bigger tires and a lift.

 

[Outlaw Ram]

Well I would also prefer an 8 lug pattern. But arent those axles full floating? Cause i know that my Dana 44 is a semi floating. Full floating is definitely stronger.

 

[pato castro]

STAY WITH THE 44. IT'S MUCH LIGHTER AND I'VE READ IN A MAGAZINE THAT DYNATRAC IS IN THE WORKS OF DEVELOPING STRONGER 1 PIECE AXLES FOR THE RAM'S 44 WITH EXTERNAL HUBS (FULL FLOATING). THEY ALREADY HAVE UPGRADED AXLES FOR THE 60'S.

 

[Outlaw Ram]

That sounds cool, any idea on the price??

 

[DieselHrs]

I have a 3/4 ton with the 60/70 axles with 16.5" wheels and they barely clear the brakes. They are eight lugs. I wouldn't go with anything smaller. 15" definately wouldn't fit. Buy yourself a 3/4 or 1 ton next time and you won't have to swap things around.

 

[WMIF]

I couldnt have said it better myself. except ive got 16" (soon to be 16.5") and they barely clear the calipers. i have scratch marks on the inside of the rims from rocks wedging between.

 

[79W-150]

One thing to look at tho... on 16.5" rims (I haven't ever had a set so I'm just talking from what I've heard/read) there is not the saftey bead like 15, 16, 17", etc... rims have. So that might make it a little risky running low (like 5-10psi) airpressure as you might blow a bead. But if you run close to normal pressure you shouldn't ever have a problem.

Just a little FYI.

-Chris

 

[79W-150]

Dana axles are made for front and rear... The front axles typically have an offset differential housing to accomodate for how the front driveshaft exits the Transfercase.

-Chris

 

[jprtroy]

Yes, Dgeram4x did the swap. Got the dana 60 and dana 70 off a burnt up 3/4 ton 98 Ram (I think that was the year) Freakin things are HUGE!
He posts here occiasonally, any questions you might have, I'm sure he'll answere for you. Look him up in "rides"

Troy

 

[JasonB]

The front swaps are fairly easy. Everything lines up just fine. Unfortunately other than the slightly larger ring gear and pinion, full floating hubs with 4 heavier bolts instead of three holding it, only the u-joints and yokes are different on the actual shafts than the D44 (in the stock 94+ Dodge Ram 3/4 or 1 ton trucks). The axle shafts are the same diameter with the same weak points and spline count.

 

[Outlaw Ram]

Jason-

Does the front driveshaft have the correct length on a half ton to match a dana 60?

 

[adealac]

when you do the swap, make sure to save all the steering parts off your donor truck. Im not sure on the drive shaft length, but i wanna say your old one will not work, 3/4tons run a larger u-joint, it might work if not its not hard to get a custom lenght drive shaft and there not expensive.

 

[HotRodDaddy]

On 2002-01-04 18:37, JasonB wrote:
The front swaps are fairly easy. Everything lines up just fine. Unfortunately other than the slightly larger ring gear and pinion, full floating hubs with 4 heavier bolts instead of three holding it, only the u-joints and yokes are different on the actual shafts than the D44 (in the stock 94+ Dodge Ram 3/4 or 1 ton trucks). The axle shafts are the same diameter with the same weak points and spline count.

Jason They are the same diameter but do not have the taper where the splines are. That is the weak point on the 44's The hardest part of the swap was actually putting the axles in place. I did it with the tires on and the damn thing kept flopping from side to side. If I had BETTER help I might not have had that prob. You just can't get good help these days!

 

[HotRodDaddy]

On 2002-07-22 21:10, adealac wrote:
when you do the swap, make sure to save all the steering parts off your donor truck. Im not sure on the drive shaft length, but i wanna say your old one will not work, 3/4tons run a larger u-joint, it might work if not its not hard to get a custom lenght drive shaft and there not expensive.

Yes this is true it would have saved me a lot of money if I took the steering, driveshafts, and the rear Blocks.