Dana 60 swap

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Redfoxestco

Redfoxestco

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Hey all,

I’ve got a 67 barracuda fastback that currently has a 7 1/4 rear end.
I want to swap to a Dana 60 to accomadate the rebuilt 383 stroker I have running in it.

I’ve been scouring but there’s so much different info for someone new to the world of diffs!

A) what is the appropriate width needed
B) will a Dana 60 from a 72’ Ford 250 work?
1. If so, will it need modification?


Thanks in advance!
 
Widths are available on the internet
Google 8 3/4 dimensions
I would assume a dana 60 from an f250 has a full floating rear axle so at minimum you will need housing ends and custom axles, then find brake backing plated,
IMHO, you would be better off buying an 8 3/4 A Body OEM or one setup for A body.

Alternatly dr diff sells complete rear ends.

Good luck
 
Dart, thank you for your reply. I’ll do some more reasearch. Axles look to be about $300 and a working diff for $200 is already well beyond under dr. Diffs price point. I have found the stock 7 1/4 width, so will reasearch the f250 swap. I posted here because I thought someone may have done something similar and point me in the right direction; if I can’t reach out to the community on a question, what’s the point of a community?
 
Doctor Diff web site has the dimensions for cutting the Dana 60 housing down to A body specs. Since the pinion is offset the amount you cut off each axle tube is different.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
Doctor Diff web site has the dimensions for cutting the Dana 60 housing down to A body specs. Since the pinion is offset the amount you cut off each axle tube is different.
Click to expand...
Thank you! The Dana 60 is the correct width so I’ll check that out!
 
Redfoxestco said:
if I can’t reach out to the community on a question, what’s the point of a community
Click to expand...
Not sure what that is intended to mean. We are all here to help each other, all I can say is a stock truck rear is not constructed like a passenger car rear.

Another direction would be to get a Ford 9"
 
I cut my last a body dana to 51 1/2 inches housing end to end. Why 51 1/2 and not the 52 1/2, 8 3/4 width? Because the axles are about 1/2 longer than the 1 7/8 brake axles and then the tires are in the stock location.
 
With a plasma cutter and mig welder you can make anything fit anywhere. Yes, the F250 Dana can fit under you car, though,as mentioned, it will need to be narrowed and new ends will be needed for the housing and you'll need new axles and backing plates and also new spring perches in the correct locations. Best thing to do is get in touch with Cass at Dr Diff. He's a forum vendor and offers a forum discount as well as being a super cool helpful guy. He can answer all your questions. Here is his web site:

DoctorDiff Drivetrain Components
 
RustyRatRod said:
With a plasma cutter and mig welder you can make anything fit anywhere. Yes, the F250 Dana can fit under you car, though,as mentioned, it will need to be narrowed and new ends will be needed for the housing and you'll need new axles and backing plates and also new spring perches in the correct locations. Best thing to do is get in touch with Cass at Dr Diff. He's a forum vendor and offers a forum discount as well as being a super cool helpful guy. He can answer all your questions. Here is his web site:

DoctorDiff Drivetrain Components
Click to expand...
Thank you!! Definitely will reach out
 
Jadaharabi said:
I cut my last a body dana to 51 1/2 inches housing end to end. Why 51 1/2 and not the 52 1/2, 8 3/4 width? Because the axles are about 1/2 longer than the 1 7/8 brake axles and then the tires are in the stock location.
Click to expand...
A point I didn’t even consider!! Thank you kindly for the insight!
 
RustyRatRod said:
With a plasma cutter and mig welder you can make anything fit anywhere. Yes, the F250 Dana can fit under you car, though,as mentioned, it will need to be narrowed and new ends will be needed for the housing and you'll need new axles and backing plates and also new spring perches in the correct locations. Best thing to do is get in touch with Cass at Dr Diff. He's a forum vendor and offers a forum discount as well as being a super cool helpful guy. He can answer all your questions. Here is his web site:

DoctorDiff Drivetrain Components
Click to expand...
Cass does not offer a discount to Members. I reached out to him earlier this year (via email) and his response was that because his prices were already low he could not offer a discount. Also although he may be a member here he is not one of the forum vendor sponsors.
 
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mcodecuda said:
Cass does not offer a discount to Members. I reached out to him earlier this year (via email) and his response was that because his prices were already low he could not offer a discount. Also although he may be a member here he is not one of the forum vendor sponsors.
Click to expand...

Ok, fair enough. He's still a good guy and won't f^&! anybody.
 
Redfoxestco said:
Hey all,

I’ve got a 67 barracuda fastback that currently has a 7 1/4 rear end.
I want to swap to a Dana 60 to accomadate the rebuilt 383 stroker I have running in it.

I’ve been scouring but there’s so much different info for someone new to the world of diffs!

A) what is the appropriate width needed
B) will a Dana 60 from a 72’ Ford 250 work?
1. If so, will it need modification?


Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...


Hey Redfoxestco,


Just my 2 C worth but a Dana is a very heavy rear end to put in this car!

An 8 3/4 a body rear end with 489 case , large u-joint yoke , upgraded axles with 11" brakes will be much cheaper, lighter and easier to find and build. Easily handles 600-800 hp. I'm willing to bet many members on here are using this combo in high Hp applications.
 
The weight difference between a Dana and the 8 3/4 is not that much. Especially if you're running a spool.
8 3/4 and a Dana set up exactly with the same gears both with a spool in the same car no other changes. The Dana will be faster because it takes less power to turn the gears in a Dana than it does an 8 3/4. Parasitic loss I believe that is what it's called. Same reason a 904 is faster than a 727.
It is cheaper to build the dana than an 8 3/4 and it is much stronger.
 
AAndrews, thanks for still giving some input! Without it, Jadaharabi wouldn’t have taught me some things I didn’t know before! Fortunately the Dana is already procured and I’ll be working with Cass to get what I need. Thanks all for the input, insight and helping me learn! Much appreciated
 
Jadaharabi said:
The weight difference between a Dana and the 8 3/4 is not that much. Especially if you're running a spool.
8 3/4 and a Dana set up exactly with the same gears both with a spool in the same car no other changes. The Dana will be faster because it takes less power to turn the gears in a Dana than it does an 8 3/4. Parasitic loss I believe that is what it's called. Same reason a 904 is faster than a 727.
It is cheaper to build the dana than an 8 3/4 and it is much stronger.
Click to expand...

So I just searched our very own FABO site and found posts by members that said weight of a fully dressed 8 3/4 rear end was about 202 lbs. A dressed A-Body Dana is about 400 lbs. I also found posts that said a Dana is only about 60 lbs heavier. Who's correct? We need to hear from an expert as I think this is valuable info. Cass??

I like learning as well Redfoxestco and Jadaharabi , found out the hard way that it is cheaper LOL !!

Cheers!!
 
I reached out to the man himself via email, he’s a little swamped but I’ll be sure to ask!


AAndrews said:
So I just searched our very own FABO site and found posts by members that said weight of a fully dressed 8 3/4 rear end was about 202 lbs. A dressed A-Body Dana is about 400 lbs. I also found posts that said a Dana is only about 60 lbs heavier. Who's correct? We need to hear from an expert as I think this is valuable info. Cass??

I like learning as well Redfoxestco and Jadaharabi , found out the hard way that it is cheaper LOL !!

Cheers!!
Click to expand...
 
Depends on the Dana's axle tube thickness. Truck axles have some thick *** axle tubes. I know mine were 5/16" thick. That, coupled with big 35 spline axles, makes for a pretty hefty rearend

All else being equal, I'd guess the difference is only around 50 lbs?
 
The dana truck axle are thick adding weight that a car dana does not have.
The dana power lock weighs more than an 8 3/4 power lock but when you change to a spool they are only a pound or 2 differant.
As for axles and brakes. The 35 spline axles are what you want over the 30 spline. To save weight you can go to disc brakes.
The cost of axles and brake are the same for both axles.
The cost of gears and spool for a dana I have found to be cheaper for the dana.
The 8 3/4 housing cost more to start with than the dana truck housing.
If you cut down a b body or e body 8 3/4 you can use the original housing ends but will probably need new spring pads.
The dana will need housing ends and spring pads.
So the labor cost of the narrowing of housing is the same.
The main difference in cost between narrowing and 8 3/4 and a Dana is the cost of the axle housings themselves.
Dana truck axles run from $125 to $250 around here.
8 3/4 a body housing are $400 to $600 and b body and e body are $125 to $250.
 
Redfoxestco said:
Hey all,

I’ve got a 67 barracuda fastback that currently has a 7 1/4 rear end.
I want to swap to a Dana 60 to accomadate the rebuilt 383 stroker I have running in it.

I’ve been scouring but there’s so much different info for someone new to the world of diffs!

A) what is the appropriate width needed
B) will a Dana 60 from a 72’ Ford 250 work?
1. If so, will it need modification?


Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

A Dana 60 from a 3/4 ton Ford will work fine. I got mine out of a 76 F250. It had 4.10 gears and a trac-lock, that I ditched for a new powerlock with 35 spline gears. Obviously, you'll need new axles housing ends, brakes, axles, etc. It was still quite a bit cheaper doing it that way than going with an 8-3/4 starting from scratch.

Here's a great tool for calculating tube length, etc so you end up with the pinion in the stock A-body location, if that's what you're looking to do: DoctorDiff Axle Calculator
 
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I agree with Jadaharabi, but I'll throw out that the option to quickly change the gear ratio does favor the 8.75, as the center section drops easily/quickly out the front. Both rear ends are tough, the Dana 60 is obviously tougher.
 
I also took Dana from 76 f250. 4.10, but went with a spool. So, by the time you change the axle ends, buy new bearings, seals, axles and studs, oil, cleaning, painting and the like. Also the jig for the pig and the piece of cold rolled from the steel warehouse, less brakes. Assuming you are doing your own work and not paying someone, cause at about this point you go strange so you don’t have to shim and pull and shim and pull. But I’m assuming this is bullshit because of the 383 stroker. And an 8.8 is way cheaper, easier and strong enough to handle what seems like is going on here. On the chance that you aren’t playing with us, straight cuts, lots of tubes of yellow grease, lots of time, pinion angle finder, bearing press, bearing puller, more yellow grease, gonna have to add driveshaft to the mix. U joints
 
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