Help on shortening a Dana 60 truck housing

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SGBARRACUDA

SGBARRACUDA

ROY
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I have a truck housing that I want to shorten to stock A body width. Now I know a stock A body width is 52 5/8”. But I need help on what the left and right axle tubes should be to have the right center offset. My first attempt at shortening a Dana 60 truck housing. I have a set of 3.54 and 4.10 gears. Still looking for a Track Lok unit. Any help is appreciated.
 
I have a track loc unit. I’m in Indiana. Not a power loc but a track loc.
 
Other than being an A body, what are we working on exactly? What are you transplanting in that you need a Dana 60 for and how far it and the transmission centered to the right side of the vehicle to clear the steering column and master cylinder? More than likely your better off to set your power train in place and set your axle up so the pinion and drive line is directly in line with the transmission. That way you can determine how much has to come off of each tube to locate the WMS (wheel mounting surface) where you want it to be at in relation to your wheel well and wheel backspacing. And of course you'll also need to factor in the length of your housing ends.
There are some videos in this series that may help some if you haven't seen them before.
 
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Although I didn't do the work myself, I sent a 9.25 axle to Moser to have it narrowed. I simply measured the distance from the spot where the axle housing goes into the "center" housing to the outside of the axle flange. Luckily they were exactly the same. I took a total A-Body measurement and had the axles housings cut the same length. Isn't the offset in the center housing and not the axle housing length? Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Worked out well for me. Hope this helps.
 
Well I had a A body 7 1/4” on the ground and for the heck of it I measure to see if the left side was longer the the right and it was. I have the exact measurements in my shop. So if we know the engine is offset the the passenger side about 1 3/8”, it stands to reason the driveshaft tunnel is also? Or am I suffering the effects of the mushroom tea?
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
Well I had a A body 7 1/4” on the ground and for the heck of it I measure to see if the left side was longer the the right and it was. I have the exact measurements in my shop. So if we know the engine is offset the the passenger side about 1 3/8”, it stands to reason the driveshaft tunnel is also? Or am I suffering the effects of the mushroom tea?
Click to expand...
Are the left and right axle housings on the Dana different lengths?
 
Usually you can see the amount of offset if you measure the gap side to side the driveshaft and the floor tunnel.
 
Maybe I'm old and senile but I thought both axle shafts are the same length
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
Well I had a A body 7 1/4” on the ground and for the heck of it I measure to see if the left side was longer the the right and it was. I have the exact measurements in my shop. So if we know the engine is offset the the passenger side about 1 3/8”, it stands to reason the driveshaft tunnel is also? Or am I suffering the effects of the mushroom tea?
Click to expand...
No flashbacks Roy. Tunnel is offset. And when I shortened the 8.8's for my cars we made the axle tubes the same length. Let the pinion fall where it may, should be about right. Assuming that the Dana 60 is about the same. But I have no real experience shortening a Dana 60.
 
Thank's on the tunnel information MoparManDan! I suspected it was but I've always seen some offset where the drive line passes down the tunnel. Of course, most of my cars have usually been "less than straight" (more within my price range, lol!). But for the O.P. : What kind of truck did your 60 come out of? There's a whole list here of different variations in the truck Dana's so you can figure out a little closer what you may be up against. Good to have friends into off-road stuff, too!
https://www.pirate4x4.com/d1/tech/billavista/PDFs/Dana 60 Manual (Rea Axle).PDF
 
52 5/8 and uses 1 7/8 brakes.

When you use the bbp axles and drums you will gain about 1/2 to 3/4 inch to the width.

Call Dr diff.
 
3 differant ways I have built the truck dana to Abody.

1. 52 5/8 wide with offset pinion (1 5/!6?) to the pass side.

2. 52 5/8 wide with bbp 28 inch axles from an abody 8 3/4.

3. 51 5/8 wide used 28 inch axles with 1/2 cut off each one.
 
Garrett Ellison said:
Thank's on the tunnel information MoparManDan! I suspected it was but I've always seen some offset where the drive line passes down the tunnel. Of course, most of my cars have usually been "less than straight" (more within my price range, lol!). But for the O.P. : What kind of truck did your 60 come out of? There's a whole list here of different variations in the truck Dana's so you can figure out a little closer what you may be up against. Good to have friends into off-road stuff, too!
https://www.pirate4x4.com/d1/tech/billavista/PDFs/Dana 60 Manual (Rea Axle).PDF
Click to expand...
Looking at the PDF, the rear I have is the first one at the top of the first page. Not sure what it came out of but it is a flange axle type.
 
If you make the driver side tube is 1 3/8" longer than the passenger side tube, you will yield a stock 1 3/16" Mopar passenger car pinion offset.

My axle/housing calculator above makes it easy.
 
DoctorDiff said:
If you make the driver side tube is 1 3/8" longer than the passenger side tube, you will yield a stock 1 3/16" Mopar passenger car pinion offset.

My axle/housing calculator above makes it easy.
Click to expand...

@DoctorDiff

It's hard to use your calculator page because half the page appears to be blacked out.
 
DoctorDiff said:
If you make the driver side tube is 1 3/8" longer than the passenger side tube, you will yield a stock 1 3/16" Mopar passenger car pinion offset.

My axle/housing calculator above makes it easy.
Click to expand...
I did try your calculator till I got to the point of measurement A and B that is what I didn’t know.
 
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