Dana 60 vs Ford 9"

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Realest

Realest

gearhead 4 life
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-what are the pros and cons and major differences?
-who's running what?
-What is the Dana 60...straddle or overhung mount?I know the 9" is a straddle pinion mount (support bearing on pinion).
 
Good topic! I'll be interested to see the opinions of other board members. Typically die hard mopar guy's frown upon installing ford rearends and chevrolet transmissions. My theory is to use parts and components that will work best in your application while also fitting within your budget.

The ford 9" is lighter than the D60--by about 40 or so lbs. < don't quote me on that. The other main advantage is the available gear ratios for the 9" vs. the D60. There are probably triple the amount of gear set ratio choices for the 9" over the D60, not to mention different gear set material. Also appealing with the 9" is the option to swap out the center section with an extra center section in the trailer to swap ratios--while the D60 requires a gear swap within the vehicle.

I don't quite understand what you mean by straddle design, but the 9" is a dropout non-integral type rear end, while the D60s carrier is integral to the differential housing.

In terms of strength, I think they are even up to a certain horsepower level. The D60 seems virtually unbreakable in even a heavier bracket type car making decent horsepower. NHRA Pro Stock car uses a version of the ford 9", only the ring gear is 9.5" in diameter (beefier center sections & housings also). Those cars make 1200+ horsepower. Some pro mods may still use it, but most use the larger (10" & 11") top loader style rearend now.

I think you would be safe using a D60 in a fairly light car with up to, say 750 crankshaft horsepower.
 
straddle means the pinion has a support stud and bearing on the end of pinion gear (3 bearings total)
overhung just has two bearing, and no support stud/bearing
obvious the straddle is way strong and better and preventing pinion/crown deflection

i really like the fact that the 9" is dropout because it makes ratio changes that much easier and rebuilds can be done on the bench. Not laying on your back side.
 
Well Realest, sounds like you've pretty much answered most of your own questions regarding the two rears. I'm sure the 9" will serve you well as it's a decent rear with maybe a couple more pros going for it than the Dana. But for me, call me die-hard, purist, or whatever, it's got to be a Dana. Good luck with your project.
 
The pros and cons of a 60/9" can go on for days.One item to bring up is cost,the dana is more costly by a few hundred dollars to repair and maintain over the 9".The 9" uses more HP to turn it over due to its 3/4 of inch lower pinion center line over the dana.The 9" can be changed in 30-40 minutes to a new center section to allow highway and drag gears.The 9" is light than a dana by a mile,and is more available for parts and service.If its a under 600HP car and you have a chance at a 9",go and get it,as long as its a good price?If you find a dana for cheap and its made for your applacation,go for it,but you loose the chance to swap gears at the track,Mrmopartech
 
Unless you are making gobs of power with sticky slicks, forget both, and build a nice strong 8 3/4. Braced, and welded, with a strong center section, and good axles, these are the best for less drag, and ease of gear changing.
Everyone wants a kings ransom for Danas, and Ford ...anything, just sucks!!
 
MtNemoMopar said:
Unless you are making gobs of power with sticky slicks, forget both, and build a nice strong 8 3/4. Braced, and welded, with a strong center section, and good axles, these are the best for less drag, and ease of gear changing.
Everyone wants a kings ransom for Danas, and Ford ...anything, just sucks!!
Click to expand...

From what I've seen. To build the above mentioned 8.75" rear, you can almost buy a complete Dana 60 from Strange Engineering (I'm a dealer by the way ;) ). Especially if you're paying someone labor to weld the back brace on the housing, and set the center section up.

I have 8.75" rears in 10 second cars up here in denver, off the trans-brake, with slicks. Most people say it can't be done. I say it can, but only in certain combinations. Obviously the car can't weigh 3900 lbs. and make 1000hp!

For the 8.75" to hold up you'll need the aluminum center section from ma mopar, billet steel bearing caps (and the machining required to fit them), and billet adjusters from MW. Add the back brace, spool, 35 spline axles, and brakes and you could have purchased a D60.
 
Actually if you are looking for strength the 9" is more expensive because the stock stuff is crap. You have to buy the aftermarket stuff. The Dana however is plenty beefy with factory components. You just need a spool and 35 spline axles and you are ready to go.

The Dana is heavier though and if you are using a four link or ladder bar suspension in a narrow car the Dana is going to limit how much tire you can put under the car. A 9" will allow for a larger tire as the bars can be put closer together.
 
For the price/vs. money spent you can't beat the Dana 60. The 9 inch has a ton of options but at quite a cost. And beside, we are running Mopars here, what is more cool than a Dana showing from the back?
 
Very good points for both rearends, but, I haven't seen anybody talk about the axle bearings. Gotta go with the Nine inch on that aspect. Oh, and having done the pricing thing, the Ford rear is coming out ahead for most of the cars I have going. The boss likes his Twelve bolts under his Chevies, but, I'm waiting for him to huck a C-clip and lose an axle for him to see the light.

Revhendo
 
Revhendo said:
Very good points for both rearends, but, I haven't seen anybody talk about the axle bearings. Gotta go with the Nine inch on that aspect. Oh, and having done the pricing thing, the Ford rear is coming out ahead for most of the cars I have going. The boss likes his Twelve bolts under his Chevies, but, I'm waiting for him to huck a C-clip and lose an axle for him to see the light.

Revhendo
Click to expand...


Axle bearings? Practically identical in both. In fact if you have a 30 spline 8 3/4 (stock) the axles, bearings, plates and all bolt right into a Dana of the same width and spline count.

As for price I don't know where you are looking but as I said, if it's stock stuff it's crap.
 
Ok, lets say you have a 9 inch housing and a Dana housing.

9 Inch-

A nodular iron center with spool and gears ready to bolt in, costs $1295-$1355 through Moser. Add the price of Axels from Moser $315 and wheel bearings and 1/2 in. studs, $100. $1750-$1810 bare minumum for a reliable 9in. not including housing work, narrowing, bracing and such.

Dana 60-

Axels $315 wheel bearings $100. Spool, $210. Ring and pinion using street gears in both, $190 for 4.88's. Set-up kit $120. $935 bare minumum to fill a Dana housing.


9-in.- $1750-$1810

Dana 60- $935

Roughly twice the cost.

This doesn't include the cost of yokes and housing ends but those are the same for each and all prices are straight for Moser's website.

I'll take a bullet-proof Dana please.
 
:rock:
You can put a really good 8 3/4 together for between 800-1,000, depending on how much of the work you can do yourself, welding, gear setup, etc.
 
I was gonna put a "off topic" icon on my post, but we don't seem to have one that I could find.

I am sooooo sorry if I offended anyone....

:butthead:
 
I plan to run a 9" in the rear of my 73 dart sport...

trust me I am a person who says to keep something as original as possible, but when it comes down to it you have to run what is cost effective and gets the job done.

I am kind of wondering why you say all factory 9" stuff is junk? yeah if you get a "WAR" case with small bearings and 28 spline axles you are stuck with junk. but to say a "N" or a "C7AW" case is weak is just not correct. I plan to run a "N" case with big bearing axles and 31 spline axles that ALL were factory in the ford 9" they even come with big drums.

also when you look at the after market the 9" is large. also on the note of it is expencive to build a 9" you are wrong. like above if you know what to look for in the factory stuff you can put together a solid rear that will handle a SB no problem.

I am buliding a 71 early bronco big bearing housing that was free. it came out of my 71 and got replaced with a full width rear that was the same things just wider. I have been given several 9" just to get them out of peoples way, so to say that the 9" is an expencive option is just dead wrong...
 
DBrown, if you buy everything new it just plain costs more to build a 9 inch than a Dana, look it up. As for factory N cases and whatever, glad you found some, you can't find anything like that around here. Also those are the ONLY good factory cases and like I said they are scarce in many parts of the country. Even still the aftermarket stuff is better than they are by a bunch. If you are using crappy factory stuff you might just as well use an 8 3/4, it's probably stronger.
 
Guitar Jones said:
DBrown, if you buy everything new it just plain costs more to build a 9 inch than a Dana, look it up. As for factory N cases and whatever, glad you found some, you can't find anything like that around here. Also those are the ONLY good factory cases and like I said they are scarce in many parts of the country. Even still the aftermarket stuff is better than they are by a bunch. If you are using crappy factory stuff you might just as well use an 8 3/4, it's probably stronger.
Click to expand...


I think I'll just move this down a bit for reference of course.


Ok, lets say you have a 9 inch housing and a Dana housing.

9 Inch-

A nodular iron center with spool and gears ready to bolt in, costs $1295-$1355 through Moser. Add the price of Axels from Moser $315 and wheel bearings and 1/2 in. studs, $100. $1750-$1810 bare minumum for a reliable 9in. not including housing work, narrowing, bracing and such.

Dana 60-

Axels $315 wheel bearings $100. Spool, $210. Ring and pinion using street gears in both, $190 for 4.88's. Set-up kit $120. $935 bare minumum to fill a Dana housing.


9-in.- $1750-$1810

Dana 60- $935

Roughly twice the cost.

This doesn't include the cost of yokes and housing ends but those are the same for each and all prices are straight for Moser's website.
 
if you buy everything and handle the gear install you will get it cheaper. the 9" is one of the easiest to do. personaly I have set up a 5.13 with a full spool in a "C7AW" case and used 31 spline axles with a big bearing housing to literaly push a big block truck threw creaks over rocks threw mud and I have a heavy foot with no breakage. that whole setup cost me less then $250 I even rolled the truck 3 times trying to climb a hill.

one of the things that makes me use that over the dodge stuff is around here I can grab 9" all day long but there are no A body's to pick threw, so because the supply is so high the rears are cheap. now don't get me wrong using factory stuff will only take you so far, but for a hot SB car a 9" is a cheap way to get the job done.

and the "N" case is not the only good case. there is a "N" case that dosen't have the "N" on it you have to decode the casting numbers on the inside of the case to know what you are looking for. there are also different carrier bearing sizes that came from the factory. the "N" is the strongest, the "C_AW" case is the medium case and the "WAR" case is the weakest that should be avioded for any application IMO.

I think the main thing that was left out of this thread was the application that we were tring to match up. you guys are pointing at straight race application where as I am pointing at the mild street strip application. the common person just doesn't need to dump that kind of money into a rear when it is going to be used on the street most of its life.
 
My 60 is a B body 23 spline Power Lock. all stock. Got it out of a yard a few years back. Put it in a camaro L88 4 speed fit right in worked great. Put it in my car. Works great.
Mu .02 is, if you cannot afford one, get what you can that will work.
Other than that,

Its a Mopar! Get a Dana! They look so damm cool and you know its not gonna break. I have seen them on craigslist now and then.


I agree with Moparracer
 
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