Off the shelf rear axle assembly: Dana 60 instead of 8 3/4"? Pros/cons?

[MRGTX]

While it may be overkill for naturally aspirated small block people, it looks like it's much easier to find Dana 60 units these days, particularly from major vendors who sell complete assemblies and the cost difference is minimal.

What pros and cons should be considered?

How much heavier is the Dana?
Would it require heavier duty shocks/springs?
Does the extra unsprung mass notably impact handling?
How much more/less power does it require to turn?
Is the increased effort to swap ratios that big of a deal?

Thoughts are very welcome here.

 

[1968FormulaS340]

I have a Dana 60 I'm my car, the only thing I have noticed that is different, is that it looks different when you look under the car.

Yes, changing gears will be much more of a process, but I like the gears I have (3.91) and have never thought about changing them.

 

[bentdart47]

I like overkill.

The Dana is 35lbs heavier but is more efficient than the 8 3/4. It would not require heaver springs because the sprung weight is your car and not the axle itself. It may even be a benefit to have more weight in the rear and low in your car. Changing gear ratios is a chore on the Dana 60 but with some careful forethought you can get the right ratio the first time around. I went with 3.54s on my little street car.

 

[mischiefdart]

Contrary to popular belief the Dana 60 is not that much heavier than the 8 ¾ rear. The biggest difference is the 8 ¾ is a front loader so you can have more than one gear set and not have to change the entire axle assembly to change them. The Dana 60 is much stronger, has about the same parasitic draw (friction) and the power lok limited slip differential is about as strong as you will ever find. They act almost like a locker or spool on a prepped track.

 

[67Dart273]

The weight depends on where it came from Some pickup axles are MUCH heavier than others because of thicker tubes.

Unsprung weight is NEVER an advantage.

Around here, there are PLENTY of Ferd 9" stuff which would be my choice if I was to custom build an axle

MUCH of this opinion is based on the idea of "quick gear swap" + in the case of "trouble" you don't have to mess with it under the car.