Recommended Rear D60 to Narrow?

Looking to build a D60 for a WJ. End result should be something like this: https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-6164744-dana-60-bolt-in-rear-wj-axle-assembly.html

Desired finished width is stock WJ 63.5" or 65" (JK) wheel mounting surface to wms.

Eventually, I'd like to go with an E-locker which unfortunately rules out a 14 bolt, 9" and many others.

What I'd like to find is a D60 with 3.73 gears, a factory limited slip, ideally a Truetrac, Auburn Grip-N-Loc, ect, and 35 spline axle shafts. That way it can be run for now with stock gearing and the gear ratio can be changed when a matching front is built.

Can anyone help narrow down the list of trucks to search for? So far, I've got this:

77-87 GM 1ton truck, van, C&C Dana 60 HD 35 spline
74-2020 Ford 1T truck, van, wagon, C&C D60 35 sp

If a front would be wide enough after being narrowed then we can also include these (although less likely to have a factory limited slip):

75-91 GM 3/4T front D60 Hd 35 spline
79-2020 Ford 3/4t front D60 35 sp
76-2000 Dodge 3/4t, 1t, van, C&C, motor home, ft D60
71-93 Dodge 1/2T ft Dana 60 HD

I'm guessing a full-floater will not be wide enough to narrow?

The plan at this point is to use WJ or JK brakes. It appears as though this will allow me to retain the e-brake, wheel speed sensor and abs. Are the WJ and JK brakes interchangable? Basically, are the wheel bearing plates the same dimensions and caliper positions the same? Do they use the same backing plate? I'm leaning towards JK because of the availability of aftermarket brakes but it might be convenient to use WJ at first to save on initial cost.

Full-float would be awesome but I don't believe it could be built with the stock bolt pattern and would require different disc brakes?

New semi-float shafts will need to be ordered and I'm assuming they can be drilled for 5 on 5" and either 5 on 5.5", 6 on 5.5" or 8 lug to match the eventual front.

I'm having a hard time to follow.

Are you asking aboiut narrowing a front or rear axle ?

For a rear, if you're ok with 8x6.5 pattern, just get a 63" wide C&C 14 bolt. It's already narrow and way stronger than a 60.

If you need 5x5.5 or 6x5.5, you can get a 67.5" wide 14 bolt and get Solid hubs to change the bolt pattern to 5x5.5. There hubs narrow the axle by 4.5" at the same time. Total width would become 63".
I have a set of 5x5.5 hubs for sale if you need.


Semi float anything is an error for any type of hardcore riding IMO.

Bebop said:

I'm having a hard time to follow.

Are you asking aboiut narrowing a front or rear axle ?

For a rear, if you're ok with 8x6.5 pattern, just get a 63" wide C&C 14 bolt. It's already narrow and way stronger than a 60.

If you need 5x5.5 or 6x5.5, you can get a 67.5" wide 14 bolt and get Solid hubs to change the bolt pattern to 5x5.5. There hubs narrow the axle by 4.5" at the same time. Total width would become 63".
I have a set of 5x5.5 hubs for sale if you need.


Semi float anything is an error for any type of hardcore riding IMO.

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At the moment I'm trying to figure out the rearend, the front will come later.

Eventually I'd like to run an E-locker, which has limited application availability and which is what narrowed down my choices to a D60.

When I eventually build a frontend, I will with locking hubs which means it will be built 5 or 6 on 5.5 or 8 lug but for the moment the plan is to build the rearend the stock 5 on 5 and convert at a later date.

Your 14 bolt ideas are worth considering though. I didn't know you could find one 63" wide or about the hub conversion narrowing the axle. I wouldn't be able to run an e-locker but there's a lot of advantages to going that direction. Being a different bolt pattern, I suppose, if I went that direction I could run a 5 on 5 conversion wheel spacer until a front is built to match.

Are these the hubs you're talking about? https://solidaxle.com/collections/w...rged-5-on-5-5-bolt-pattern-14-bolt-wheel-hubs The specs say it narrows the axle by 2.25" overall?

If I go the 14 bolt route I'd like to find the same thing though, one with stock 3.73 gears and a limited slip. Which applications should I look for? A quick search narrows it down to: 73'-2012 GM 1ton, C&C, van, motorhome & bus

The question with the 14B or a full-floater though becomes what to do about brakes? How to retain the speedo, ABS and e-brake. Running Cadillac brakes solves the e-brake but not the other problems. I honestly could live without ABS so long as there's a way to turn off the stupid light on the dash but I don't recall if the speedo pickup is on the t-case or at the wheels? Using JK or WJ brakes seemed like such an elegant answer but I doubt there's a way to make them work with a full-floater.

To be honest, I probably don't need a 14b or full-floater. This rig is being built as an overland, camping, trail rig that I can reliably drive anywhere across the country, go wheeling and sill pull a trailer. I'm not concerned with rock crawling or differential ground clearance. I'll sacrifice ground clearance for strength & reliability. Max tire size is probably going to be in the 35-38" range. And before one of the WJ or JK guys jumps on here and says it, no a JK D44 is not good for up to a 40" tire. If I'm gonna build an axle it's going to be overkill so I don't have to worry about it.

Thanks for the response!

Hey dude,

Seems like I can't even read the manual of my own parts. I thought it was 2.25" less WMS per hub, not total width on the axle, you're correct. Would push the WMS to 65.25" not 63" like I wrote originally.

I have no idea on how to retain ABS, speedo etc. Actually, I do, but that would involve making a lot of custom parts and if you don't nee dthe beef of a 14 bolt, there is probably no need to.

Narrow 14b are found in C&C trucks.


The ECGS link you posted is a great axle, you should get that.

Oh, last thing, E-Lockers suck. Get an OXLocker.

Given the price to build a custom axle. Machining cost custom parts. And then the time and hassle of setting it all up and hopefully all brackets align up. You be crazy not to buy that ecgs axle. Bolt in and go right ? My time these days is more valuable than that.

What axle are you planning to run up front? SD60?

The Ford 10.5" has a factory elocker option. It also had a factory tone ring, that could likely be adapted for the WJ speed sensor. I also believe that folks have adapted the 14b for JK/JT/JL speed sensors, so I would look at that.

I agree with wanting to overbuild the axles, but I might also consider an 8.8 for what you are looking at, esp if you want to try and adapt WJ/JK brakes to it.

If you want to be different.
1993-97 Toyota Landcruiser FJZ80 rears are full float with disc brakes, tone ring and factory e-locker as an option. They are 63.5" WMS, with 9.5" ring gear and are drilled 6x5.5. They are non-centered, passenger drop though so probably not best match for a drivers drop front. Definately not strong as a 14 bolt but also a couple hundred pounds lighter with better ground clearance.

Pretty sure the speed sensor is in the transmission too so no need for tone ring

Bebop said:

Hey dude,

Seems like I can't even read the manual of my own parts. I thought it was 2.25" less WMS per hub, not total width on the axle, you're correct. Would push the WMS to 65.25" not 63" like I wrote originally.

I have no idea on how to retain ABS, speedo etc. Actually, I do, but that would involve making a lot of custom parts and if you don't nee dthe beef of a 14 bolt, there is probably no need to.

Narrow 14b are found in C&C trucks.


The ECGS link you posted is a great axle, you should get that.

Oh, last thing, E-Lockers suck. Get an OXLocker.

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Upon further review, looks like I was mistaken about the e-locker. The only reason I was considering it over an ARB, OX locker, ect. is I really like the idea of having a limited slip in the rear when it's disengaged and full lock when engaged. I was mixing up the Detroit e-locker, Auburn Select-A-Loc and Ected. Not sure if the Ected was discontinued or renamed the Select-A-Loc? Either way, it appears the Select-A-Loc is the only one that's has the limited slip characteristic but only on their 1/2 ton and smaller axles. Damn it, that's kind of what set them apart in my mind and I think they really missed the boat by doing that. Either way, that sets me back to square one as far as which locker I'd like to eventually run but it does open up my rearend options.

When doing the math on building a D60 comparable to the ECGS one, I figure I can do it for $2,000-2,500. Or about a $2k savings.

Junkyard axle $500 or less
New axle shafts - $500
WJ bracket kit - $300-400
Narrow axle & weld on brackets - TBD
WJ brakes - free or JK brakes $200-300
Bearing retainers if new needed $150 I've intentionally estimated these costs high to account for misc expenses

Granted, this is with used gears & locker so it's not comparing apples to apples but gets the same end result.

Plus, I kind of want to do it just for the learning experience. It's definitely increased my knowledge quite a bit already just by doing the research and it seems like WJ guys just haven't come up with many viable options. I just think there's got to be a better way to go on a WJ then throwing a JK D44 or full-width superduty axles under there.

paradisepwoffrd said:

What axle are you planning to run up front? SD60?

The Ford 10.5" has a factory elocker option. It also had a factory tone ring, that could likely be adapted for the WJ speed sensor. I also believe that folks have adapted the 14b for JK/JT/JL speed sensors, so I would look at that.

I agree with wanting to overbuild the axles, but I might also consider an 8.8 for what you are looking at, esp if you want to try and adapt WJ/JK brakes to it.

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Leaning towards either a D60 or the elusive 78' F250 HP D44 for the front, it may come down to what I can find at a reasonable cost.
,
The 8.8 is just not a big enough jump from what I already have, the HD44, and I'm not a fan of the low pinion on a 9". A take out JK D60 would be perfect but good luck finding one. If money was no object I'd go with the dropout HP D60 in the rear and a True Hi9 up front.

The Ford 10.5 is worth considering but I'd want to find out how the brake issues have been addressed first.

jeff150 said:

If you want to be different.
1993-97 Toyota Landcruiser FJZ80 rears are full float with disc brakes, tone ring and factory e-locker as an option. They are 63.5" WMS, with 9.5" ring gear and are drilled 6x5.5. They are non-centered, passenger drop though so probably not best match for a drivers drop front. Definately not strong as a 14 bolt but also a couple hundred pounds lighter with better ground clearance.

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What you suggest is sacrilege! I'd never live it down with my Toyota wheeling buddies!

But in all honesty, if it were centered it would be worth considering.

Zjman said:

Pretty sure the speed sensor is in the transmission too so no need for tone ring

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Yeah, I think you're right. Gotta go double check under my rig. It's up on the hoist so I really don't have an excuse either. There are speed sensors at axles though so they must just be for the ABS.

Skip the D44 front, it has the same size u joint as a D30 so unless you plan on running RCVs it's a waste of time and money. And the cost of RCVs puts it higher than a D60. I had a 78HD D44 out of a F250 and even with chromos and good u joints I was snapping joints and stubs as well as hubs running 38s.

I had Yukon chromos and Super Joints in the 44 in my YJ 15 years ago. I broke multiple shafts and joints with a 4 cylinder and 37s.

xjmarc said:

Skip the D44 front, it has the same size u joint as a D30 so unless you plan on running RCVs it's a waste of time and money. And the cost of RCVs puts it higher than a D60. I had a 78HD D44 out of a F250 and even with chromos and good u joints I was snapping joints and stubs as well as hubs running 38s.

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I'm leaning towards a 60 front and possibly full-boat with kingpins but we'll cross that path when I get to it, gotta get the rear built first.

Still been doing a lot of research and getting feedback on other forums. Here's where I stand atm. Open to a D60, 14 bolt, Sterling or others. The important thing is I'd like to find one with 3.73 gears and a limited slip, the more aggressive the better. Plan is to build a semi-floater with my take-off WJ brakes and swap to larger JK brakes at a later date. The important thing is that the housing can be narrowed to near factory width.

Picked up some JK rotors and compared them to the WJ brakes. Couldn't get my hands on a backing plate. The overall height of the rotors is the same and it appears by swapping the backing plates the brakes are interchangeable. What I don't know is if the housing end mounting is the same dimensions and if this is a somewhat standardized size? The measurements I took indicated that the axle widths wouldn't change so as long as the speed sensor has the same relationship to the tone ring and the e-brake can be hooked up it should be a pretty straight forward swap.

You can use drw 14 bolt hubs on a standard 67" 14 bolt to narrow it to 63". Ruffstuff sells brake kits for them as well, or any weld on disk conversion should be fine.

Just to say it out loud, Chevy did not use a D60 in the rear of any 73+ trucks (I do not know about vans).

nvrenuf said:

Just to say it out loud, Chevy did not use a D60 in the rear of any 73+ trucks (I do not know about vans).

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I'm not saying you're wrong but Eaton/Detroit has a listing for one. That's where I got my info. Haven't cross referenced it with other manufacturer's listings though. Who knows, could be some really rare, oddball thing.

bgredjeep said:

You can use drw 14 bolt hubs on a standard 67" 14 bolt to narrow it to 63". Ruffstuff sells brake kits for them as well, or any weld on disk conversion should be fine.

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What you're describing is in reference to full-float axles correct? Saves the cost of narrowing the housing and buying inner axle shafts but I would have to come up with both housings or at least parts from both. I'd lose ABS, which I'm ok with only if there's a way to address the damn idiot light. Would have to use the Cadillac brakes unless there's another good option to maintain the e-brake. I'm assuming this is only an 8-lug option so it would really only be practical for me if I was building a front at the same time.

Good to know though. Seems like a much better option for WJ guys then putting Superduty axles underneath.

Yep. Full float. Here's a pic I grabbed from the Google. All you need are the hubs from the drw axle to swap onto the srw axle.