Opinions on front axle

[fjr1320]

I was wondering what you guys thought I should do in regards to the front axle for a sas on a 92 K1500. I'm looking for the cheaper way of going about it and i was wanting to get the ford hp dana 60 so i could just use the transfer case that's already in it but its hard to come by around here for less than $1000-1500 and I'm a poor architect student. I was also wondering if it would be any easier to find a chevy dana 60 (much easier to find around here) and just have the axle tubes pressed out and swapped so i could have the drivers side drop? I would just rather say away from a passenger side drop so i dont have to swap/clock the transfer case and then figure out the linkage to make my floor shifter work.

 

[redchevy914x4]

Solid axle swap and cheap hardly ever fit into the same sentence. You may wanna start doing some serious searching through multiple forums before you dig in.

 

[great white]

If you're a poor architect student, I'd say give it a pass and wait until later in life.

Doing it "cheap" will be expensive in the long run, bleed you dry right now and possibly kill you if done wrong....

 

[the big blue bus]

id say just collect parts as you find them. waiting pays off... more than one way.

 

[silver98z71]

Don't do it if you don't have the cash. Look at my build for pressing tube-ature tech.

 

[891Ton]

the chevy d60 has a lot of pros over the ford. The ford will let you use your tcase and is high pinion. but the checy axle is acually a lot better. the knuckles are more stout, and they place the tie rod about an inch further away from your diff cover than the Ford. which becomes a problem when you are going to a crossover or high steer. if the truck will see mostly pavement then go with the ford. if it will be a harcore wheeler then do the extras and get the Chevy or Dodge 60. I wish I did. Again its nice have the high pinion. but its nice to have all the extra heavy duty hardware that the chevy axle comes with and the ability to upgrade to 35 spline stubs from the D70. both chevy and dodge both used the d70 which has compatible parts with the D60. The Ford 60 is not compatible with the D70. just food for thought. and it all depends on how hard you will push this rig. When I started i never imagined I would be doing what I do now with it.

 

[JonZ71]

891ton.... Where does the tie rod distance come to be a problem in ford axles when doing a crossover steering? I have had no issues with my steering.

 

[fjr1320]

Well I do plan on it being a very long search process for all the parts, no worries there but the truck will most likely still be used for a dd when the swaps done but I also go out wheeling EVERY time it rains and I don't just find some little minimum maintainance road to go up. I go hit ditches and fields (and hit them HARD!) but if I go with the Chevy/dodge d60 with passenger side drop, what would be involved in making that work and hook to the floor shifter that's already in it?

 

[92GMC]

What size tires are you planning on using?

 

[891Ton]

891ton.... Where does the tie rod distance come to be a problem in ford axles when doing a crossover steering? I have had no issues with my steering.

A lot. You won't have a huge problem if its a street truck or mild wheeler doing trails or mud. But if you wheel hard your tie rod will make frequent contact with your diff cover. Until I went to high steer my tie rod was actually denting my diff cover when I would be a full lock and hammering it over rocks. As it is, at full lock the tie rod is less than an inch from the diff cover. They Chevy is over an inch away from it. Once you start wheeling hard and hitting your tie rod on stuff it will basically start scraping the cover when steering. Going to high steer helped, but the tie rod is now right next to the drag link. It works way better and i dont bend and damage my tie rod anymore but the Chevy gives you way more room. Read the Dana 60 bible on Pirate for full details on all the differences on the ford D60.