dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials available

grumpyvette · Feb 24, 2009

IVE used ford 9", Chevy 12 bolt, 10 bolt Pontiac rears and several others ( EVENTUALLY COMPONENTS OF EACH WERE TWISTED INTO SCRAP IN MOST CASES),now I'll admit I have limited experience with the ,smaller imports and z cars , having only helped on a few , maybe a dozen v8 conversions and generally build big block muscle cars , like GTO, chevelles, camaros, novas , firebirds,corvettes, and street rods like t-buckets and vegas with big block engines, but Ive certainly shredded my share of 10 bolt, and 12 bolt chevy and a few 9" ford differentials in the process and learned what parts hold up as a result. I'm a firm believer in the use of the DANA 60 , as it is without doubt the TOUGHEST of the bunch and the strongest rear differential IVE used, IVE NEVER MANAGED TO HURT ONE YET!
heres the main point I worry about, in a differential, its durability once you install a serious engine, and its the fact that I,ve shredded several 12 bolt rear differentials in the past in camaros, chevelles and similar cars and when you break a stock 12 bolt rear axle the wheels come off the car.
the hot ticket was supposed to be a 9" ford with aftermarket axles, but Ive busted those also.
Ive used dana 60 rear differentials in most of my serious race car builds and have never yet hurt one even with a 750 hp/700 ft lbs torque nitrous big block running slicks
Id also point out that a 12 bolt rear differential will need aftermarket axles and C-clip eliminators to be safe with the use of slicks and high torque load launches.
if you have a car with a G.M. rear the FORD 9" is a popular upgrade but I much prefer the DANA 60

Ive shredded, and destroyed, several stock and 12 bolt differentials modified with aftermarket axles with a few big block engines Ive built so I generally advise use of a DANA 60 based rear differential, as Ive yet to break a properly set up DANA 60 and Ive had 750 hp cars beating on them for several seasons racing.
IF you some how manage to snap a dana 60 axle the car coasts to a stop with no engine power reaching the rear tires, do that same ,snap an axle trick with a stock 12 bolt G.M. differential and the axle and tire comes out of the differential while your driving , which can be a huge problem

http://www.markwilliams.com/bulletproof.aspx

http://www.rsgear.com/articles/1996_08.pdf

READ THRU THE LINKED INFO
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/cc ... to_01.html

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/cc ... ewall.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_60

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=1934&p=5126#p5126

notice the extended pinion support on the ford pinion gear

BTW just like on an engine installing a STRONG MAGNET near a lubricant drain plug on a differential too trap metallic debris from gear ear tends to increase durability
If your looking in salvage yards for a dana 60 rear differential, the forward housing, on performance car versions has 5 lug axles,it has provisions to bolt on a snubber on the car versions thats missing on the truck versions and the
u-joint, yoke or hub used on trucks doesn,t interchange with the car version
some truck versions use different axles
there are 6 lug and full float versions in trucks and a very similar looking dana 70

dana 60 vs 12 bolt chevy

http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/200 ... ure27.html

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_catalog ... parts.html

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=4810

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_60

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/tech ... index.html

http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestor ... rends.aspx

http://www.autohobbydigest.com/dana.html

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=10690&p=46305#p46305

http://www.spohn.net/shop/1982-1992-GM- ... plete.html

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/cc ... to_01.html

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/c-244 ... 0_rear.htm

http://broncograveyard.com/bronco/b-495 ... ana_60.htm

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=555

http://www.diffgears.com/shop/dana-60

http://www.moserengineering.com/Pages/D ... etrac.html

http://www.cachassisworks.com/CatPages/CAC/CAC0204.pdf

BTW banjo fittings require a seal washer on both sides

keep in mind , when your fabricating a rear differential that a good custom shop has little problem producing axles that fit custom bearing sizes and lengths, or can center the differential with different than stock axle lengths ,theres no reason that lets say the axle tubes on the dana rear can,t be cut shorter and have ford outer bearings and flanges welded on and ford brakes and a chevy lug bolt pattern fabricated, you need to discus your options not just assume everything remains constant or single brand consistent
Popular Axle Carrier Breaks
Axle Low Carrier High Carrier
AAM 9.25" All / No Break Same
AAM 9.25" IFS All / No Break Same
AAM 10.5" All / No Break Same
AAM 11.5" All / No Break Same
AMC Model 20 2.73 & Down 3.08 & Up
AMC Model 35 3.31 & Down 3.54 & Up
Chrysler 7.25" 2.47 & Down 2.76 & Up
Chrysler 8.25" 2.47 & Down 2.76 & Up
Chrysler 8.75" (All) All / No Break Same
Chrysler 9.25" All / No Break Same
Chrysler 10.5" All / No Break Same
Chrysler 11.5" All / No Break Same
Dana 27 3.73 & Down 3.92 & Up
Dana 30 3.54 & Down 3.73 & Up
Dana 35 3.31 & Down 3.54 & Up
Dana 36 ICA 2.73 & Down 3.07 & Up
Dana 44 3.73 & Down 3.92 & Up
Dana 50 All / No Break Same
Dana 60 4.10 & Down 4.56 & Up
Dana 61 All / No Break Same
Dana 70 4.10 & Down 4.56 & Up
Dana 80 3.73 & Down 4.10 & Up
Ford 7.5" All / No Break Same
Ford 8" All / No Break Same
Ford 8.8" All / No Break Same
Ford 9 Inch All / No Break Same
Ford 9.75" All / No Break Same
Ford 10.25" / 10.5" All / No Break Same

Axle Low Carrier High Carrier
GM 7.2" IFS 3.08 & Down 3.42 & Up
GM 7.5" / 7.6" 3.08 & Down 3.23 & Up
GM 8.0" 3.08 & Down 3.31 & Up
GM 8.2" 2.76 & Down 3.07 & Up
GM 8.2" BOP 2.76 & Down / 2.94 to 3.23 / 3.31 & Up
GM 8.25" IFS All / No Break Same
GM 8.5" / 8.6" 2.56 & Down 2.73 & Up
GM 9.25" IFS All / No Break Same
GM 9.5" All / No Break Same
GM 10.5" 14 Bolt 4.10 & Down 4.56 & Up
GM 11.5" All / No Break Same
GM 55P / 55T All / No Break Same
GM 12 Bolt Car 2.76 & Down / 3.07 to 3.90 / 4.10 & Up
GM 12 Bolt Truck 2.73 & Down / 2.76 to 3.42 / 3.73 & Up
Suzuki Samurai All / No Break Same
Toyota 7.5" All / No Break Same
Toyota 8" (4Cyl) All / No Break Same
Toyota 8" TV6 All / No Break Same
Toyota T100 All / No Break Same
Toyota 9.5" All / No Break Same
Toyota 10.5" All / No Break Same
Land Cruiser 8" All / No Break Same
Land Cruiser 9.5" All / No Break Same

Axle Carrier Break data is ©Copyright Crawlpedia.com - Please provide a link back to this page when copying.
Data is accurate to the best of our knowledge through 2013 and is offered as-is with no guarantee.

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Shop: Yukon Ring and Pinion Gears

rlphvac · Jun 4, 2009

what is the stock rear end on a 81 vette with auto trans

grumpyvette · Jun 4, 2009

rlphvac said:
what is the stock rear end on a 81 vette with auto trans

its basically an independent rear differential version of the 10 bolt , similar to a dana 44, with similar strength, it can be built to hold more torque with better aftermarket components but its potential is limited due to the ring and pinion size and basic case strength

heres a typical 10 bolt after being subjected to high stress

http://www.mamotorworks.com/corvette-c3 ... -1443.html

http://www.markwilliams.com/detail.aspx?ID=1584

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_catalog ... parts.html

http://www.moserengineering.com/axles/s ... ne-23.html

http://www.moserengineering.com/com...-dana-60-built-to-order-rear-end-package.html

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=1274

viewtopic.php?f=61&t=2029

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_60

Rear Axle

Studebaker

* 1956-1964 E12 3/4t and E14 1t

Dodge

* 1966-1970 Coronet & R/T
* 1966-1972 Charger & R/T
* 1968-1972 Super Bee
* 1970-1971 Challenger
* 1963-1993 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500
* 1994-2002 Dodge Ram 2500 (V8 Only)
* 2004-2006 Dodge Ram SRT-10

Plymouth

* 1966 Belvedere
* 1966 Satellite
* 1968-1972 Road Runner
* 1967-1971 GTX
* 1970-1971 'Cuda

Ford

* 1955-1985 Ford 3/4 Ton Trucks
* 1955-1976 Ford 1 Ton Trucks
* 1980-1998 Ford E200/E250/E350 vans

Chevrolet

* 1964-1977 Chevrolet and GMC 3/4-ton pickups
* 1975-1987 Chevrolet and GMC 1-ton pickups and Suburbans
* 1979-1991 Chevrolet and GMC 1-ton vans
* 2001-2010 Chevrolet and GMC 1-ton vans (Uncommon)

Jeep

* 1969-1988 Jeep J-20, J-2000 and J-4000 pickups
http://www.akfabshop.com/alaskaoffroad/axle_tech.htm

+

grumpyvette · Jan 24, 2011

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

keep in mind , when your fabricating a rear differential that a good custom shop has little problem producing axles that fit custom bearing sizes and lengths, or can center the differential with different than stock axle lengths ,theres no reason that lets say the axle tubes on the dana rear can,t be cut shorter and have ford outer bearings and flanges welded on and ford brakes and a chevy lug bolt pattern fabricated
keep in mind that theres semi floating and full floating rear differential housings

Dana 60 differentials
Hemmings Muscle Machines - APRIL 1, 2006 - BY JIM O'CLAIR

http://mopedia.org/Dana_60

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/tech ... index.html

Few rear-axle configurations have been as widely accepted by all American manufacturers as the Dana 60. It was used as original equipment at one time or another by all four of the U.S. automakers and International trucks in the 1960s through the '90s. Although Chrysler was the only manufacturer to feature the Dana 60 in a passenger car, it appeared in an enormous number of trucks from all suppliers in many heavy-duty applications and gear ratios. It has been used as a front differential in four-wheel-drive vehicles as well. At a hulking 500 pounds, the Dana 60 is definitely not going to save you any money at the gas pump, but the mammoth 9-3/4-inch ring gear size makes it a real workhorse for heavy loads or high-torque drivetrain combinations. The Dana 60 can easily handle drivetrains producing 600 horsepower, and is commonly accepted as the strongest passenger car axle you can find.

The Dana 60 is also quite adaptable. Just about any ring and pinion combination you want between 3.54:1 and 7.17:1 is still readily available. Upgrading a Dana 60 to make it even stronger is also an option, with the purchase of 8620 or 9310 alloy aftermarket gears. This makes the Dana/Spicer 60 a popular choice for quarter-mile racers as well as muscle car enthusiasts. The bulky 3-inch tubing diameter of the Dana 60 axle makes it a heavy-duty choice for truck enthusiasts too.

Mopar first introduced the Dana 60 in the late 1950s on some heavy-duty 1/2- and 3/4-ton 4WD pickups. Ford also used a Dana 60 in its heavy-duty pickup trucks in the late 1950s. For the next five decades, all major American manufacturers used this axle in either front- or rear-axle configurations. For this month's article we will focus only on the Dana 60 that was used in rear-axle applications. Chrysler began using the Dana 60 in 1966 big-block B-body passenger cars (specifically the 426 Hemi and the 440 engines with a 4-speed transmission).

The Dana 60 is a Salisbury-type rear-end, meaning the differential carrier removes from the rear of the axle instead of the front. It can be identified by its 10-bolt rear cover, which appears to be lying on its side. Each Dana 60 has a build date and bill of materials numbers stamped into the back of the passenger-side axle tube. These numbers are fairly small but they are always on original axles. An additional casting number will be stamped into the differential housing to the lower right of the differential cover. This casting number could simply be 60 or it could be something else such as 60-2 or 60-3. The build date (MM/DD/Y) and bill of materials number will tell you where the donor assembly originally came from; additional tags on the cover mounting bolts will tell you the ratio and whether it was equipped with a limited-slip differential. If the ratio tag is missing, you can, in most cases, still tell the ratio from the bill of materials number. A Dana 70 rear axle will have the same rear cover; however, the carrier housing will be larger and casting numbers will reflect the fact that it is a 70-series axle. We will post a list of Dana bill of material casting numbers for your convenience in the parts locator section of Hemmings.com.

You can find a passenger-type Dana 60 in one of these donor cars if equipped with 426 or 440 engines:
o 1966 Dodge Coronet and Charger, Plymouth Belvedere and Satellite
o 1967-'72 Charger, Super Bee, R/T, GTX and Road Runner
o 1970-'71 'Cuda and Challenger

The industrial-type axles can be found in any of these truck applications:
o 1969-'88 Jeep J-20, J-2000 and J-4000 pickups
o 1967-'77 Chevrolet and GMC 3/4-ton pickups
o 1975-'87 Chevrolet and GMC 1-ton pickups and Suburbans
o 1979-'91 Chevrolet and GMC 1-ton vans with dual rear wheels
o 1955-'99 Dodge 3/4-ton pickups
o 1993-'01 Dodge 3/4-ton vans
o 1955-'93 Dodge 1-ton pickups
o 1955-'85 Ford 3/4-ton pickups
o 1980-'98 Ford E200/E250 vans with single rear wheels
o 1955-'76 Ford 1-ton trucks

These differentials came in two basic designs. The passenger-car configuration included a three-hole mounting surface on the front of the housing to mount a pinion snubber, which keeps the rear end in proper alignment with the drivetrain under heavy torque. The industrial version was used in all truck applications and does not have this mounting surface. Because most of the industrial rear end housings are built for trucks, they tend to be too wide for most passenger cars, but the Dana 60 can be narrowed by cutting the axle tubes to the proper length and installing the passenger car-style end hubs. New passenger- and industrial-style hubs can be purchased, and aftermarket axles are also available in 30- or 35-spline varieties to fit any reduced lengths. New axles may be your best option for adapting an industrial axle to fit a passenger car. Although the B-body Mopars used a five-lug bolt pattern, most industrial-style truck axles used a six-lug or an eight-lug axle, which will be difficult to redrill to a five-bolt pattern.

The passenger car version of the Dana 60 came equipped with the Mopar "Powr-Lok" semi-float limited-slip differential option from 1966 to '69. The Powr-Lok differential used 30-spline axles. Pinion input splines on the Powr-Lok differentials were 10-spline by 1-5/8-inch diameter. Later years featured the rod and cone-type semi-float limited-slip positraction configuration, commonly referred to as "Trac-Lok," and a 29-spline by 1-5/8-inch pinion shaft and 35-spline axles. The passenger car axles shared common components with the Mopar 8-3/4-inch rear end we featured in an earlier column. The axle bearings, seals and retainer packages are interchangeable. Because the Dana 60 axles on the passenger side are always slightly shorter than the driver's side, the 8-3/4-inch axles will not interchange directly into the Dana 60. The replacement pinion yokes for the Trac-Lok differentials (Spicer number 3-4-5731X) are 29-spline and accept the larger Spicer 1350 series (part number 5-178X) U-joints. The advantage of using the GM-style 1350 series U-joints is that you can also use the heavier U-bolt retainers for the end caps, instead of the flat straps that were used on the original Detroit 7290-style U-joints. The pinion yokes for the pre-'69 differentials are only available in the original 10-splines for the Detroit-style joints (Mopar part number P4876804). The industrial axles featured in truck applications can be found in either semi-float or full-float configurations and used a larger axle bearing than the passenger-style rear ends. Possible ratios can range anywhere from 3.54:1 right up to 7.17:1; however, most passenger-car and 3/4-ton truck ratios you will find readily available will be somewhere between 3.54:1 and 4.10:1 (4.10:1 being the largest ratio that can be used without changing to a different carrier). Passenger axles with the pinion snubber-mounting surface are getting very difficult to find and demand a high price tag. The industrial versions are abundant and less expensive, and many aftermarket Dana 60s being offered are remanufactured industrial axles without the snubber mounting.

When scavenging through the aisles at a swap meet or at your local salvage yard, check your donor assembly thoroughly. Although these rear ends are super strong, they do occasionally have problems with spinning the side bearing races inside the housing. The driver's side of the case housing is the best place to check for this wear as this bearing race takes most of the load stress. This problem can be fixed; however, it is time consuming and expensive. It is best to stay away from axles with this condition if possible.

Needless to say, it is important that the donor differential be carefully checked for this kind of wear as well as any other components that can wear over time. You should consider changing the fluids, seals and axle bearings, at a minimum. Aftermarket suppliers have developed an axle-bearing package, which eliminates the need to adjust the end play of the assembly from the outer passenger-side axle flange, as is the case with the Chrysler 8-3/4 inch. The Mopar part number for this package is P5249444. It is very important to remember to keep track of where the shims are removed and how many are removed, when you are disassembling the differential. Shims are located in several places and it will be much easier to put a Dana 60 back together and check clearances if you can get back to where you started from using the same number of shims in the same locations.

As you can see from the list of donor trucks, installing a Dana 60 into any full-size pickup will be relatively straightforward. Most of the vehicles listed will have drum-to-drum axle lengths of between 60 and 68 inches. This also makes them a great candidate for installing in mid-'70s Chrysler B, C, and E-bodies as well as mid-size Fords from 1967-'73 and full-size Fords from 1960-'64. With an original axle width at 62 inches the Dana 60 is also a good candidate for 1955-'59 Chevy pickups. Spring perches will probably have to be relocated; however, these can be removed and rewelded, or new 3-inch-diameter spring perches can still be purchased from rear axle parts suppliers along with the other upgrade items we have mentioned. At 13-1/2 inches long, front to back, the Dana 60 may also require you to shorten your driveshaft as much as 2 inches on any Salisbury-style (non-removable carrier) axle. This is not necessarily the case when swapping with a banjo-style (removable carrier) axle such as the Ford 9-inch.

Doing some checking into locating a good used donor rear end, we found virtually no used passenger-style Dana 60s. We did, however, find many of the truck axles available relatively cheap. A 3/4-ton Dodge differential can be as inexpensive as $200, with most selling in the $400 to $500 range. This is a far cry from purchasing one of the complete remanufactured units currently being offered. A remanufactured unit with drum brakes can sell for between $2,100 and $3,600, depending on the length of the axles and the gear ratio. Replacement differentials with a rear-disc brake option are offered for between $3,000 and $3,800.

However, as you can see, with a little information in hand and a little hunting around, you can easily find a used unit and have it built to your own specifications for less than $1,400, including new axles, a limited-slip differential rebuild kit, and new ring and pinion gears. The added advantage of using what is considered to be the strongest passenger car differential assembly also will allow you to make many changes as engine performance changes, regardless of horsepower rating. Although the Dana 60 has been around for over 50 years, it is still a great way to upgrade your performance car. It can be relatively easy to find and inexpensive as well.

grumpyvette · Apr 4, 2011

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

http://www.dragzine.com/tech-stories/dr ... t-dana-60/

Where to Find One Cheap

Long before the first â€™66 Dodge Coronet and Charger R/Ts were made available with the Dana, the Dana Corporation-built housings were first employed by heavy-duty Ford pickups in 1955, with Studebakerâ€™s 3/4 and 1-ton trucks following shortly thereafter.

Yet, it was Dodge and Plymouth who were the first and only of the Big Three to use the Dana 60 (with a ring gear diameter totaling 9.75-inches, a full inch larger than the smaller 8 3/4 and .75-inch larger than Fordâ€™s best) in passenger vehicles.

Unfortunately, finding an original Dana 60 housing from the short five-year run (1966-1971) for â€˜Kong proved both difficult and expensive. Since we were more concerned with having a rear that was both correct for our car (i.e. no Ford 9-inches) and stout enough to take all that we planned to throw at it, we needed to look elsewhere.

Thankfully, Dana 60 housings arenâ€™t all that exotic and can be found in nearly a quarter-centuryâ€™s worth of pickup trucks, SUVs, and Jeeps. We found a Ford F-350 that was getting parted out, and nabbed ours for $50. Yes, you read that right, $50 for the whole thing.

Of course, we couldnâ€™t simply bolt in our $50 Dana. Before heading over to Currie Enterprises in Anaheim, California, we cleaned up our used housing, ground off the Ford perches and brackets, and removed the worn out carrier and pinion gear. We also disassembled the kingpin knuckles which would be cut off and replaced with the proper end caps.

The big difference between our salvaged Dana 60 and the original passenger-style Chrysler housings was a four-bolt perch for a factory-supplied pinion snubber, which kept the pinion from rotating when under heavy load. Since weâ€™re planning on using a pair of Cal-Trac style traction bars, the need for a snubber was resolved.

Welcome to Currie! Letâ€™s Get Dirty

Showing up with the bare Dana 60 housing at Currie, we met with Brian Shephard who walked us through Currieâ€™s in-house capabilities, â€œOur full-service, one-stop shop includes a tear down and cleaning facility, full machine shop, welding shop, gear setup and assembly areas, and unit final assembly stations allowing us to service basically any need a customer may have on any of the rearend types that we service.â€

Currieâ€™s portfolio is oddly diverse, from street and strip automotive rears to mountain trail â€œjeepingâ€ housings, to high-speed baja racing setups, all the way to mining and military applications. Surprisingly, conventional automotive rear ends only account for only about 40-percent of Currieâ€™s business. Shephard continued, â€œAfter 52 years in business you could say we have rearends down to a science and theyâ€™re made in the USA! From building 100% new units to rebuilding as we did here, the customer gets a premium job done with premium parts and components every time â€“ thatâ€™s the only way we work.â€

Concerns whether welded end caps can hold up to high horsepower applications can be absolved by the proper weld. Using the right pattern combined with the speed of the wire can greatly affects penetration can determine whether a weld is weak or strong.

Stripped Down And Built Back Up

Our once-Ford-now-Dodge Dana 60 was quickly carted off to Currieâ€™s chemical cleaning cabinet where a caustic steam bath stripped the housing bare of any grease, gear oil, grit, and debris before fabrication could begin. Once cleaned, the housing was chucked up on a jig and measured and marked for narrowing.

Although weâ€™re keeping the housing within stock Chrysler measurements (a 44-inch center of pad-to-pad width and 54-inches from one backing plate flange to the other), the axle tubes needed to be shortened for the new bearing end caps to be welded on. A benefit of using a full-sized truck housing are the thicker tubes (up to 1/2-inch), which allowed us more material to chamfer down to build a better weld bead.

Ready to put some heat to the housing, a pair of machined aluminum discs were bolted into carrier bearing races as a six-foot rod of round aluminum stock was slid into place. A third disc was fit into the end of the new end cap and slid onto the bar to hold the cap in place, ensuring that the tube end stayed properly aligned while being welded.

Squared and true, a sequence of slow, high heat beads bonded the end caps to the axle tubes, overlapping one over the other. Wire-wheeled clean, the housing was measured and squared up again to receive the factory-style leaf spring perches supplied by Competition Engineering.

Once Currie completed all of the fabrication work, the housing was sent back to the material cleaning department for an aggressive media treatment. This stripped the housing down to bare metal without the use of caustic chemicals while knocking off any welding flash, removing any embedded contaminants, or oil residue, making it now ready for assembly.

Building A Budget Dana 60 By The Numbers:

Dana 60 Chrysler Rear Housing (44â€³ center of pad-to-pad width, 54â€³ between backing plate flanges width)
Currie Forged Alloy Extreme 35-spline Axles, offset pair 28-7/16â€³ and 27-1/16â€³ (# CE-1014)
Currie Sealed Large Axle Bearings With O-Rings (# CE-8000S)
Motive Gear 4.56 ring and pinion (# D60-456)
Detroit Locker 35-spline (# DET225S-29)
Competition Engineering Rear Axle Spring Perches, 2-1/2â€³ wide (# 85090)
Yukon Gear Billet Yoke (# YY D60-1350-B)

The Filling Is Always The Best Part

Currie's forged alloy axle shafts are made to order, from milling the 35-splines, to drilling and tapping the blank axle flanges for a set of large 5/8-inch lug bolts.

In planning for Killer Kongâ€™s powertrain, weâ€™re looking at building a big-cube HEMI pressing out somewhere between 650 and 700 horsepower, with a reverse manually-shifted 727 Torqueflite automatic snapping quick shifts between 6,000-to-6,5000rpm on the rare occasion that its on the track and not on the street.

That being said, we knew we had to build this Dana with some pretty stout stuff. We first contacted EATON for a Detroit Locker differential. Thankfully, things have changed since the early days, and todayâ€™s Lockers are nowhere as clanky and noisy as they were twenty years ago.

Plus, since the Charger is far heavier than so many stripped-down pony cars running similar setups, our Locker wonâ€™t be loosely indexing through gears around corners.

Ultimately, the Detroit Locker was the logical choice considering the power we were looking to make and needed to put to the pavement while not sacrificing streetability as we would with say, a spool.

Next, we made a call to Motive Gear, who rushed out a 4.56 ratio ring and pinion set. Normally, such a low gear ratio would make highway driving arduous, but as the Charger is close to 3,800-pounds and running a 30-inch tall rear tire, the aggressive gearing made the most sense.

Of course, Currie supplied all the new bearing races, seals, shins, and bearings, as well as a pair of 35-spline forged alloy axle shafts. After milling the axle shaft with the 35-count splines, the blank axle flanges were drilled and tapped for the larger 5/8-inch lug bolts (at factory Chrysler 5 x 4.5-inch pattern).

to be one mean machine.

Before final assembly, a bit more work needed to happen. Our Currie specialist, Abraham, first notched the carrier bearing perches. This allows gear oil to flow freer through the axle tubes and the housing, reducing fluid and bearing heat. Next, to get a baseline for the new gears and Detroit Locker, Abraham loosely assembled the pinion and carrier with a variety of different shims to find the perfect alignment. Tolerances need to be precise with applications like these, or the extreme forces within the housing can cause accelerated wear and possible mechanical failure.

It's the little tricks picked up over the years that make for a well-oiled rearend (pun intended). By scoring the bearing seals, gear oil is able to pass freely from the axle tubes to the carrier, while passing continually through the carrier bearings. Cost? Nada.

Using a dial indicator to check the backlash and some yellow marking dye to check the engagement of the ring and pinion gears, Abraham was able to adjust the final alignment by shimming the carrier bearings and pinion gear for proper engagement.

To install the pinion gear, first a new bearing race needed to be pressed into the housing. Next, the pinion gear was assembled on a vertical press with a cone bearing and a collection of measured shims. From the front of the housing, a second series of shims, bearing, slinger bearing, crush sleeve and an oil seal were pressed in, tightened down with a new Yukon Gear yoke and nut, with the pinion preload adjusted.

With a dollop of red thread locker, the 4.56 ring gear was bolted to the carrier, with each bolt torqued down to 110-pounds. Assembled with the right amount of shims, the carrier bearings were pressed on. Covered in a bead of red Loc-Tite, the races covered the carrier bearings as the whole Locker was lowered into the housing. Finally, the caps were torqued down to 80 lb-ft.
tolerances and play is central to putting a rearend together that will last.

With our center section dialed-in and fully assembled, the 35-spline axles were assembled â€“ much like the pinion gear â€“ on the vertical press, sandwiching the sealed axle bearings and backing plates. Having been pre-drilled and tapped for the large lug bolts, they were threaded in from the backside of the axle flange with another trusty dollop of red thread locker.

Puttinâ€™ On The Brakes (Literally)

All of Currie's heavy duty 11-inch drum brakes come new and ready for service, either on a hot rod, a street car or a drag racer. The drums come blank and are specifically drilled to match your lug pattern and size.

But before the axles could be slid into the housing and indexed into the Detroit Locker, we attached our new 11-inch drum brakes to the end caps. The choice to run drums over say, a new set of aftermarket 4-piston calipers was two fold.

Currieâ€™s Brian Shephard made a convincing argument, â€œWell, in [Killer Kong's] application, a foot-brake drag racing application, you just have to think about the sheer surface area of the pad material of the drum compared to the disc brake. When you are trying to hold back a 4,000 lb., 600-plus horsepower car with the brakes â€“ you need surface area!â€

That surface area was dramatically increased from our Chargerâ€™s original factory specs; stepping up from 9-inch drums to heavy duty 11-inch drums was a no-brainer. Thankfully, 11-inch drums are still in abundance in most automotive salvage yards, you just need to look out for Chrysler-made station wagons, light duty trucks, and vans from the late 1960â€²s all the way through the mid-1980â€²s.

Secondly, was the most obvious, cost. While rear disc brakes have become more common, they are still â€“ on average â€“ $600, while a solid set of HD drums will set you back close to half of that. And since weâ€™re putting in Currieâ€™s brand new 11-inchers, we donâ€™t need to change any of our factory brake cables. Oh, the simplicity!

All of Currieâ€™s drums come blank and are specifically drilled to match the lug pattern and size of the axle package. Since we went with the larger 5/8-inch diameter lugs, Currie bored out to match our Dodgeâ€™s 5 x 4.5 pattern.

From junkyard scrap to a bad ass Dana 60 worthy of 1,000-horsepower in a day, we buttoned up this monster axle housing for half the cost of purchasing a brand-new 9.75 rear from an aftermarket company. While nothing nearly as exotic as some of the stuff theyâ€™re capable of building, Currie Enterprises made short work out of this budget Dana 60. Now, we just need to bolt it up into Killer Kong and get her rollinâ€™!

grumpyvette · Apr 30, 2011

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

these might interest some guys

heres the main point I worry about, its durability once you install a serious engine, and its the fact that I,ve shredded several 12 bolt rear differentials in the past in camaros, chevelles and similar cars and when you break a stock 12 bolt rear axle the wheels come off the car.
the hot ticket was supposed to be a 9" ford with aftermarket axles, but Ive busted those also.
Ive used dana 60 rear differentials in most of my serious race car builds and have never yet hurt one even with a 750 hp/700 ft lbs torque nitrous big block running slicks

http://www.strangeengineering.net/high-performance-street/complete-rear-end-assemblies/s60.html

http://www.quadratec.com/products/52446_103_T.htm

http://www.moserengineering.com/com...-dana-60-built-to-order-rear-end-package.html

Available exclusively from Mopar Performance - Jeep Wrangler military-grade front and rear axle assemblies for Jeep Wranglers. These tough, genuine Jeep assemblies are designed for the military Wrangler (J8) and provide the next level of off-road performance for Wranglers. They come fully assembled and well equipped with 4.10 gears, JK wheel speed sensors, and massive, heavy-duty disc brake calipers and rotors. The high-pinion Dana 44 front axle is ready for bolt-in on all 2007 &

http://www.strangeengineering.net/catalog/index.html

http://www.drivetrain.com/parts_catalog ... parts.html

http://www.westerndiff.com/dana.html

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Drivetrain-a ... _pl=101964

HERE IN THE THREE PICTURES ABOVE ARE A DANA 60 in a chevelle
IF anyone has got good info on where they found, purchased or got the parts to build a DANA 60, or how they added disc brakes or shortened a DANA 60 rear differential
if anyone has a list of the cars & trucks the dana 60 came in or list of dimensions etc.,
Ive used more dana 60 rears in my cars than any other design but any and all additional info or pictures or links on parts or mods or supplies are very welcome

grumpyvette · Sep 28, 2012

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

http://www.truehi9.com/gears2.html

REAR AXLES

603470 JEEP 60 REAR 1979 J20 PICKUP
603643 CHRY 60 FRONT 1979-80 D-600
603647 CHRY 60 REAR 1979 D-200 & W-200 H.D.
603702 GM 60 REAR 1979 DRW G-VAN 146″ WB – FULL FLOAT
603725 FORD 60 REAR 1979 F-250 CREW CAB – FULL FLOAT
603831 CHRY 60 REAR 1979 RAIL MAINTENANCE
603884 GM 60 REAR 1979 DRW G-VAN 125″ WB – FULL FLOAT
603901 FORD 60 REAR 1979 F-250 4X4 – FULL FLOAT
603917 CHRY 60 REAR 1979 D-200 & BD-600
603919 CHRY 60 REAR 1979 MD-300 DUAL WHEEL H.D.
603920 CHRY 60 REAR 1979 B-300 MAXIVAN H.D.
603926 FORD 60 REAR 1979 F-250 4X2 – FULL FLOAT
603930 JEEP 60 REAR 1978-79 J20 PICKUP
603943 FORD 60 REAR 1980-81 F-250 3/4 TON 4X2, 4X4 PICK-UP – SEMI FLOAT
603971 CHRY 60 REAR 1979-84 HIGH PERFORMANCE RACING AXLE (SEMI FLOAT)
603972 CHRY 60 REAR 1979-84 HIGH PERFORMANCE RACING AXLE (SEMI FLOAT)
603980 JEEP 60 REAR 1980-81 1/2 J20 PICK-UP
609389 CHRY 60 REAR 1980-88 1/2 RAIL MAINTENANCE/D-200 & D-600
603990 CHRY 60 REAR 1980-84 C-300 & B-300 MB-300 H.D.
603992 CHRY 60 REAR 1980-82 D-200 & W-200 H.D.
603993 CHRY 60 REAR 1980-84 MB-300 DUAL WHEEL H.D.
603994 CHRY 60 REAR 1980-88 1/2 B-300 MAXIVAN H.D.
605000 GM 60 REAR 1980-82 DRW G-VAN 125″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605001 GM 60 REAR 1980-82 DRW G-VAN 146″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605020 FORD 60 REAR 1980 1/2 E-250 – FULL FLOAT
605031 FORD 60 REAR 1981-81 1/2 E-250 VAN – SEMI FLOAT
605079 JEEP 60 REAR 1982-85 J20 PICK-UP
605082 CHRY 60 REAR 1983-84 D-300 HD
605086 FORD 60 REAR 1982-83 F-250 – SEMI FLOAT
605089 FORD 60 REAR 1982-83 E-250 VAN – SEMI FLOAT
605104 JEEP 60 REAR 1982 1/2-84 CJ10
605132 GM 60 REAR 1983 DRW G-VAN 125″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605133 GM 60 REAR 1983 DRW G-VAN 146″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605145 FORD 60 REAR 1983 1/2 F-350 PICK-UP – SEMI FLOAT
605146 FORD 60 REAR 1983 1/2 F-350 CHASSIS – SEMI FLOAT
605169 FORD 60 REAR 1983 1/2-85 F-250 – SEMI FLOAT
605179 FORD 60 REAR 1983 1/2 E-250 VAN – SEMI FLOAT
605196 JEEP 60 REAR 1985 AM 720
605200 GM 60 REAR 1985-86 DRW G-VAN 125″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605201 GM 60 REAR 1985-89 DRW G-VAN 146″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605211 FORD 60 REAR 1984-85 E-250 VAN – SEMI FLOAT
605222 CHRY 60 REAR 1985-88 1/2 B-300 (VAN)
605224 CHRY 60 REAR 1985-85 1/2 D-200 & BD-600
605225 CHRY 60 REAR 1985-88 1/2 D-200 HD & D-300 H.D.
605237 JEEP 60 REAR 1985 CJ10
605251 FORD 60 REAR 1985 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT
605268 GM 60 REAR 1986-89 DRW G-VAN 125″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605291 JEEP 60 REAR 1986-88 J20 PICKUP
605298 FORD 60 REAR 1986-88 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMU FLOAT
605355 FORD 60 REAR 1988 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605368 CHRY 60 REAR 1989-90 1/2 D-300 & D-700 H.D. W/ABS
605370 CHRY 60 REAR 1989-93 1/2 D-200 H.D. & D-600 H.D. W/ABS
605371 CHRY 60 REAR 1989-93 1/2 D-200 H.D. & D-600 H.D. W/ABS
605403 GM 60 REAR 1990 DRW G-VAN 146″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605405 GM 60 REAR 1990 DRW G-VAN 125″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605413 FORD 60 REAR 1989 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605414 FORD 60 REAR 1989 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT
605419 FORD 60 REAR 1990-91 1/2 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
605420 FORD 60 REAR 1990-91 1/2 E-250 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT – ABS
605440 CHRY 60 REAR 1989-94 1/2 B-300 H.D. W/ABS
605441 CHRY 60 REAR 1989 B-300 MAXIVAN H.D.
605487 FORD 60 REAR 1992-93 1/2 E-350 VAN SARW – FULL FLOAT
605495 GM 60 REAR 1990 1/2-91 1/2 DRW G-VAN 146″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605496 GM 60 REAR 1990 1/2-91 1/2 DRW G-VAN 125″ WB – FULL FLOAT
605516 CHRY 60 REAR 1991-94 B-300 MAXIVAN W/ABS
605517 CHRY 60 REAR 1991-95 1/2 D-300 & D-700 H.D. W/ABS
605556 FORD 60 REAR 1992 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
605569 FORD 60 REAR 1993-95 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT
605585 CHRY 60 REAR 1994-95 1/2 D2500
605586 CHRY 60 REAR 1994-95 1/2 W2500
605623 FORD 60 REAR 1993-94 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
605624 FORD 60 REAR 1993 1/2-94 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605633 CHRY 60 REAR 1994-95 1/2 D2500
605634 CHRY 60 REAR 1994-95 1/2 W2500
605639 FORD 60 REAR 1994-95 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605670 FORD 60 REAR 1994-94 1/2 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605684 FORD 60 REAR 1995-96 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605685 FORD 60 REAR 1995-96 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605700 FORD 60 REAR 1995-96 E-350 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
605710 CHRY 60 REAR 1994 1/2-97 1/2 B-300 VAN W/ABS
605711 CHRY 60 REAR 1994 1/2-97 1/2 B-300 VAN W/ABS
605713 FORD 60 REAR 1994 1/2 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT – ABS
605750 FORD 60 REAR 1995-97 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
605784 CHRY 60 REAR 1996-96 1/2 D2500
605793 CHRY 60 REAR 1996-96 1/2 D2500
605794 CHRY 60 REAR 1996 1/2 W2500
605841 FORD 60 REAR 1996-96 1/2 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
605842 FORD 60 REAR 1996-96 1/2 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605843 FORD 60 REAR 1996 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT – ABS
605859 FORD 60 REAR 1996-97 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
605898 CHRY 60 REAR 1997-97 1/2 D2500
605907 CHRY 60 REAR 1997-97 1/2 D2500
605908 CHRY 60 REAR 1997-97 1/2 W2500
605933 FORD 60 REAR 1996 1/2-97 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT
605934 FORD 60 REAR 1996 1/2 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605935 FORD 60 REAR 1996 1/2 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605942 FORD 80 REAR 1998 1/2-99 F-350 CHASSIS-DRW-FULL FLOAT
605944 FORD 80 REAR 199 1/2 F-450 MOTOR HOME – DRW – FULL FLOAT
605947 FORD 60 REAR 1997 1/2 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
605948 FORD 60 REAR 1997 1/2 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605949 FORD 60 REAR 1997 1/2 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT
605978 CHRY 60 REAR 1998-98 1/2 D2500
605987 CHRY 60 REAR 1998-98 1/2 D2500
605988 CHRY 60 REAR 1998-98 1/2 W2500
606017 FORD 60 REAR 1998-98 1/2 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
606022 FORD 60 REAR 1999 E-350 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
606029 FORD 60 REAR 1997 1/2-98 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
606049 FORD 60 REAR 1998 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT – ABS
606050 FORD 60 REAR 1998 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT – ABS
606054 CHRY 60 REAR 1997 1/2 W2500
606058 CHRY 60 REAR 1998-98 1/2 B-300 VAN W/ABS
606059 CHRY 60 REAR 1998-98 1/2 B-300 VAN W/ABS
606062 CHRY 60 REAR 1998-98 1/2 W2500
606102 FORD 60 REAR 1998 1/2-99 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
606109 FORD 60 REAR 1999 E-350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT – ABS
606161 FORD 60 REAR 1998 1/2-99 E-250 VAN SRW – SEMI FLOAT – ABS
606162 FORD 60 REAR 1998 1/2-99 E350 VAN SRW – FULL FLOAT – ABS
606188 FORD 60 REAR 1999 1/2 E-250 VAN SRW
606192 FORD 60 REAR 1999 1/2 E-250 VAN SRW
606199 FORD 60 REAR 1999-99 1/2 E-350 CHASSIS – DRW

grumpyvette · Sep 28, 2012

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

Knowing how much torque you are applying (this assumes you have perfect traction with only a 10% slippage at your slick) to the axles here is a chart of aftermarket axles listing their failure points (on average).

28 spline axel________1.200" dia. ________ 4,571 lbs.-ft. stock (GM test data)
28 spline axel stub ___1.250" dia. ________ 3,787 lbs.-ft. stock Corvette (Dana 44)
30 spline axel________1.250" dia. ________ 6,473 lbs.-ft. stock (GM test data)
31 spline axel________1.315" dia. ________ 7,000 lbs.-ft. (Ford 8.8" rear)
33 spline axel________1.370" dia. ________ 8,200 lbs.-ft. (GM 14 bolt truck)
35 spline axel________1.500" dia. _______ 9,600 lbs.-ft. (Dana 60)
40 spline axel________1.710" dia. _______ 12,000 lbs.-ft.

Here is a web site with a great graphic that shows why spline count is so important.
http://performanceunlimited.com/documen ... guide.html

87vette81big · Nov 25, 2012

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

?

87vette81big · Sep 14, 2013

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

I removed an axle shaft from my Dana 60 today 30-Splines.
From a 1963 F100 with Power Lock Posi 4-pinion spider gears & 2-piece posi case.
Has the Big Mopar GREEN style bearings. Someone installed new bearings & seals prior.
Real clean inside.
Going to rebuild it soon & be up for sale.

Just want to note that Early Ford F100 1/2 Ton pickups made from 1961-64 had the optional Semi Float axle shafts Dana 60.
Super Rare find came across last year.
Will redrill flanges for GM 5 on 4-3/4" & Mopar 5 on 4-1/2".
Turn wheel pilot down in a lathe.

Also Mopar Dana 60 B-body 1966-69 Has 23-spline axle shafts.
Mopar Dana 60 1970-71 E-body Cuda Hemi has 30-spline axle shafts & Charger B-body Hemi Dana 60 1970-'71 Too.

BR

Indycars · Sep 14, 2013

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

What does it mean to have semi-floating and full-floating axles ???

grumpyvette · Sep 14, 2013

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

short definition, semi floating differentials use axles with flanges the wheels bolt too, the axles supported by bearings
muscle cars use semi float , larger trucks use full float designs

A semi-floating axle is very common on the rear of most 4x4s. It consists of an axle-shaft on each side that is splines on the inner end where it mates to the differential and has a wheel flange where the wheel studs mount at the other end. This assembly typically mates to the end of the axle-housing using some type of flange arrangement. The axle-shaft also rides on a large roller or ball bearing out at the end of the axle-housing.

full float axles are frequently SPLINED on both ends and or theres a separate hub or flange the wheels bolt too, the flange on the axle bolts to the flange the wheel bolts too,the axles supported by bearings, but the flange is also supported by bearings
A full-floating axle can be found on the rear of some 4x4s, but it is generally reserved for vehicles that are designed for severe duty, or are intended to carry heavy loads. This type of axle uses an axle-shaft on each side that is simply splined at both ends or splined on the inner end and has a drive flange on the outer end. The shaft mates to the differential in the same way as a semi-floater. However, the outer end of the shaft differs. Here, the splined end of the shaft slides into a locking hub or an internal splined steel drive plate that bolts to a hub cap, similar to what is found on a front axle. In some cases, the drive flange may be part of the shaft itself. In either case, the axle-shaft is allowed to float in the system.

For a full-floater system, the axle-shaft only serves to transmit the rotational torque from the differential out to the wheel. It does not carry the weight of the vehicle like a semi-floater does. On a full floater, a spindle is attached to the outer end of the axle-housing. The hub's cap is attached to this spindle and rides on tapered roller bearings. It is this assembly that carries the vehicle weight. As such, a full-floating axle system is considerably stronger than an equivalently sized semi-floating system.

SEMI FLOAT AXLE

FULL FLOAT AXLE

video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aVj7JSpSpU

http://www.ringpinion.com/Content/Book/ ... -Float.pdf

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/0112o ... ing-axles/

Indycars · Sep 14, 2013

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

Loved that video of the 1936 Chevy rear end. Especially the part where the guy replaces the axle on the side of the road without even removing the wheel.

So back to racing question ...... which axle has the lowest parasitic losses ???

grumpyvette · Sep 14, 2013

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

the semi float axles are generally found in muscle cars as they weight a great deal less and easily handle loads a muscle car can produce in the larger versions like the dana 60

87vette81big · Sep 14, 2013

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

Indycars said:
Loved that video of the 1936 Chevy rear end. Especially the part where the guy replaces the axle on the side of the road without even removing the wheel.

So back to racing question ...... which xle has the lowest parasitic losses ???

Its not a relavent question to hotrodders & racers in general.
Strongest, longest lasting, ease of servive & fast gear changes in the pits,
Affordibility to the average racer.

Strange Super 12-bolt geatset in Fabricated 9 inch housing popular today.
Strongest NO.
DANA 60 & '57-64 9.300 Pontiac Olds has my vote for 2 strongest ever production rears ever made factory installed in a passenger car.
Only rears you can use stock in a 700+ Hp car with a quality rebuild.

87vette81big · Sep 14, 2013

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

I watched the Video too Grumpy.
That 1936 Chevy 1-ton rear is an early version of the 1948 Chevy H072 Rear that I rebuilt earlier this year.
Those barrel roller bearings are expensive & hard to find.
Found them of course.
Still remember how heavy that HO72 rear was.
Like picking up an assembled BBC with iron heads by hand.
At least 550lbs.

BR

Indycars · Sep 14, 2013

Re: dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials availab

Its not a relavent question to hotrodders & racers in general.

In general I guess you could make that statement, but when everything counts, then the parasitic losses would be a concern.
Except where adjustability makes the difference in winning or losing.

Mainly drag racing would care, every time they race it's the same, most other forms of racing are always dealing with a different environment, such as circle track and road racing. In those situation, being able to react to the would be critical to winning.

Grumpy · Jun 26, 2015

In some ways I find the argument of the guys who want to save 30 lbs or so in the differential weight, by building a Chevy 12 bolt rear in their race or street car rather than using a stronger and more durable DANA 60 based differential, rather amusing, for a couple reasons, first Id point out that THE EXTRA weight is the result of larger and heavier and stronger parts, they don,t just add ballast to a dana differential to make it weigh more than a 12 bolt differential
larger diameter axles and bigger stronger gears use more steel so they weigh a bit more,and the dana 60 does not have that rather annoying problem of sheared axles exiting the differential with the tire if you snap an axle , unless its modified.
(not to mention the larger diameter axles are less likely to snap off to begin with.)
I almost universally suggest anyone thinking of racing a car with decent tires strongly consider up-grading any 10 bolt G.M. differential to at least a 12 bolt, or better yet a ford 9", dana 60, 9.3" pontiac differential, or at least a 9.25" mopar differential. you only have too puke axles, loose a wheel, and shred ring gears a few times to have that bit of experience,brought home so you don,t forget it!
and keep in mind it doesn,t take a killer bbc to do that, IVE done it with serious 396-402 BBC engines

http://www.strangeengineering.net/dragrace/complete-rear-end-assemblies/s60.html
http://www.strangeengineering.net/dragrace/gear-sets-installation-kits/dana-60-s60.html
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Shop/1.html?facet=GA_RearEndFamily

ana 60

28 spline axel________1.200" dia. ________ 4,571 lbs.-ft. stock (GM test data)
28 spline axel stub ___1.250" dia. ________ 3,787 lbs.-ft. stock Corvette (Dana 44)
30 spline axel________1.250" dia. ________ 6,473 lbs.-ft. stock (GM test data)
31 spline axel________1.315" dia. ________ 7,000 lbs.-ft. (Ford 8.8" rear)
33 spline axel________1.370" dia. ________ 8,200 lbs.-ft. (GM 14 bolt truck)
35 spline axel________1.500" dia. _______ 9,600 lbs.-ft. (Dana 60)
40 spline axel________1.710" dia. _______ 12,000 lbs.-ft.
now Id also point out that the vast majority of guys racing cars could do more for the cars 60 ft times and et by loosing a few pounds on a diet (I know that applies to me) than the difference the differential weight has on the car and most of us build cars to drive at least occasionally on the street and we don,t have the bottomless checking account balance to build a truly competitive race car, so durability is more important than saving 30 lbs and running within 1%-3% of the parts stress limitations.
be honest with yourselves you can,t afford to go rebuilding a differential every few years and most of the cars we drive weight over 3400 lbs with us in them, and most of us build engines that produce under 800hp. throw 700 hp in this calculator and use 3400 lbs then do it over with 3430 lbs and see what the difference is.
lets assume your engine makes 500 ft lbs and 500 hp, well look at the chart above, you think you have nothing to worry about, well untill you do some math, and figure that 500 ft lbs x a 4.56:1 ratio, is well over 2000 lbs of torque and add in the shock loads inertia, and smapping an axle or shredding gear teath is childs play with slicks and decent traction with that engine!
add nitrous and its almost a sure predicted failure!
http://www.wallaceracing.com/et-hp-mph.php
personally I think a nearly 40% plus increase in strength is well worth the 30 lb weight penalty

http://www.wallaceracing.com/driveshaftspeed.php
http://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/c976_combination_universal_joints.html
http://pstds.com/critical-speed-chart/

http://www.wolferacecraft.com/pinionangle.aspx

http://azdriveshaft.com/

You'll need to consider the materials its made from,
the diameter of the drive shaft tube,
and the torque loads its expected to handle, and rpms it will need too transmit as it turns
, naturally as both torque, loads, and rpms increase the strength,
of the materials and yoke and bearing size and resulting cost to build it from quality materials,increases.
As you will see looking over the chart below,a 44"-60" increase in length , results in a very large reduction in the recommended rpm range, as the length increased,and its a big mistake to assume youll get by with inferior materials or workmanship or without having the drive shaft properly balanced.
youll see few performance cars with two piece drice shafts but at times its required.
heres a bit of related info below

Driveshaft Tech and FAQ

Operating Angle
Operating angles in a driveshaft are the angles between the pinion, driveshaft and transmission centerlines. The optimal angle for any driveshaft to run at is 1/2 degree, where many vibrational and frictional problems are non-existent. In order to minimize power loss and vibration in an offset configuration, the pinion centerline and the transmission centerline need to be parallel. In general, the largest angle for racing applications should 2 degrees and the centerlines should be parallel within 1/2 degree. With suspension movement the operating angle will increase, but should not exceed 15 degrees. If the centerlines are off too far, the u-joints travel at uneven operating velocities, causing vibration (this is the same problem induced by poorly phased end yokes). This vibration is hard to distinguish from an unbalanced driveshaft.

Critical Speed
Critical speed is the speed at which a spinning shaft will become unstable. This is one of the single largest factors in driveshaft selection. When the whirling frequency and the natural frequency coincide, any vibrations will be multiplied. So much that the shaft may self destruct. Another way to think of this is that if a shaft naturally vibrates at 130 times a second, and one point on the shaft passes through 0 degrees 130 times a second (7800 RPM) then the shaft has hit a critical speed. There are several ways to raise the critical speed of a driveshaft. You can make it lighter, stiffer, or increase diameter without increasing weight. This is the reason carbon fiber makes a good driveshaft, it is stiff and light and can be made to any diameter or wall thickness. Aluminum, while it has a very good critical speed is not quite as strong as steel. Steel, with good strength characteristics will have a lower critical speed.

87vette81big · Jun 26, 2015

I still have the Dana 60-2 4.10 Posi Rear Grumpy.
Removed from a 1963 Ford F-100 series 1/2 ton 2wd drive pickup.

What's interesting also about the Factory Mopar Musclecar Rears Dana 60 equipped 1966-71 is that 2 different axle shaft spline counts were produced.
30 spline axles & 35 spline Hemi Dana 60's.
The exact usage is sketchy researching online.
But it appears all Hemi 426 'Cudas 1970-71 Dana 60's received 35-spline axle shafts & matching Power Lock Dana 60 Posi units.

87vette81big · Jun 26, 2015

Also you can take a 30-spline Dana Power Lock Posi and easily convert to 35-spline. Just change out the side gears. On ebay Sold New. Affordable .

dana 60 one of the strongest rears differentials available

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