SAS trying to find the right axle.

I've being doing some and Im looking into starting to collect some stuff for a SAS and rear axle swap. Im pretty set on doing D60's front & rear(I'd be willing to go for d70/14b if you guys convinced me but i think thats way overkill). I want my tire size to be somewhere around 35"-37". I would need a driver side drop d60 for the front I'm pretty sure? Is there something i should specifically be looking for in the axle that i get? dodge vs ford vs chevy? I read somewhere about ford kingpins being a good candidate for the front?

Also what gear ratio would be best for 35" - 37" tires?
If i wanted to put an ARB locker in the axle how easy would it be to change the gear ratio at the same time?

I know this will be expensive. Im not looking for any type of price related info.

Any info/links would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

If you are dead set on 1 tons, I highly recommend any Ford D60 front (even ball joint axles since they are much cheaper than kingpin axles). Driver side drop and full width is awesome! Many say Ford steering knuckles are the weak point but most people plate them with 1/4" steel and don't have issues. I have Chevy knuckles on my Ford axle, its a bastard!

D60 rear is fine. Just know that most full float rear axles have 30 spline axle shafts which isn't any stronger than your Toyota rear axle. Upgrades to chromo shafts is an option or you can bore out the spindles and run big boy 35 spline chromos. The upside is you get a bigger ring and pinion than stock, 9.75" vs 8", and you have a lot more low gear options.

My opinion? 37's MINIMUM for 1 tons. 35's on 1 tons is too small, you'll have less ground clearance than you do now. 35" tires and maybe 37's if you wheel pretty conservatively, I would consider a Ford high pinion Dana 44 front axle and the matching Ford 9" rear or keep your stock rear axle and put wheel spacers on or swap in a Tundra rear housing.

Your profile says 2.7 so I would gear the axles as low as you can go; 5.89's is what I recommend on 1 tons, 5.29 is as low as you can go on Toyota axles. You won't ever complain about the truck being "too quick" after adding a bunch of weight to it with big tires/axles.

The best time to install an ARB is while you re-gear because you only pay labor once.

I might add that a D60 front can be built pretty cheaply with the option of going to bigger tires later (everyone does) a reality. You can throw a ton of money into a D44 front and run big tires but its still a D44 and ball joints will always be the weak point. A stock 60 with 35 spline outer shafts can handle 40's easily. Cost wise, they would be pretty similar. After being down the D44 route, I'm glad I did a 60 with this truck.

 

Thanks for all that info. Really helpful. ^ I've been following your build on IG and on here haha.
I agree I don't want to regret putting in a d44 at a later time. I'd rather overdo it the first time rather than having to do it a second time.

Ok so any ford front. So long as it's ford and driver drop/full width. I want 35 spline for the front too right? It seems like a lot of the fronts are only 30 spline.

So basically i either need to find a 35 spline rear or get a 30 spline bored out. But other than that it doesn't really matter what year/make as long as it's a d60(rear)? Guess I'll probably end up getting tires 37-40". Probably won't find any d60's already geared to 5.89 so I should plan on having to regear them regardless.

Hmm tundra rear end sounds interesting. Ill include that into my search.

 

All 60 fronts have 35 spline inners and none of them came with 35 spline outers, only 30. That will be an upgrade you do, if you decide.

D60 rears are a dime a dozen it seems like. The full float D60 rear I used to have came from an old Ford. It was a D60HD and I bored the spindles out to fit 35 spline shafts.

I only suggest a Tundra rear if you use a D44 front because its easier and far cheaper to convert a D44 to 6 lug than it is to convert a D60 to 6 lug.

 

Ahh ok. So the only thing that would need to be bored out is the spindles? do you remember which shop did it? or you did it yourself?

Hmm after doing a little 6 lug conversion research I'm starting to realize that it would be a lot easier and cheaper to just get rims to fit the 8 lugs.. I guess it would be just as easy to convert the axles to 6 lugs after they are installed right?

Is there any type of guide/parts list to rebuilding a D60 axle?

Ill just hold off on the SCS rims in that case.

Very helpful info thanks again bro.

 

Yeah spindles bored out and you can fit 35 spline shafts. I did it myself with a hole saw and a drill. It worked pretty good! NWItaco did the same thing to his rear axle with no issues. Check his thread.

Definitely cheaper to buy 8 lug wheels if you're using junkyard axles. I wouldn't see a need to go back to 6 lug for any reason after they are installed.

Dana 60 bible:
http://www.billavista.com/tech/Articles/Dana_60_Front_Axle_Bible/

SCS rims are bling, if you're going for that type of truck

 

Sweet. Thats definitely something i can do. Im an expert w/ hole saws haha..

NICE! thats exactly what i needed thanks. Time to do some reading.

I feel it.. Ill decided wether or not if i still want the SCS's down the road.. Not sure if SCS rims are worth it.. would cost about $ 6,000 - $ 7,000 lol.

 

Ok so I'm at the point where I think I'm gunna pick up the rear axle..
I'm thinking it might be smart to just go with a d70 since they are already setup with 35spline shafts..
Would it save me money in the long run to just go d70 instead of d60 since I can reuse the shafts on the d70??

 

Not to be a dick but if you gotta ask...


That said, for most a 60 vs 70 isnt about cost its strength vs ground clearance and weight. The 70 has a much larger and stronger center section. With 37s I would suggest the 60. I'm not sure you even need 35 spline chromos.

 

bro in no way shape or form were you a dick by helping me out with that information.

Thanks for helping me make a quick decision. I'm going w/ d60.

 

It might be too late, but the 14bolt is far superior and cheaper than a 60. The 60 rear shafts aren't much larger than d44 shafts and toyota shafts (yes i know they are full float blah blah blah) but the 14bolt shafts are larger (forgot how much its been a while since i've torn into them) they have the pinion support gear which minimizes gear deflection, and you can set the gears up yourself as they use collars and not those damn shims like a dana axle. The one thing you HAVE to do with a 14bolt is weld the tubes to the pumpkin as they will twist while wheeling. On my friends 14bolt swap, he was told this, and blew it off, and the first one out he pointed the rear pinion to the sky in moab!

 

A 30 spline D60 shaft is about as strong as a stock Toyota shaft, I woulde recommend going 35 spline.

I prefer a 60 rear, here's why. More ground clearance. Shave them both and the 60 still wins.

Upgrade the 60 to 35 spline shafts and then the only thing the 14b has on the 60 is stronger gearset (larger + extra pinion brng) and the ease of setup. I don't really count the setup as an advantage bc usually you set them up once and leave it, it's not like it saves time and money over and over again.

It really all comes down to how much you want to spend, and what deals you can find. I was set on the 14b until I found a 60 with an LSD (sold for $$), disk brakes, and the right gears for $200. Cheap chromo shafts and I am into my 60 for less than a 14b set up the same, only with stronger shafts.

And great recommendation on welding the tubes, I would suggest it on a 60 as well. I spun the tubes on my rear 60, but not as bad as your buddy, just enough to crack the plug welds and create leaks.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I think i will still be going with a 60. thegame said it wasn't too hard to do the 35 spline conversion either.. pretty much just need a whole saw for it. This project may take a bit longer to save up for than i originally thought. Ill probably start doing some side jobs within the next month or so. Most likely i will have to collect parts for a year or two.

 

Check out my thread as previously mentioned. Here's a fewposts I made on the spindle boring and setup. I even sold the setup when I was done with it!

 

i literally have all of that stuff except for the right size hole saw.. I used to be a plumber and use all that stuff on almost a daily basis.

Thanks for all that info very helpful.

EDIT:
just saw how you put 2 hole saws on one arbor.. Great idea.

 

No problem. Its all common stuff except for that "oops" arbor, but plumbers usually have those handy, lol.