but in all seriousness, if you can't find one, you can buy an after market center section, tube it, add Cs (as long as all is stock measurements) and then run stock shafts and outers

 

Git-r-done now that there is funny, i don't care what ya say!

Thanks

 

77 lowboy means you have leaf springs up front, I'm guessing?

Its not that much fabrication, just outboarded LS mounts... You can go to a junkyard and prolly find yourself some factory mounts that will fit if thats your bent, I think ruff stuff sells some that will work, and I've seen them made out of box tube. If you can get the newer 60 cheap enough to warranty the work, its not like is that big of a deal.

 

but then you have to deal with big tires fitting the leaf springs on tight turns

 

The D60 is 1.5" wider than the D44, not a huge amount, but it does give you an additional .75" of clearance on either side.

 

the issue is going to the 80s Dana 60. the 78/79 Dana 44 and Dana 60 have the same spring pad width.

 

I'm aware of that, i was referring to the wms-wms measurement, as for the later '80's D60 i concur, i wouldn't even bother with it, source a 78/79 D60 and save yourself all the headaches.

 

Not really. There are more than a few 80-97 leaf spring trucks running around with "big" tires.

It sounds like a lot of trouble to relocate the front spring mounts and make/find new shackles, but in the grand scheme of things its pretty simple. Take a look at what IFS chevy guys do to get a solid axle up front. Though I'd probably just stick with the 44, if you have your heart set on a 60 and come across a later model unit for reasonable I say go for it. I just picked up a low mile 93 ball joint axle in the boneyard of all places, and for $300 to boot. I think I'd fall over if I came across a 78/79 unit in the yard, let alone for that kind of money.

 

80% of chevy SAS are done on the inside of the frame, here is my kit. It's to be used for 32" spring pads. There is only one company that makes a 36.5 kit (If I remember correctly), and then the rest are 32" leafs, coil sprung, or home made.



we are starting to get off topic. But basically, I'd wheel that 44. If you really want a 60 and cant find a ford one, consider a chevy or dodge and run the dodge divorced transfer case to replace yours.

 

How do you like Sky's kit? There are a bunch of kits out there for the 36 inch axles now. I have a 79 and the aforementioned 93, and have been looking at putting one or the other into my obs silvy. The kits for the 36.5 are still inboard the frame at the shackles, but just a bit off the outside front frame rail. Fabworx makes the best looking/strongest kit for the 36 inch axle as far as I can tell, and will probably be the route I chose.

 

we are starting to get off topic. But basically, I'd wheel that 44. If you really want a 60 and cant find a ford one, consider a chevy or dodge and run the dodge divorced transfer case to replace yours.[/quote]

We might be getting a little off topic but seeing that i started the thread i must say that i'm getting an education from all of you so Thank You all even if it went off road LOL for a spell. This is what makes this such a great forum!

Thanks Again
Tony
AKA Stinky

 

I really like Sky's stuff, I don't have the truck to put it on now, but I can't wait to use it,

 

for the money you would spend on a 60 you can go full chromoly on the 44 and have the same strength as a stock 60. And its a good bit lighter. If youre not gonna beat on it thats what I'd do. Or just spend a couple hundred on decent aftermarket shafts and replace stuff as you break it. Can't go wrong by not fixing what isn't broke.

 

OK, I think i'm going to go with "If it ain't broke don't fix it" and put the extra cash into a new mig welder might even go tig and learn something new

 

Hasteranger makes a good point, just run the 44, if you break it you break it, if you don't you don't, no need to throw 1K at a 60 if you don't need to, and for your intended usage a 60 is probably overkill any way.