I'm looking to do a SAS on my '87 F-150. I am wondering are the Dana 60 worth the added durability or are the Dana 44's good enough. i don't do any serious wheeling the most i do is go up on the mountain to get some firewood. I've looked high and low for the Dana 60's and not found any. at the local junkyard they just got in a 78 f-150 and i can pick up the set of axles there for $400. Where as the Dana 60 set will run about three times that. Thoughts?

 

Good luck to any replies. I think the 44 will work just fine. If you want you can upgrade your axles to chrome moly with spicer ujoints. Chech out Wildhorse 4x4 at WILD HORSES 4X4 Off-Road Parts and Accessories 66-79 Ford Broncos. Talk with Johnny he will take care of you.

 

Thanks for the info...Whats your opinion on the arb lockers? my understanding is when unlocked its a regular differential but flip a switch and you have a locked in differential..is that right? and how does it handle locked and free? would you suggest the investment to someone else?

 

I love my ARB lockers and yes when they are unlock they are a regular open diff. When the front is locked it limits your turning radius more so on dry pavement. The way ARB are system setup you can only lock the front in after you lock the rear in first. But you can over ride it.

 

If you plan on keeping the rig and using it, I would go with 60's. By the time you buy the weaker F150 44, plus all the upgrades and everything needed, you would probably have nearly a set of 60's paid for and still be way stronger. An added plus is that you can walk in to most any local parts store and get parts for the 60 and not have to wait for custom moly parts or expensive aftermarket to be sent. The rear 60 is no problem and they are laying around pretty much all over. So you just need to find a front 60 in the ratio you want. Where about are you located? I have a set of Dana 60's with 4:10 ratio in them I am planning to sell. I will tell you waht, if you buy the front diff I will throw in the rear 60 as part of the package. Let me know if you are still looking for a set of 60's or you decided to go with the 44 instead.

 

if you can get a 60 front for a decent price i would but if not for the type of wheeling you say your going to do a 44 would be fine. i dont know what size tire your going to run but a 44 will hold up to 38s just to get firewood. i had 35s on my 83 with a sas d44 and a built 351w and beat the **** out of it.

 

Tire size is really the deciding factor here. If you are planning on running 38's or bigger I would go Dana 60. With the usage you're describing, a Dana 44 will be fine with tires smaller than that.

 

Does that include the cost of four tires and rims to fit the new lug pattern?

 

A 44 would be just fine, a 60 would just be wasting money. Plus you wouldn't have to change the rear axle simply because of lug patterns. Honestly, for just getting firewood an sas swap isn't necessary. The TTB isn't as weak as many will make you believe. But if your dead set on an sas, go with the 44.

 

I agree with aic the ttb front is pretty stout. i went with a sas because i got tired of fighting alighnment issues every few months. i also broke the long side slip axle a few times. another thing to think about is a 44 swap is straightforward but a 60 swap youll have to go to leafsprings in the front or convert the 60 to coilsprings.