Well a couple of months ago one of the unit bearings in my front axle on the Ex seized at freeway speed and destroyed just about everything in the front axle (see this thread for the gruesome details). So between work and some medical stuff I'm finally getting around to fixing it. I'm going to do a Dana 60 swap and so I ordered one from a place in PA through Hollander. Apparently their definition of good condition and mine are different. I'd be pissed if I wasn't already planning on replacing almost everything anyway. If I get it apart and there's anything wrong with the carrier, spiders, ring and pinion, or shafts I still will. Here's a picture to start this off. I'm out for work the rest of the week so hopefully I can make some progress this weekend and provide some more pictures for those that are interested.



Cost breakdown as of 5/21/2016

Parts
Dana 60 takeoff axle (Hollander parts): $425.00
Liftgate service for axle (I was out of town for work and didn't want the wife to have to mess with going to the terminal to pick it up) $150.00
Powerstop AR8580XPR drilled and slotted rotors (Amazon) $119.25
Powerstop S4709 calipers and brackets (Amazon) $185.97
Hawk HB302Y700 LTS pads (Amazon) $78.84
Russel 696490 stainless brake lines (Amazon) $158.40
New Timken 515020 unit bearings (Amazon) $365.56
New dorman 917-513 unit bearing studs (Amazon) $47.50
New moog k80026 upper ball joints (Amazon) $47.90
New moog k8607T lower ball joints (Amazon) $88.50
New moog es3427T tie rod end (Amazon) $36.78
New moog DS1439 tie rod end (Amazon) $97.78
New moog ES3423 tie rod end (Amazon) $45.00
New moog ES3422S steering center link (Amazon) $18.88
New moog DS1438 tie rod end (Amazon) $80.78
New moog ES3426S steering center link (Amazon) $16.99
New spicer SPL55-3X u joints (Amazon) $96.58
New motorcraft auto locking hubs (Dieselorings) $508.44
New hub orings (Dieselorings) $10.38
New motorcraft F81Z-3B458-AA thrust washer sets (Dieselorings) $46.68
New motorcraft F81Z-4428-BA vacuum washer (Dieselorings) $12.38
New yellow hub orings (Dieselorings) $6.50
New motorcraft 3C3Z-3254-CA axle shaft seals (Dieselorings) $127.66
New motorcraft axle dust seals (Dieselorings) $46.38

Total: 2811.63

 

Cool beans. Why did you decide to go D60D60?

 

Figured for a little bit of trouble (shortening the driveshaft) I gain the strength of the larger axle as well as the higher availability of parts. It is pretty hard to find shafts (mine are both probably toast) for the D50 that aren't junk yard takeoffs of unknown history and many of the other non interchangable (D50-D60) parts are hard to find as well. A new carrier for a D50 that isn't a $750 - $1000 locker is pretty much impossible. I'm going to have less than that in the whole swap. So it just made sense to get out of the weaker less available system while the opportunity presented itself. If I had real motivation I'd be doing a coil swap but I just couldn't bring myself to get into it that far (drilling/welding on my frame and then putting my family in the vehicle is a little beyond my confidence level.

 

I will definitely be following along. Take lots of pictures.

 

Just so you know, the ONLY difference in parts between this era D50 and D60 is the stuff in the pumpkin and the inner axle shafts.

 

Does this mean all the unit bearings, ball joints and knuckles directly swap over? What about drive shaft?

 

According to what I've researched unit bearings, knuckles, and ball joints yes, drive shaft no. I'm expecting to need to have the driveshaft shortened (I understand you can also just use a salvage shaft off a 2003 - 2004 truck but I don't have one). We will see as this process goes on.

 

When I did my 60 swap (with coils) I had to shorten the driveshaft.

 

Also what I see.... unit bearings, ball joints, hubs, u- joints, diff cover all the same.

 

Yes, to everything but the driveshaft. Literally everything is the same but the stuff in the pumpin, the pinion seal, yoke, and inner axle shafts.

 

a junk yards definition of " good condition" = probably not bent.

 

Don't rain on the man's parade!

 

That's okay. So long as the carrier, ring and pinion, and shafts are good I'll be fine with it. Was already planning new seals and bearings. My knuckles are in good shape and I'm going to be doing ball joints. I just did my steering stabilizer so that is coming over too. Also doing a complete brake system swap at the same time. If the hubs are functional so much the better because mine are shot, but if I have to buy new ones that won't hurt my feelings. I knew the source truck was a rollover and anything outside the wheels is apt to get damaged in that sort of case. The donor truck was an F350 so I may keep the larger sway bar if it is straight and fits. We'll see how it all goes together but I'm optimistic. First item on the agenda is to get it on some jack stands, pull everything off for inspection, and give it a fresh coat of paint. I'm debating blasting it beforehand to get rid of all the surface rust. Suggestions?

 

sounds like you are on the right track with the rebuild.

I wouldn't hassle with having it blasted, a 4" grinder with a twisted wire brush should clean it up nicely.

 

since it was in a rollover, pay attention to the inner axle clearance around the tube, if it's bent it will show up here. when you get it cleaned up closely inspect the tubes where they go into the pumpkin, look at the plug weld that holds the tubes into the pumpkin, it may be cracked if it is bent.

also check all the wheel studs, they will or can bend or snap in a roll over. I'd consider a unit bearing suspect if any wheel studs are bent.