Used Dana 60

[Bigfoots N Mopars]

A local guy has a 1969 B body dana 60 with a 4:10 locker listed for 1600ish. I have been burned on used parts before, but for less than half of what I am going to spend on a moser muscle pak 60, figured it might be worth a look....but I'm a novice when it comes to cars and would not know what to look for? lockers are noisy from what I understand and that would not effect my decision. What kind of cost to rebuild a used Dana...worse case scenario. Or should I go new as planned?

 

[polywideblock]

worst part about a locker is the outside tire squeal- squeal as you go around corners at low speeds

 

[terzmo]

if you look on e-bay...there is a place that makes dana's for cars ...any dimension...with disc brakes for around 2200 new..drums are less..located in SE Pa.

 

[mmissile]

best used for a "numbers" type car. Better/new stuff out there.

 

[Cranky]

An original 69 Dana 60 is worth a good deal of money to someone that's trying to restore a 69 B body. What are your intentions with this rear? Are you restoring a 69 or plan on using the 60 for general high performance use or racing? If the BOM numbers do indeed say it comes from a 69 and that's what you need, then I say buy it but if you're just going for the 60 to put into something else, then why spend 1600 for it and then build on it? If you want to start from scratch, truck housings are available for cheap. Only thing about those is they usually don't have a provision for a pinion snubber. Also, I would pull the cover off to see what things look like inside.....

 

[dvw]

You could almost buy a new aftermarket S60 for that price
Doug

 

[mmissile]

New and better Dana rears are fairly cheap.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

New Dana 60s are easier to work on than originals.

 

[Bigfoots N Mopars]

Thanks for the input guys. going to go Moser Muscle Pak 60 as originally planned.

 

[Cranky]

New Dana 60s are easier to work on than originals.

Is that because they have the carrier bearing adjusters like the newer 9 1/4's do? If you have the adjusting tool that goes in through the axle housing, yeah, it makes it much easier.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Is that because they have the carrier bearing adjusters like the newer 9 1/4's do? If you have the adjusting tool that goes in through the axle housing, yeah, it makes it much easier.

No shims

 

[oldkimmer]

.............U could get a S60 from Doctor Diff in Polson MT..........Cass is a great guy to deal with..............kim......

 

[snakeoil24]

Don't buy a used Dana, no matter what your going to regret using an old dana it will be beat if it was raced. Been their done that

 

[Cranky]

Don't buy a used Dana, no matter what your going to regret using an old dana it will be beat if it was raced. Been their done that

The worse one I ever saw was from a 79 Dodge 3/4 ton. It was mine at one time and it had a transplanted mild 400, auto and 3.55 gears. It ran 15.40's but ran right at 90 mph easing off the line with the tall tires and no limited slip. I ran the dog out of it then sold it years later to a buddy who finished it off. There wasn't much let in it that was any good and even the Dana had spun the carrier bearing races lol.

 

[snakeoil24]

You get nothing for nothing. Why throw money in a whole.

 

[Cranky]

You get nothing for nothing. Why throw money in a whole.

Especially a hole lot of $$
Thing is, whenever I'm looking at a used one, I check it out pretty good and even ask if I can pull the bearing caps. Never had anyone say no but a couple have questioned me why I wanted to. If I'm hunting, I bring the tools along with me including a torque wrench. That way in case I do not like what I see, the caps can be torqued back into place.

 

[Bigfoots N Mopars]

Thanks for the advice guys still measuring things up and now debating spring relocation will check with Dr Diff have heard good things about him from other people as well.