Next Step Up From Dana 60?

[geardaddy]

The main advantage the Dana 61 had was for people wanting the 3.00 or 3.07 gears although 3.33, 3.55, 3.73 and 4.10 are available for it. They are usually a lot cheaper than the 60 because of a lot of unknowns about gearing, but with some Mr. Gasket spacers and other tricks you can use Dana 60 gears 4.56 and higher.

the posi carrier used in a dana 61 3.54 is the same one used for a dana 60-4.56 up (numerically)....remember, if you are trying to I.D. a gear set, always check the ring gear #. the 60 and 61 did share the same pinion # on the common ratios....confused yet? sorry.. **the spicer XGI books have several misprints concerning the gear set numbers on the dana 61***

 

[rikkitik]

Since nobody mentioned it (or asked.....lol), I'll bring up the Strange S60/Dana.
Nodular iron housing (lighter, as well as stronger), and comes with 35 spline axles. I have a B width S60 on a pallet in the garage, but unfortunately, no shipping weight on the tag.
Anyway, Strange claims they're only 15lbs heavier than a 9", just as strong, and more efficient.

 

[Runcharger]

Yup and easily adjusted side adjusters.

 

[Phantomx]

Guys claiming weight on their cars like a woman on her driver's license.

Look buddy, it’s only 115lbs!
Travis..

 

[F4R/T]

Ever seen a 9” with the snout twisted out? I have a friends that runs NSS and his buddy was running a BB Buick and it ate it ... pretty impressive and disappointing.

 

[6PKRTSE]

Funny thing is I have numerous buddies that have all gone with a 9" for the simplicity of the center section, but none of them swap out any gear ratios ever. Once set up the cars run good as is.

 

[Cranky]

I also used a similarly modified truck Dana 60 in my Cuda. There was no provision for a pinion snubber.
Some consider a ford 9” to be the next step up from a Dana.

A stock 60 vs a stock 9? No way the 9 is a step up. Have to modify the 9 just to bring it up to snuff. The main thing about the 9 is it's a drop out rear but someone still has to set up all the gears at one time or another.

 

[Cranky]

Ever seen a 9” with the snout twisted out? I have a friends that runs NSS and his buddy was running a BB Buick and it ate it ... pretty impressive and disappointing.

A buddy of mine did that to an 8" with a 289 and 3 speed lol. The 8" is no more than a smaller version of the 9.

 

[toolmanmike]

Ever seen a 9” with the snout twisted out? I have a friends that runs NSS and his buddy was running a BB Buick and it ate it ... pretty impressive and disappointing.

Ford 9's are strong by size but not by design. There's a reason

A buddy of mine did that to an 8" with a 289 and 3 speed lol. The 8" is no more than a smaller version of the 9.

Those 8.8's are the hot ticket for the A body guys. They are fairly easy to modify and have disc brakes. They are easy to find and fairly cheap.

 

[dvw]

My truck Dana with, ladder bar, shock, wheelie bar brackets, 35 spline axles, spool, 5/8" studs, and the heavy cast LTR cover (6.5lb), w/o brakes weighed 172lbs. The solid rotor Willwoods can't weigh 20 lbs. The sure grip makes a Dana heavy. Spool saves a bunch
Doug

 

[Moparfever65]

Ford 9" does seem to be the industry standard for racing., but I kept my Coronet pedigree with a Dana 60. There is something about the Ford 9" pinion offset that's a weak point. I managed to break the pinion support in a nodular iron 9" in my Cougar with a fairly stock 351W, standard trans. Hard hits are where it matters, standard trans or trans brake can find your weak spot.

 

[4406bbl]

For the average guy with a heavy street/drag car the dana 60 is the best choice by far. A strange 60 or a 90s van light housing is only a 40-50# weight increase, in the right place, and you most likelywill not have to work on it. Gear swaps are simple with a set of slip bearings or just set up 2 gearsets when you build the dana, that is still cheaper than a comparable strength 9", and a spare pumpkin. Once you go real fast the 9" wins mainly because you can get a stronger housing either aftermarket or backbraced.

 

[Geoff 2]

Something stronger than a Dana? Something out of a Kenworth?

 

[Photon440]

I've been curious as to the type of rear end used in a 10,000 hp. top fuel dragster.

 

[Cranky]

I've been curious as to the type of rear end used in a 10,000 hp. top fuel dragster.

Been a few years since even being close to one but it sure ain't no 9!

 

[Hemirunner]

For the average guy with a heavy street/drag car the dana 60 is the best choice by far. A strange 60 or a 90s van light housing is only a 40-50# weight increase, in the right place, and you most likelywill not have to work on it. Gear swaps are simple with a set of slip bearings or just set up 2 gearsets when you build the dana, that is still cheaper than a comparable strength 9", and a spare pumpkin. Once you go real fast the 9" wins mainly because you can get a stronger housing either aftermarket or backbraced.

This pretty much sums it up. The 9” needs aftermarket housings and pinion support to handle the same power a stock Dana will take. If you build an aftermarket 9” housing with heavy wall axle tubes and back brace it, the weight difference isn’t as drastic. I’m pushing 1200+ whp through a stock Dana housing, rebuilt sure grip and factory gear set. The axles are 23 spline Mosers. It’s been sub 5.50 at 3950lbs. You can build a really nice Dana for $1500. I’ll have $4000 in my built 9” before it’s done just because the center section is so expensive.

 

[440 PHIXX]

Yes, the Dana 60 is right on par with the 8 3/4” and many other axles for efficiency. The pinion is closer to the axle centerline than the Ford 9”. As the vid says and shows, in a drag race application, the 60 and its 50# weight increase don’t really make any difference. On the other hand, if you are road racing or doing some other type of high speed hijinks where unsprung weight is a serious consideration, the lighter axle wins. The simple fact is that the Ford 9” has become the industry standard with an enormous following, and continual development, even though it hasn’t been in a production vehicle since the mid 80s. Aside from drag racing and rock crawling you’d be hard pressed to find a Dana axle in anything competitive. Like I said, it depends what you’re doing with it as to which is better.
Travis..

Yeah but… the Dana looks kool!

 

[Charger 770]

Down here Dana 60s area little thin on the ground, but I was still able to build one out of a Dodge truck housing, heavy duty, thick wall tubes, and score another one for my stash.

Shortened it, welded axle tubes to center housing, added billet 35 spline floater axles, a Detroit Locker, 4.10 gears, aftermarket (Aust) full floating hubs, Strange yoke, 5/8"studs, GM disc rotors drilled with Mopar pattern and Nissan Skyline brake calipers.

Full floaters are an engineering requirement for narrowed rears here these days, debatable whether its needed in a street/strip car, but a requirement for registration.

Essentially a bulletproof rear and safe as well.

 

[theman440]

I upgraded from a 8 3/4 to a Dana (same gear ratio, both with spools) on my drag car, the first thing I noticed was how much easier the Dana was to turn buy hand. Yes its heavier but the pluses (less power to spin it, stronger ) outweigh the minus (weight).