Help Needed

Marshall is wheeling and dealing getting set to start his upgrade and we have a question. Can we take a Dana 60 off a Ford F250 1978. Next question will a Wagoneer front axle Dana 44 fit right up to Marshalls jeep? I think someone said it will or was it a Grand Cherokee. Help!

i'm afraid i dont understand the question, are you asking if these axles will bolt in with no mods?

if so that would be a big negitive, these axles are wider, have different lug pattern, will not have tj brackets, the steering systems will not hook up, and there will be brake mismatch problems...

pretty much any junkyard axle will have all the same problems....lots of fab work

i believe a late model grand cherokee d44 rear would bolt right in as would rubi stuff, but other than those the only bolt in solution would be aftermarket or home/shop fabbed

A waggy front axle will not match up with that 60 rear...
the front waggy 44 is around 61" WMS. The rear 60 is ~65 WMS

The only axles that will bolt right up are a XJ Dana 30 front (not an upgrade other than being a High Pinion axle), or Rubicon axles. A Grand Cherokee rear is on odd ball dana 44 and not an upgrade, not sure if it will bolt up though.

Like geo said any other axle will require major mods.

Now if your asking if these can be made to fit, then yes. The waggy D44 has the same driver side offset on the diff that will allow it to mate up to Marshall's existing TransCase. Wheel spacers or rim back spacing could help with the difference in widths.
As for the D60 and most other rear axles, the diff will be center aligned. I would say if it is a Full Floating D60 like this one......

Then go For it! If not keep looking.


But as stated above, be ready to re do the suspension mounts , steering, brakes, as well as drive shafts that would need to be modified. Good Luck with the hunt!

Marshall said he would have to cut the axle and make some mods didn't know how much work is involved. Marshall only wanted the housing he plans to take it somewhere and have the guts put in...will that work?

IntenseBlue wrote:

Now if your asking if these can be made to fit, then yes. The waggy D44 has the same driver side offset on the diff that will allow it to mate up to Marshall's existing TransCase. Wheel spacers or rim back spacing could help with the difference in widths.

Not totally true, The 1980 and earlier fronts IIRC are Passenger side drops, not drivers side.

Renee10 wrote:

Marshall said he would have to cut the axle and make some mods didn't know how much work is involved. Marshall only wanted the housing he plans to take it somewhere and have the guts put in...will that work?

Then he will have a problem with the different lug patterns. The waggies are 6 lug, the Dana 60 8 lug. The front can be changed to an 8 lug using chevy 3/4 ton outers though.

If it were me, I would look to find a 78-79 Ford F-250 front Dana 44. High pinion stronger, better axle tubes etc... and i would leave the axles full width

Here's a lot of info on the front dana 60. If you go with a 60 on the rear, you might as well go 60's front and rear and skip the 44. Look into the '78-'79 Fords for good axles for swaps.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/60_front/index.html

Thanks, a lot of info.

he could do D44s front & rear and add a truss and super 44 kit to both.
just another option.