DRW Chevy Dana 60s

#1
When the hell did people start asking the same money for dually fronts as SRW fronts? I've been shopping for a 60 front for about a month and people are just nuts with their prices it seems. The only axle I've found that was reasonable is a CUCV front but it's in Arkansas so that kills it.

The last time I was window shopping a year or so back it was common to see a dually front in the $5-600 price range, but now people are asking $1000-1500 for a pair of dually axles. No one wants the rear 75" wms d70, and your front isn't worth $1000!

Only reason I'm looking at DRW fronts is that I'm planning to run 5 lug hubs so I'll be swapping them out. I just don't want to pay a premium for the less desirable axle just because it has 60 in the name. Am I taking crazy pills or has the market changed such that an axle requiring significant machine work or replacement parts to work for most people is now worth big money?


On a related note, if anyone has a line on an axle for me LMK. 4.56 gear preferred. A CUCV front under $1000 would be a great option.
 
#2
They are getting tough to find, but I can't see dually fronts being 1500. I also never saw them for 500 either. From what I saw when I was shopping a Chevy/Dodge 60 front was 800-1200 and a Ford was 900-1500 assuming ready to bolt in condition. I had a cheap Ford takeout I got for $600 but it was in need of some work.
 
#3
Yeah, I haven't seen only the front. People are trying to sell them as a pair, but who needs that wide of a rear axle? I guess if you are looking to run stock H1s it would be ok. I figure the rear is not worth more than the $100 I could get them from PAP for. Sure I don't have to pull it, but I don't want it in the first place. lol

The search continues. Thankfully I'm not in a rush, but after breaking one of the chromo stubs in my d44 I'm thinking its time to be in the market for a 60.
 
#5
Well damn. Whiten you are good at spending my money for me. Lol

That's what I'm looking for but it will be about 3 weeks before I'd have time to go get it between work travel and vacation plans. Screw it, I'll just wait until after Dixie run and start searching hot and heavy.
 
#8
Thanks for keeping an eye out for me. Between a promotion and travel at work, vacation, and now Dixie Run I just haven't had time to follow up on anything. The more I look the more I think I'll be in better shape if I buy one with the matching 4.56 gears already installed. That probably means a CUCV axle and more money, but if I need to regear a $600 axle I'll be over $1000 by the time I get that done anyways.

I just had my balljoints and wheel bearings replaced in the d44 (balljoints were very bad) so hopefully that will hold together for a while longer now and I can hold out for a good d60 find.
 
#9
And just like that, the search appears to be over. I just handed some cash over to a friend who is heading to the SRRS final this weekend. He's picking up a CUCV d60 from a guy that will be at the race and bringing it home for me.
 
#11
He did. I picked it up tonight. I got some work to do now. I also need another set of wheels. I started pricing converting to 5lug and it's no less than a new set of wheels.
 
#13
Since the post is 5 months old I presume he sold them by now. Anything approaching $800 total would really make it not worth it. The eaton rear also messed with the original 5lug plan as there isn't a good way to make that happen other than 14bolt hubs and machining them to fit the eaton bearings.

For now I'm still getting some parts together and will be wheel shopping as well.
 
0

01tj

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#14
Not to Hi-jack the thread but I guess Chevy Hubs wont fit a Ford with out Knuckles and Spindles? I'd like to have a set of 5 lug hubs.
 
#16
So now that I'm into this a bit I'll offer some advice to anyone else looking at upgrading to 1 tons.

Buy the best condition, and upgraded axle you can find. A take out from a built rig that hasn't been sitting up for years. Spend the $1500-$2000 and be done with it. Up front savings are great and I still think I did good on my axle, but just the basic upgrades (locker, 35spline outers, diff cover, replacement u-joints, steering, etc) have tacked on another $900 on top of the purchase price pretty quickly and I'm not done just yet.

The good news is I'm learning all about my new axles so I'll be able to work on it if I have problems in the future, but it hurt my "tube out the Jeep" fund, and it's a lot of work. lol
 
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