D60 driver to pass. drop swap

Scout-It-Out

Scout-It-Out

Member
It was hard to come up with a title for this one! I've been looking around for a pass. Side drop d60. They seem to be more scarce than the driver drop. Can I get the driver drop and cut the tubes and swap the long and short sides? I would probably have to cut the outer c's off so the right and left stay on the right sides. I got a 60 for the rear out of a 92 dodge. The front was a 44 though! Doh!!:frown2: there's not very many 3/4 ton dodges in the wrecking yards around here.
Thanks for the input!!
 
No way I'd ever try to "reverse" one of these axles with an offset pumpkin. And in order to do it, you'd have to have a correctly machined axle shaft jig to center up the tubes to the center section.
 
It could be done - but for the cost you'd be better off finding a pass drop d60. They seem to go for $1000 all day long, pretty much all across the county.

You'd be pretty close to $1000 into swapping tubes on a drivers drop.
 
If you did a GM auto swap or a GM nv4500, you could use a driver's side drop np-241 xfr case. It really isn't that crazy a thought...
 
People do it all the time to get high-pinion, passenger drop axles, but its a fair amount of work, and they do it for the strength and clearance benefits of the hp housing.

Where the hell is "live oak"?? I find it hard to believe you can't find one in your area. They are every were.

Economy is down, d60's are cheaper now than they have been for while. Heck, my first one I got from the east coast, even with shipping it was cheaper than I could find locally (they are cheap over there, the trucks rust before the axles do).

Stick it out for the right one. It will be cheaper and easier in the long run.
 
Brandon did this on his hp d44.

You need to take it to someone who has a jig to make sure the tubes are straight.

The long side is cut to be the same length of the short side so the shafts switch sides.

New tube is used on the ds, which will be the same as the long side.

Iirc it's like $300-$500 to have a housing re-tubed... Less if you remove the tube yourself.

If you're going to do this, you might as well do it to a high-pinion, so you get the advantage of the higher yoke/more driveshaft clearance).

Keep it mind you will have problems with the leaf spring perch not being on the correct side. (many of the guys doing this either make the housing more centered & use custom shafts, or they do coils).
 
Totally doable. You do not need a jig for the tubes, if it was a rear with spindles you would.

Just die grind the plug welds out, porta power the tubes out, swap the tubes and press back in. Yes it is harder than it sounds:d, but that's what needs to be done.

Reuben, here on the board, had a 60 on his old rig we did it to.
 
Thanks guys!! I knew it could be done. I just didn't know about how hard it was or about the spring perches. I hadn't thought of that! I'll keep looking. I went to 4 pick n pull stores this weekend. Not one solid axle d60. Driver or pass. Drop! I did see a couple scouts and an IH pickup with a devorced transfercase. I picked up a hydra boost for my Dad's Scout so it wasn't a complete waste of time. Thanks again for the info!!

Live oak is about an hours drive north of sacramento CA.
 
Scout-it-out said:
thanks guys!! I knew it could be done. I just didn't know about how hard it was or about the spring perches. I hadn't thought of that! I'll keep looking. I went to 4 pick n pull stores this weekend. Not one solid axle d60. Driver or pass. Drop! I did see a couple scouts and an IH pickup with a devorced transfercase. I picked up a hydra boost for my Dad's Scout so it wasn't a complete waste of time. Thanks again for the info!!

Live oak is about an hours drive north of sacramento CA.
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You'll never find one at a pick-n-pull on the west coast. They do not make it to the yard.

Craigslist will get you one though.
 
chris pucci said:
you'll never find one at a pick-n-pull on the west coast. They do not make it to the yard.

Craigslist will get you one though.
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or pirate, but the wa and probably or craigslist if "full" of them (well, typicaly a couple a week). Plan on spending $700-$1000 for one, then a nother few undred fixing it up and another couple for regearing it, unless you luck out and find one ready to go with they gears you need.

Always add up what someone is selling a "built" on for that might be close to what you want vs finding a "cheapy" and rebuilding it... There is savings in spending a little more now and saving in the long run.


Join and keep an eye out on your local 4x4 boards as well.
 
You bring up a good point Mark. I saw a d60 with chrome moly shafts and ctm joints on pirate a while back for $1200. Not bad for what you get!

I didn't get to the stockton one. It was a half price weekend at the pick n pull. If I'd found one it would have been about $150! Talk about the deal of the century!!
 
Andy, your drivetrain is fine for up to 33s-35s.

Worry about your cage & gearing first.
If you regear your d44s & wheel them for 1-2 years you'll get your moneys worth & then be able to sell them for a decent price.

Build some good bumpers & sliders as well.

If you want to upgrade, look for a 14b/d44 combo on the cheap for the next upgrade (over the next 1-2 years). You then can save up for the d60 front & you'll be where I am.
 
The problem with swapping tubes on a hp 60 is that it leaves very little room for a spring perch on the pass side. Mike had to do some creative cast welding on mine to get a spring perch on.
 
I took my new lock-right and gears to my local axle guy. Talked to him about this exactly. I am going to do the high pinion 44 from a Ford and we are going to flip the axle tubes to have a 44 pass drop high pinion. Then when I scrounge up the cash he is going to take a 60 high pinion and put equal tubes on each side and I'll have a high 60 rear. So we'll move the lock-right from the rear 44 to the front and I'll get something for rear. But he said its all easy, just how much $$$ you have.
 
Also andy the guy I am talking about is up here in redding and he has the 44's and 60' to do in his axle grave yard. Kirk at gear connection in redding. Only an hour and a half from you. Tell him I sent you. I don't get a cut or anything but he has done many different Scout axles in our neck of the woods.
 
Keep in mind that when you move the hp to the rear, you are then making the "coast" side of the gears the primary/forward side.

I've been told that when using a hp pumpkin in the rear (coast side), it's just a hair stronger than a low pinion d44.

So, you end up spending $$$ for very little gain (strength wise). True you get better clearance.
If I had to do over again, I'd do a 14 bolt, shave it & do a pinion guard.

Besides, hp60s are $800-$1k... Why move it to the rear?
 
Thanks for the info, travis. I have a d60 in a '92 dodge w250. I'm going to use that in the rear. I don't care to do a high pinion.

Mocha Mike
I'm thinking now about building my parts Scout. It's a 75 so no smog! I could shorten the w250 frame and put the Scout body on it. It would be a 3/4 ton frame, FI 360 v8, 5sp manual trans. This sounds like a new thread! I haven't said anything before 'couse someone might try and talk me out of it! I think it sounds cool!!
Thanks!!
 
That's the quick and easy way to do it. I'm sure there will be some issues, but if you have a working truck and what to swap a body's that's not to hard. The issue will be having a gantry crane as it will take several tries to get everything to fit.
 
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