TheMistaken's D60 Buildup/Install

Quote from KnoxRents

That is a very good point regarding the running of the cables. It took a couple mistakes to get mine right but it has been very reliable since then. The adjustment is really not that difficult (unless I've just gotten used to it).

FYI, in addition to the cable, OX does offer air and electronic actuation although they are a little new to the market for any realistic reviews.

Definitely not difficult to adjust, just a slightly more involved install then the Arb.

One tip to anyone w/ an Ox...check the bolts holding the end cap on the carrier! Then check them again. And then when you're done that take them out and use red (that's R-E-D...you know, the extra-strong-needs-heat-to-get-back-off kind) loctite to install them. I had issues w/ mine engaging on two occasions and both times it was those loosening and a couple dropping out.

--Ian

Quote from TheMistaken

Tire squeal means tire wear! HAHA

I know all about the detroit being in the rear, I have one there now and ran it for about 4k on the road before taking the jeep off the road. If I drive the thing anywhere it will be around here and that is it. I am still going to be trailering to wheel and all. We will see... I may end up doing ected's in both... Who the hell knows though.

Ian, Does yours act like Jerry said, or does it positively lock?

Unless your trying to be a "Baller" like Ian, I dont see the need to spend the money on the Elockers. Since you hardly drive it on the street, why spend a bunch of money to save on tire wear? You could easily take more life from a tire by wheeling it all day than you would by driving in for weeks with a spool or Lincoln locker. Hell you could just as easily blow out a sidewall on a brand new tire the first day out on the trail. I say save the extra money for other stuff and just linclon lock it or spool it in the rear, this way if you ever do break a rear axle or something, and it takes out the locker(trust me ive had it happen) It will only cost you a the price of a d60 carrier or a spool. My .02

Wasn't a result of trying to be a 'baller'...more along the lines of keeping mine streetable. It is possible to drive w/ a spooled rear but tends to be a little less enjoyable. In the rear you could get away with it, I used to just leave my rear Ox engaged some days and didn't notice much save for the additional tire scrub of the 'spooled' rear but there was the push of understeer on all turns as well as the requisite squealing/hopping on tight turns. In the front no way in hell onroad and offroad you're gonna be locking/unlocking hubs on high traction stuff and you better at least have hydro assist. I went selectable as I did drive slugs to eliminate the weak point of a locking hub. I don't think I'm gonna have to worry about trashing my rear detroit due to component failure like on your old axle...it'd take a pretty damn good amount of abuse w/ 35spline alloys.

--Ian

Quote from clendaniel

Wasn't a result of trying to be a 'baller'...more along the lines of keeping mine streetable. It is possible to drive w/ a spooled rear but tends to be a little less enjoyable. In the rear you could get away with it, I used to just leave my rear Ox engaged some days and didn't notice much save for the additional tire scrub of the 'spooled' rear but there was the push of understeer on all turns as well as the requisite squealing/hopping on tight turns. In the front no way in hell onroad and offroad you're gonna be locking/unlocking hubs on high traction stuff and you better at least have hydro assist. I went selectable as I did drive slugs to eliminate the weak point of a locking hub. I don't think I'm gonna have to worry about trashing my rear detroit due to component failure like on your old axle...it'd take a pretty damn good amount of abuse w/ 35spline alloys.

--Ian

You know deep down you did it for the steet cred..... Im just a cheap ass!!!

The best way to go for the rear, if you arent' going 35 spline right away.. is to weld the 30 spline carrier.. then when you save up the $$ to go to 35 spline shafts, you turn the 30 spline welded carrier into an anchor as you are replacing it anyways.. and you do not waste any $$..

check out randy's... if you order enough, you can qualify for dealer pricing...

The yukon 35spline FF shafts were cheap when I ordered mine. They're somewhat generic and you trim to fit...got about 6" of spline on the end. I'd make the call before you get too far along as boring the spindles can be a huge PITA. I bought the 'tool' that randy's sells when I did mine as I'm big on getting the equip to do something myself if it's about the same $$ as farming it out. Ended up taking it to a machine shop in Camden to have it done as they were one of the few shops around that had a mill large enough to chuck the entire housing into it. I should've done that first. The boring tool gave no facility to keep the bit lubed (used a shell end mill on a shaft in a housing that threads on the spindle) so the bit quickly dulled even with repeated removal/lubing and burned out the motor on a 1/2" drill like it was nothing....lesson learned, I guess.

--Ian

Quote from TheMistaken

I was going to take the spindles off anyway with rebuilding theentire thing, and then take them to a shop. I think that would be the best way. I was looking at that tool to see if it would be junk or what... How did you cut the slplines on the shafts?

You're cutting/rewelding the spindles? I don't think the cost was much/any more than just doing it at once...might be worth doing now while the axle is stripped even if you _don't_ go 35 spline right away.

I trimmed the shafts with my chopsaw and just hit with the grinder to bevel the edge like normal. They're HARD but the saw will cut them.

--Ian

Quote from TheMistaken

Other then the carrier, is there a difference in the Dana 60 Thick gears? Is there an advantage or disadvantage to using the thick gears? I plan to run 5.38s and I am seeing these "thick" gears all over the place for cheaper, but they are still made by like Yukon or some one of the sort.

I think you nailed it...their purpose is just to run lower gears on a carrier on the other side of the break. Only issue you would run into is if you decided to change out lockers later there's usually less of a market for the 4.10 down carriers. But, then again they could just use thick gears too. Err... Up to you.

--Ian

Gears: I went 5.38's and am more than happy...mine will still do 70-75 on 37's fairly comfortably and even w/ 'just' my old teralow 4:1 it was great for crawling. I can't wait to try out the 5.44 low-low of my Stak.

Wheels: I ended up using a carbide bit in my die grinder...a little ghetto but it worked. Since I'm a lazy bastard I only did the front two.

Budget: Can't comment there, personal preference as to how high you're willing to go. When I did mine I kept the steering and wheel/tire costs to a minimum and put most of my budgeted money in the axles. I went 35spline and alloys f/r...compromised and only did a selectable up front...traded some things for the bracket kits. I ended up somewhere in the $2500 range for the completed axles, keeping in mind that I already had all the tools and equipment to do it and it was (mostly) all my own labor. Only thing farmed out was the rear spindle machining. I'm still revisiting things on mine. The wheels/tires have been replaced but I still need to re-fab the trackbar setup and add hydro assist before it's 100% in my mind.

--Ian

do the driveshaft work yourself... it is not hard to shorten them... plus with hubs in the front who cares if it is balanced...You can retain the stock driveshafts w/ adapter u-joints ie: 1310 to 1350