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Dana 60 questions

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
I think these questions could fit into 2 different forums on here... but picked this one.. Has anyone here actually worked on the D60 front ends on these trucks?? I know Vince has but i try not to keep pestering him with questions all the time...

Description of the main problem ive been trying to fix if possible.

Problem ive been having is since getting the truck when in 4wd for like snowly and off road stuff, ive noticed over time its becoming harder to make turns when its all locked in.. while i understand you cant make sharp turns with the front end thats not what im meaning.. I mean like when making wide turns its acting like it doesnt want the wheels turned. Like the front ends binding up and trying to straighten the wheels back out.. i cant even turn the steering wheel 1/4 way before i start feeling this.. (feels as if someones pulling hard on the wheel the opposite direction) at 1/2 a turn it feels alot stronger. ive had people tell me this is normal but for a open diff i feel it shouldnt be doing this unless i was making a severe/sharper turn. especially when it wasnt this bad when i first got it i could turn turn the wheel 3/4 the way before feeling the little bump in the wheel. Its not a U-joint issue as they all have been replaced..

When ive taken it to the dealer they just kind of dismiss me saying its normal.. dont think they actually ever looked at it.

New problems..

Recently when i had it all locked it the front had a loud whine similar to how my rear axle sounded when the R&P beat the crap out of each other. Loud and whiney like the old gearboxes on Woody trucks.. Im assuming this is a sign that maybe the front diffs doing the same as the rear did?? if the hubs are only locked its quiet.. lock the driveshaft in it starts the wine.

First question i have.

Should there be any play at all in the pinion gear? or should it not move at?? Like up down or left to right.. some ive read theres a tiny bit of play. others say it should be ridged with no movement at all. Havent gotten to check it since i noticed the whine. Dont feel its the T-case because its quiet in 2wd and sounds more like its infront of me than under foot.

Next one.

If i find the pinion bearings bad are there any special tools just for working on the diff of the D60's that are needed?? i have the one for setting the axles in the housing. Some places ive seen something mentioned of a case spreader.. some say its needed others say you dont.


had some other questions but have forgotten what they were...
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
Update.. got to check the pinion gear.. no wiggle there at all..


when i checked the fluid level a couple months ago it was right at the bottom of the fill plug... little even dripped out when i pulled it... friend had suggested putting some limited slip additive in there to quiet it down.. but didnt seem to have an effect..

wondering if i should pull the cover off and refill it with new gear oil... especially after adding the Lslip stuff... its been done twice since i got the truck.. once when i first got it because it was very chocolate milky looking.. (which later Vince told me that was normal looking if it was the original stuff. but dont know if it was the original stuff)... then was done again after the shaft seal went on the passenger side.
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
got a new question but mainly because someone elses theory/explanation confused me... apparently the hub units on these trucks have a life expectancy of 20K on them (or so ive been reading on many forums).. their frequent failure point being where the axles meet the hubs.. when checking for play i cant seem to find a definition as to whats good and whats bad for movement... all the videos online show alot of movement when wiggling the axles while everythings connected... my question is when everything is in good shape should the axle have any lateral play in it? or is it supposed to be just as rigid as the pinion shafts are on the pumpkins??

when i checked mine i had a small bit of play but was minimal (maybe 1/8" if that).. the one on the passenger side was replaced about 2 years ago after it was making alot of racket at highway speeds.. annoyingly they replaced it with one on meant for a SRW vehicle too not the dually... the play on that side was equal with the one on the driverside...
 
Last edited:

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
lil update... checked the front diffs fluid level its still even with the fill hole... couldnt check the t-case as the fill plugs frozen in there atm... wasnt in the mood to fight it out of there tonight...
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
not my video but it shows what im feeling in the wheel...



but i can tell hes harder over with the wheel than i am with where im feeling that... if i had the wheels turned that far it pull the steering wheel out of my hand...
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
agreed.. the hubs bearings are self contained units.. you replace it all as 1 piece.. the hub locks are just gear to meshing gear..
 
axle u joints bad? what do the spider gears look like? i haven't played with dana front axles much but i know that my 44 with a eaton clutch posi in it isn't hard to turn ever, and doesn't pull the wheel
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
Last one I had do that was from a ball joint freezing up
It got so bad, it finally bent the tie rod in half.

I know it's a PIA, but you need to jack it up, and unhook the tie rods, and hand steer the wheels, see what is tight.

I finally ended up using Ford ball joints, the aftermarket ones were not a match for my truck. I went through 4 sets of ball joints in 2 months
 

dustybumpers

don't play well w others
When you put the ball joints in, it is very important to put them in by hand with a wrench, not an impact.

Impact will blow them out, and fry them
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
axle u joints bad? what do the spider gears look like? i haven't played with dana front axles much but i know that my 44 with a eaton clutch posi in it isn't hard to turn ever, and doesn't pull the wheel

all new... havent had the cover off to see the spider gears but have been wondering about them. was my original thought when the dealership just dismissed me saying it worked fine...
 

Sparky83

Virginia Chapter member
5,566
219
Norlina NC
Last one I had do that was from a ball joint freezing up
It got so bad, it finally bent the tie rod in half.

I know it's a PIA, but you need to jack it up, and unhook the tie rods, and hand steer the wheels, see what is tight.

I finally ended up using Ford ball joints, the aftermarket ones were not a match for my truck. I went through 4 sets of ball joints in 2 months

When you put the ball joints in, it is very important to put them in by hand with a wrench, not an impact.

Impact will blow them out, and fry them


unfortunately its not a tie rod or ball joint issue... if they were id be having the same problems when the fronts unlocked too.. the main time im having the problems is when the front axles locked in and driveshafts locked in to 4hi too... if the hubs are locked and the t-case is still in 2hi i can tell the fronts locked because it rides a little different but the jerking wheel effect doesnt appear
 

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