Dana 60 Front axle cost

WARRIORWELDING

WARRIORWELDING

Owner opperator Of WarriorWelding LLC.
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Location
Chillin, Hwy 64 Mocksville NC
Anybody ever got the cost of a "store bought" Dana 60 front axle loaded with gears, locker, axles, drive flanges, and steering set up for full hydro (good arms and Knuckle upgrades if needed)? I'm trying to get some real world figures together between building a unit verses buying outright. It also will most likely need to be drivers drop, since a C4/atlas combo is in the wish list. And just so it doesn't get off track I'm not interested in Toy or Rock axle arguements. Construction is not the issue, I can do all the mods myself. Just never priced a complete unit on a crate.
 
If you get a stock 60 you can upgrade as it needs it so you don't have to drop that kind of coin at one time. Im sure the dynatrac is a good unit but if I had to do it I'd build it in stages just because I don't have 5K-8K just burning a hole in my pocket. What size tire are you planing on running? Might want to look into the spider 9 w/ 60 outers, just an idea.
 
imo def cheaper to build urself i thought prices were around 5k too... i'll build mine for about $3500, only thing im skimping on is the inner shafts
 
I'd buy gogogadgetbiker's set-up and roll with it. I was kicking myself that I moved on mine so early! I know how much money he has sunk in that thing, as I just spent it!


The thing about buying a store bought axle say from Dynatrac, is that their bracketry is thin, their aftermarket shafts are either 1541h or 4140....... 4340 is an upgrade. The axles are generally a balljoint style axle with factory knuckles.

I have about $5,500 in mine and that includes ARB air locker, Cryo'd gears, Ballistic High-steer arms, Reid Racing knuckles, 35 spline 4340 inner and outer shafts, aftermarket drive flanges, everything that could be replaced, replaced. I used all top-notch parts, and that price includes R&P labor for install, and the initial purchase of the axle (1979 F250 Sno-Fighter).

I'd say build it yourself, use the vendor's on here so you can keep their kids fed, save yourself some coin and IMO build a better axle. If you have a deadline then I'd buy a crate axle only after I exhausted the boards in search of someone else's set-up that they need to get rid of. Now is the time for deals, I've seen MANY.
 
Definitely cheaper to build. If you can find a cheap axle, that really helps though. I got a good deal on mine, and have done the following:
Regear, new discs, new hubs, ARB locker, hi-steer arms and tubing and tierod ends, hydro assist. I haven't upgraded shafts or knuckles because I haven't needed to. I have $1800 total in the axle, and have sold off some of the original parts (gears and hubs) to recoup another $175. With your welding abilities, you can plate the knuckles to beef them up, and if you keep the stock hubs until you break the 30spline outers, you won't waste the money on new hubs.
 
Buy someone elses built axle. Best money you will ever spend. If I hadn't I'd still have a completely stock 60
 
If you do want a store bought option able to take one hell of a beating look at SOLIDs stuff. I didn't believe in spending the extra coin on them until I got a set in and checked them out. Its not even comparable to a stock setup, but is generally overkill for rockcrawling. SOLID has a deal for the vendors where we can buy the axles in pieces where we assemble. Its at least 3k cheaper than the list price of the "store bought" setup. Since you seem capable of building your own axle PM me if you want more details on that. You would most def be coming out ahead on that deal!
 
I'm racking up some cash in mine.....Mine allready had gears in it and I will have over a grand it extras
 
Time vs. Money. Which do you have more of? One does equal the other as well depending on everybody's different situation. I know I'm a perfectionist and my builds end out costing way more than buying complete if you count labor considering I could be doing something else. But what money I do have is worth WAY more than my time right now...

X2 on buying a built axle to save on both T & M if you got the money to consider the purpose of this thread to begin with.

My 2
 
we biult HANO's and could do yours as well. Of course im assuming you would biuld your own. The Solid and Dyntrac stuff is pretty sweet but Man is it high we can sell you the parts to go in it and you can have an equal axle for much less esp. if you set it up.
 
Thanks for the input thus far....my thoughts.....
1. I've learned doing things twice is always slower and more exspensive
2. I'd rather have a "blank slate" when it comes to bracketry. I'm kinda ecentric when I do stuff, so without elaberating we'll keep it at that.
3. The Solid axle stuff appears to be the best stuff I've come across.
4. Trying to rationalize the price difference between a good HP60 starting point (Which will contain alot of unusable parts) and just getting it how I want to start with.

The best part is I don't have a personal time line. I never do. So doing it once and it being right is priorty one. My Ranger was and is being done the same way. It has a specific target achievement, this unit will be approached the same way.
All of the comments have really helped. I didn't realize Solid industries would market their product that way so I'm leaning that way. Anybody else got anything else to add.
 
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