High pinion passenger side drop axle

iwaxmyjimmy

iwaxmyjimmy

College Web Wheeler
Joined
Mar 10, 2007
Location
Greenville NC
So I'm about to start working on my k5 over the next few months. I'd love to run a high pinion front axle which will help a lot when I flat belly it. I've been seeing some HP60 center sections on eBay for cheap. Guy cut the tubes off of it, it's an 80s ford housing that'll need the plug welds drilled out and the remaining parts of the tube pressed out. Other route I've thought is build a 609 front but I want to use off the shelf Chevy d60 shafts to have some readily available. Really don't want to run a low pinion Chevy 60 because of driveline angles don't want to run a 2 piece front shaft either. Anyone got advice or been down this road before?
 
Get a compariby cheap Super Duty 60, have it retubed or cut the tubes and swap them right to left yourself.
It's been done many times and is relatively easy to do.
 
Jody Treadway said:
Get a compariby cheap Super Duty 60, have it retubed or cut the tubes and swap them right to left yourself.
It's been done many times and is relatively easy to do.
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Haven't thought about that route thanks for giving me something else to look into.
 
OnlyOneDR said:
Going that route you will either have to re-drill the unit bearings for 8x6.5 or change them to ones already set up for 8x6.5.
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Yeah id probably go with reid king pin inner Cs/ and knuckles so using standard 8 lug pattern wouldn't be an issue
 
There are fairly cheap options for 8 on 6.5 unit bearing hubs ready for 35 spline outers.

Honestly, it would all depend on how cheap the 60 is purchased for.
 
Yeah there is a shit ton of variables. Most are cutting Thebes 3-4" from the center section then an inner sleeve with plug welds and but welding the tubes. I need to buy a 60 first. Another problem is a SD 60 tubes are 3.75" need to find some inner Cs to fit it. I know the ball joint Cs are beefy along with their ball joints but I wanna run king pins because I've got a mullet
 
F450 unit bearings. A few companies offer bolt in unit bearings of whatever lug pattern you desire cheaper than you think. So what's terribly wrong about running two different lug patterns?
 
Oh I'm aware several re drill unit bearings, and that whole rotating tires thing. I never build anything for trail only. It's fun driving big lifted badass shit in the street.
 
Yeah that's all I do with mine too is drive them. Fully street legal and no regrets! I've been tossing around the SD front idea for my next rig with a 14 bolt rear. Thought about redrilling a spare wheel to work on either Axle.
 
I gotta do some figuring, it's a EFI350/hydro sm465/241/205 drive train and I'm only going to run 4.10s in the pumpkins and 40-42". I'll start a build thread once I start turning wrenches on it.
 
Awesome! My next will be YJ or TJ hybrid chassis w/ sd60, 14, 5.3, 4l60e, 241 on 37-40. Keep us posted!
 
Really your only option is to find a pre 99 Ford 60 and swap the tubes over. A 609 would cost a butt fuck ton of money. You'd have to buy a hi-9 third which is a very shiny penny.
 
Chris_Keziah said:
Really your only option is to find a pre 99 Ford 60 and swap the tubes over. A 609 would cost a butt fuck ton of money. You'd have to buy a hi-9 third which is a very shiny penny.
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Hence why I trying to stay away from that option lol.
 
Or...you could just run a Chevy 60 and as long as you don't go stupid high with the lift, it'll be fine. I can fit 40s on my K30 with 5" of lift on the front and 3" on the rear. Hell, I'm still using the stock front driveshaft too.

You could lift it 6", trim a little, and run 42s. Just depends on how involved you want to get with building a front axle.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Or...you could just run a Chevy 60 and as long as you don't go stupid high with the lift, it'll be fine. I can fit 40s on my K30 with 5" of lift on the front and 3" on the rear. Hell, I'm still using the stock front driveshaft too.

You could lift it 6", trim a little, and run 42s. Just depends on how involved you want to get with building a front axle.
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Planning on going flat belly and run 2" lift 52s up front with slider boxes, I'm thinking the low pinion will screw me when I droops so much up front. Main reason why I want to go with a high pinion front.
 
I've got a buddy with a K5 on 47s that's got a flat belly. Zero issues and it's one of the most flexible rigs I've seen with leaf springs. If you're worried about it, just run 1410 joints to give you plenty of angle. I've got an HP60 in my Silverado and the pinion isn't THAT much higher than the 60 in my K30. Not enough to justify all the work you're talking about doing anyway. Turning the Cs and rotating the pinion to where you want it would probably help too.

If you're dead set on the idea, honestly, I'd just have a bare housing made and be done with it. There'd be a higher initial cost, but it'd be absolutely worth it in my book.
 
That's weird because literally everyone I've talked to that went flat belly has u joint binding issues up front
 
This dude has been rocking his setup for years. 63s in the back and I want to say 56s up front. It'll max out his 30* RTI ramp and he wheels the piss out of it. Lion's Den is the reason he ditched all of his sheet metal.

1410 joints are good to like 37 degrees. With no more lift than you're talking about, the vertical distance from the transfer case output to the pinion isn't that much, even if it's clocked up flat.
 
Croatan_Kid said:
This dude has been rocking his setup for years. 63s in the back and I want to say 56s up front. It'll max out his 30* RTI ramp and he wheels the piss out of it. Lion's Den is the reason he ditched all of his sheet metal.

1410 joints are good to like 37 degrees. With no more lift than you're talking about, the vertical distance from the transfer case output to the pinion isn't that much, even if it's clocked up flat.
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With the 52s it should push my front axle forward a few inches and with the sliders it keep the pinion from dipping too low unlike with shackles up front. Guess I'll just have to wait and see in august when i get around to chopping and cutting. I do want to rotate the Cs to give it good caster and keep the pinion angle good. Do you by chance have a link to a build thread or some pictures if this guys set up?
 
There's a good shot of the underside of the rig I was talking about.
 

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