99 d60 questions..

I have to either rebuild my d50 which is shot or toss a solid axle under it. I wouldn't even hesitate and take a solid axle hands down, but this needs to be done on the cheap and the truck can't be down for long. I found an obs diesel crew cab with a 99 d60 under it. I can pick the whole thing up for $600. The owner said the axle is sitting under it but the spring perches need to be moved slightly. Is that all that needs to be done to get a 99 axle under our trucks? I know it has the metric lug pattern which sucks.. until I replaced the rear with the same..

I'm having a hard time spending this much money on the ttb..

Any suggestions?

whole truck for 600 or just the axle?

If just the axle, skip it. you can get an 05 axle which has much better unit bearings and is beefier overall for 500 and less all day.
It is coil sprung, but can easily convert it to leaf, jsut cut and weld on new perches.

where do you get these '05 axles for under $500? I would love to swap that in on mine, but everything around here runs in the $1000 range and that is needing a rebuild and missing brackets and things.

1000$ for a kingpin axle yes, but the 05+ d60s are CHEAP! i got an entire front frame clip compeltel with box, steering, springs, brackets control arms etc for 600 from north east ohio.
check out pirate4x4.com in the classified, and put a wanted ad up. 500 is about max for a bare axle, I paid more due to the goodies attached.

the BJs are bigger and stronger on the new axles, bigger steering components and bigger unit bearings. From what I have read, guys/shops that build these axles compare the 05+ axle BJ strength to king pin strength. the 99-04 were no bueno, and the UB would wear out quite quickly. People say, oh but you can grease and pump water ouf of the regular bearings, sure, but a good unit bearing has a quadruple seal, and no water is getting past there. Plus APPARENTLY they have figured out that you can infact grease the sealed unit bearings. I havent confirmed this myself.

my 94 F250 w/ D50 ttb measures 37" center to center,
my 01 F250 w/ D 50 str8 axle measures 38.5


the easiest way is to do a RSK and fab the stuff up.
moving the leaf spring 3/4" per side is going to be a pita with the cast spring perch.