Dana 60 gurus: i need knowledge

[Midwest_Mudder]

OK guys, so the white crap flew yesterday while i was working so i had to use 4wd to make it outta the corn field that i park in while working. well, after my wiper blades stopped working due to a bad clip on the motor shaft (damnit oreillys), i try to pull out and get a constant clunking noise as i move. the clunk changed "speed" as i did. got outta the field, put it back into 2wd and made it home. once home i checked everything out starting on the drivers side. I found the passenger side wheel U joint loose and moveable. everything else is fine, but that U joint is SHOT.

so i found that my local carquest has the U joints there in stock for me, and was sizing up the job. ive done axle shaft repairs and replacements on other axles, but none on the 60. so, my question is, how big of an ordeal is it? does the axle shaft just slide out or does it have a keeper inside the pumpkin? it looks like (if there is no keeper in the pumpkin) all id have to do is remove the brake components, the 4 bolts on the bearing hub, and pull it out.

TLDR: how hard is u joint replacement on the dana 60 front end? and how long does it take?

 

[Diesel_brad]

IF everything come apart NICE NICE, you can do a u joint in less than 2 hours. BUT the spindle can be a real bear to get off. I suggest renting a BIG slide hammer and Spindle adapter from auto zone. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Tools-Garage-and-Equipment/4WD-Spindle-Puller/_/N-26ml i would get SPICER u-joints. They are probably the best ones available


jack up truck and support
remove tire
remove locking hub
remove caliper and hang up
remove wheel bearing nuts
remove hub and rotor assem
remove spindle(enter big slide hammer and spindle adapter)
pull axle shaft from axle tube
replace u-joint

assembly is reverse

 

[dsltech83]

Not a bad job- Remove brakes and rotors remove the nuts off of the spindles and remove the spindle. It's SUPPOSED to come off with a little effort, if the axle has seen alot of off roading or salt usage there will be some BFH involved. Use a hammer and block of wood to knock the spindle up and down (only hitting on the area between where the inner bearing races ride on the spindle, DO NOT hit the threads) If the spindle is really stuck I have jacked up the truck a little more and put the weight of the truck on the spindle SLOWLY by lowering the spindle on to a large (4x4 or larger) piece of wood.

 

[Midwest_Mudder]

thats what i like to hear. i had to do the inner axle seals in my jeep, and those were a PAIN. had keepers in the pumpkin, the hubs wouldnt come off. finally got it done and now theyre leakin again. never again oreillys haha. ill double check at carquest, i think thats what they said they had was spicer. thanks for the quick help guys!

 

[Rot Box]

I agree with the above and I can't stress using Spicer brand U-joints enough. They are far superior to any other parts store joint and you really get what you pay for

 

[bghnkinf350]

If it was simple to get to, you might consider a chain store joint, but for the work involved with the axle joint, get the Spicer. We used Spicer 99% of the time in the driveline shop.

Oh, get 2 so when the other one goes, you are ready (or you can do it if you have time BEFORE it takes a poop)!

 

[KyleQ]

If you have done a D44, you can do a D60, they are basically the same, just the D60 being bigger.

Here is an exploded parts diagram (haha, it's what I could find right away)

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Pop the hub, shaft snap ring and lockout snap ring. Slide the lockout out -
From here you have your normal lock rings on the spindle. Once you remove those the hub slides off and you get to look at the spindle. I like using a 6x6 and a BFH to get the spindle off for the first time. The wood is soft and will not hurt the threads or spindle.

Make sure you check the back side of the spindle and look at the spindle bearing. If it is damaged it will chew into your stub shaft-


My D60 comes apart after every event I wheel - so if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I've had mine apart easily 30+ times.

Hopefully this doesn't happen to you

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[Rot Box]

Hopefully this doesn't happen to you

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Did they back out? If so I've been tack welding my caps for years in the Toyota to prevent that from happening. You might want to give it a shot if that's the case it works pretty good

 

[KyleQ]

Did they back out? If so I've been tack welding my caps for years in the Toyota to prevent that from happening. You might want to give it a shot if that's the case it works pretty good

I was trying to get the joints OUT - I had a balljoint press clamped on and a socket over the end you see. It popped and we found that the joint was pushing so ******* the top of the cap it exploded, the outside of the cap was so rusted and stuck to the ears for the shaft the cap let loose before it moved.

I bent the **** out of that BJ press too, worthless. I was going to grind the joints for full circle snap rings, but as you can see, I killed a stub shaft before the joint let loose... I took the joint apart and found I had broken a few needle bearings though! (I regret to say I put it back together like that ) The good news is the Spicer D60 joints are tougher then the stub shafts they are placed in! After 3 years of HARD abuse the joints still had plenty of clean grease, I didn't add any.

 

[towcat]

if removing the spindle becomes an adventure, read all the posts in this thread

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=15675

you can't beat the wisdom in that BTDT too thread. thanks again to NJken

 

[KyleQ]

That would work - I've also heard of guys loosening the nuts up on the spindle, putting the hub back on and putting the wheel against a curb and sawing the wheel with the power steering to get it loose...

I've never had a 6x6 and a BFH let me down though...