Dana 60 Disc Brake conversion

[Kinserin]

I did a quick search here, and am still looking through some google results, but I was just curious if anyone knows of a way to do a disc brake conversion on the Dana 60s that came with the 5x5 1/2 bolt pattern. I've found a few but they all mention 8 lug patterns. Can you use the 5x5 1/2 rotors from a 44? And possibly most of the other parts from a 44 to keep the 5x5 1/2 pattern? I've found the caliper brackets and such, but again, all reference going to 8 lug, and if I HAVE to ditch my 5x5 1/2 pattern, then I'll leave it as drums and be done with it.

 

[Savage Wolf]

first is the dana 60 is a full floater or semi, some pics and more info may be helpful

 

[Kinserin]

I'll try and get back to you on the full or semi float tomorrow hopefully, as I actually have no idea. In fact, I cant remember what it even came out of aside from my buddies Bronco 2, so I'll give him a shout for specs tomorrow hopefully. I should have waited until I had everything before asking anyways.

 

[Savage Wolf]

easy to tell, full floater rear has a hub and spindle just like a front axle with a drive flange and axle shaft with splines on both ends, hence the full floater name, the axle shaft from the rear diff's carrier to the drive flanges on the rear hubs only make the wheel turn, they dont support any weight, tho seeing you said that its a 5x5.5 pattern axle I'm willing to bet its a semi-floater axle
Once ya get the full-floater/semi-floater figured out I might be able to pull up some ideas for brakes w/ some measuring on your end

 

[Kinserin]

If it makes a difference, the 60 is out of a 60s-70s F100 narrow frame truck. I was just talking to the guy I got it from today and he said hes not even sure as to what it even came out of, because its a non-stock application. I'm pretty sure its semi-floating from what you just said as well. Basically, is it even worth while to do a disc conversion if I've got discs up front? From what I've read over the last night about it, 4 wheel drums sucks, while discs in the front and drums in the back is pretty good. I'll probably end up leaving it as is, because my X has discs in the front and drums in the rear, so I really wouldnt have anything to base the performance of 4 wheel discs on. Unless you have something that can change my mind My brother in law is just obsessed with disc brakes and he keeps telling me to swap the 60 over to discs.. More of a curiousity thing at the moment then anything though for me, Im more interested in getting my 44 and 60 under my X sometime this May.

 

[cgriffin_5139]

they did a dana 60 disk conversion on extream 4x4 last weekend

 

[Savage Wolf]

well if its a semi floater rear (which it should be) disk swap should be same as a ford 9" from the same time period, the only trouble is that ford used about 3-4 different "big bearing" housing ends and drum brake setups.
If I can find the time to, I'll see about a write up on the ford semi floater or something of the sort

 

[94 Crawler]

Hey guys

This might help the only thing I have ever seen with a dana 60 on 5x5.5, was
an early 90's chevy 454 ss, and I was an auto tech for 12 years. Other than that many dana axles have been converted to 5x5.5 for drag cars for years.
If you can find the axle ID should be stamped in rt side tube if memory serves, call summit there help desk guys ara extremly helpfull in the mod department.

 

[james t]

This might help the only thing I have ever seen with a dana 60 on 5x5.5, was
an early 90's chevy 454 ss, and I was an auto tech for 12 years. Other than that many dana axles have been converted to 5x5.5 for drag cars for years.
If you can find the axle ID should be stamped in rt side tube if memory serves, call summit there help desk guys ara extremly helpfull in the mod department.

The 454ss wasnt 5 on 5.5, it was 5 on 5. Also, it had the small semi-float 14 bolt with 9.5" ring gear, not a D60. It was the same "mini 14-bolt" that was also used in light duty 3/4 tons and was six lug in those trucks.

Sorry, i used to have a 454ss. :



As for your 5 on 5.5" D60, i have no idea what it came out of but i would imagine you could do a disk swap just like on a 9" or any other 5 on 5.5" rear end. Just get some weld on caliper brackets, GM metric calipers, and probably a Jeep CJ7 rotor, or Suzuki Sidekick, or Dodge truck, or whatever will fit.