Rarity of a 6-lug semi floating Dana 60?

[DirtyLarry]

Has anybody else seen a 6 lug semi floating Dana 60 rear axle in any older GMC 1500’s? My 1968 GMC 1500 has a factory 396/TH400, wood bed, A/C, Tach, bucket seats, etc. I was actually my first vehicle when I turned 15. The interesting thing is it has (Had and will have again) a semi floating 6 lug Dana 60 rear axle. I have not seen many semi floating Dana 60’s in vehicles other than on old Mopar muscle cars or in light duty ¾ ton 8 lug Ford F or E series. Most Dana 60’s are 8 lug full floating design used in ¾ ton trucks.

Unfortunately, my Dana 60 was pruned of 3 ring gear teeth one night back in the early 90’s racing some other punk in a Ranchero. I thought a Dana 60 could handle a built big block and TH400 with a serious shift kit but apparently not that 20 year old Dana 60 at the time. I was too broke at the time to fix it so I borrowed a Dana 44 out of another 68 GMC I had laying around, which is still in it today.

The axle has been sitting at my Dad’s place for over 10 years and I just drug it to my house yesterday to start collecting parts to resurrect it. As you can see by the pictures, it has been apart for quite a while. I am thinking 3:73 gears and a Tractech Truetrac for the rebuild.

Anybody see one of these things before?

[1971 Cheyenne]

didn't they put those in the m1009 military blazers? Looks just like the one in ours.

[1969 GMC]

the military blazers had 10 bolts f&r.

those semifloating dana 60's are pretty hard to find. some jeep pickups had a semifloat 60 rear that had 35 spline axle shafts. i would keep it just for the neato factor.

[DirtyLarry]

Apparently these rare GMC semi float 60's had 30 splines. I counted my splines today while surfing for parts. Somewhere along the line I lost the brake backing plates. Hopefully, the Dana 44 backing plates will work.

[gonebad2]

I parted out a 69 Chevy 1/2 ton with that rear. It came with a 396 and Turbo 400 and had those funny looking helper springs. It was a Posi. Had it rebuilt and some of the bearings were listed as Ford parts. Also had the axles redrilled to a 5 on 5 pattern.

[DirtyLarry]

Hmmm….that is really strange because back then GMC used Dana rear axles and Chevrolet used Corporate or Eaton rear axles. Yours may have been more of a rare bird than mine especially if yours had a Dana axle with rear coil springs. GMC’s had leave springs and Chevrolet’s had coils but leafs were an option. On paper a Dana axle with coil springs does not exist anywhere. Mine is a leaf spring axle.

[Scrubby]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

On paper a Dana axle with coil springs does not exist anywhere.

I don't know if you are talking 1/2 tons. But I have seen atleast 3 3/4 ton chevy's with coils running Dana 60's. My 71 Burb has one.

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by Scrubby

I don't know if you are talking 1/2 tons. But I have seen atleast 3 3/4 ton chevy's with coils running Dana 60's. My 71 Burb has one.

Yeah, I was referencing ½ tons. Although, I never really noticed a Pre-72 Chevrolet ¾ ton with coils or leafs and a Dana axle. I have played with a lot of these era of trucks and have only seen Eaton rear axles in Chevrolet ¾ tons. GMC used Dana axles in both ½ ton and ¾ up until 1970 or 1971 then moved to Corporate axles on the ½ tons and stayed with Dana in the ¾ ton until the new 1973 body style.

Blazer1970, my semi float Dana 60 has 30 splines.

[gonebad2]

I hear ya Larry....I had no idea what it was until a friend of mine stopped by and told me. Another friend of mine has it now. I will try and get some pics of it. It was rebuilt with the respect it deserved. Completely stripped, powdercoated and everything internal rebuilt. I remember it being listed on the glovebox option sheet but unfortunately, it's long gone.

[kwmech]

I have seen a couple of those over the years and they seem to be rare, anymore I just build them up custom if I'm not going to run 8 lug.

[PICKMUP]

That's a great rearend. I have a couple of them...and yes one is leaf and one is coil. They are really bulletproof. The nice part is they bolt right in our trucks.
I ran a dana 60 in a 454 Vette drag racer with 14" slicks, for years and couldn't hurt it.

[bigjimzlll]

Originally Posted by PICKMUP

That's a great rearend. I have a couple of them....

and would you like to part with one?????

[Blazer1970]

They came in half ton trucks with big blocks in the '68 - '72 era. I thought all semi-floating 60s had 35 spline shafts. Let us know when you pull yours apart. It is a very strong axle, and ideal behind a big block IMO.

[yossarian19]

I know this is an ooooold thread but has anyone heard of a semi float D60 in a early (like, 1963) half-ton? Guy locally claims he has a 1963 GMC D60, 61" drum to drum and 42" perch to perch... I kind of want it but he's asking $600...

[TwoFiftyShifter]

I would think it's a D44 as those era GMC didn't get BB in half tons.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by TwoFiftyShifter

I would think it's a D44 as those era GMC didn't get BB in half tons.

I don't think they were only a big block thing. But, as pointed out, '67 was first year they were used.

[wahl4m]

think i have one in my storage building ,came out of a late 66 gmc crew cab/ built by "stageway" for the railroad ! need to ask in another section "wiw" always thought it was wierd or a oddball ! thanks mike

[SS Tim]

The earliest rear D60 Chevy/GMC Dana lists a BOM for is 67.
Ref doc. X510-8DSD (a common file on pdf).

[Tom Vogel]

Heavy duty rear Dana 60 was an option in these trucks.

[special-K]

I've seen a coil Dana 60 SF from a V6 C1500. I'd pay $600 for one. It's exactly what I've wanted for my '67 project. The one I'm talking about was all rebuilt and not cheap.

[Duck1]

Hey Larry I know this is an old thread did you figure this out? I have one of these rears from a 63 GMC. I purchased it for a 4X4 project. It's posi coil sprung. I have swapped coils to leaf before. My problem is the rear came with no brakes. I figured I would switch to disc can't find kits anywhere

['68OrangeSunshine]

Since Mr Duck1 revived this Zombie thread, I have question:
Is it possible to take a D60 and fit 6-lug axles on it?
Even if such axles are not on shelves, I bet Moser will cut you axles in any configuration you can afford.
Thinking of converting a Dana 60 for 6-lug wheels on a '67 K/10 Suburban project.

[Bigdav160]

The ends of the housings/brakes/hubs are quite different between full floating (8 lug) and semi floating (6 lug)

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

The ends of the housings/brakes/hubs are quite different between full floating (8 lug) and semi floating (6 lug)

Yeah. I realize that. Can you get an axle made that's Full Floating with 6-lugs?
I don't want to convert to 8-lug tires.
I have 3 trucks with 6-lugs. No /20s .

[Bigdav160]

Nothing to do with the axle. I don't think the center bore of a 6x5.5 rim will fit over the hub of a full floater 8x6.5 even if you could weld and re-drill the hub and drum for the smaller bolt circle.