Last year, Warn Industries came out with full-floating axle kits for the Dana 44, AMC 20, and Ford 9-inch rearends and replacement front wheel hubs, and they've been selling like hot cakes. Now the winch and suspension manufacturer has come up with a rear full-floating Dana 60 kit that includes the hubs, locking hubs, bearings, spindles, 35-spline axles, and all the attaching parts-and the best part is the 5-on-5 1/2-inch standard Jeep wheel pattern the kit uses.
Until now, rear full-floating 60 axles were only available in an eight-lug pattern, and the existing wheel hubs were too big to machine down to a regular Jeep pattern. Sure, a flanged five-lug 60 with the 5-on-5 1/2-inch pattern was available from any of the custom axle builders, and some even came stock in a few pickups, including the Jeep J-4000. But the desire for a genuine heavy-duty Dana 60 axle with full-floating shafts and a standard wheel pattern took some work to do.
So, what's the big deal about full-floating rear axles, anyway? The standard design of most Jeep axles is a semifloating design, where the axle supports the weight of the vehicle through the axle bearing, in addition to turning the tires. On a full-floating design, the vehicle hub and bearings support the weight of the Jeep on the spindle, which is part of the housing, or in the Warn conversion, which is bolted onto the end. This allows the axle to be used only to turn the wheel and tire. If an axle ever breaks, the tire and wheel stay in place and can be driven home. Additionally, the locking hubs in the Warn kit can be used to easily flat-tow the Jeep without removing the rear driveshaft.
Clearly, the full-floating design is better, and the Warn kit allows for the use of 1 1/12-inch-diameter 35-spline axles on both ends of the shaft for ultimate strength-but wait; there's more! Jason Bunch of Tri-County Gear has come up with brand-new, special Dana 60 housings that can bolt in to your Jeep. These housings are lighter and smaller than a standard Dana 60 and still retain all of the strength inherent of these castings. These special 501 castings have the same diameter tubes as a Dana 44 for better ground clearance, and the housing can be ground down for even more clearance.
By using these unique castings and Warn's new 60 kit, Bunch has developed a bolt-in assembly to complement his standard offerings of custom Jeep front and rear axle assemblies. These units can be had with or without brakes, and various disc or drum variations can be custom-made, as can your choice of ratio and differential. Even a Dana 60 front with the 5-on-5 1/2-inch pattern and disc brakes is available to fit a flatfender or a larger Jeep.
If you're running with the big dogs and keep wasting rear axles, you should consider this new setup for your Jeep instead of replacing the weak stockers time and time again. If you want to build an axle yourself, Bunch can supply you with all the parts necessary. And if you'd rather just slam a whole axle assembly in place, give them a call.
The new 501-casting Dana 60...
The new 501-casting Dana 60 housings come with a six-hole axle flange, the same as an early Dana 44 or the front of most Chevy front axles. This mates perfectly to the Warn kit and allows for the use of standard Chevy disc brakes.
Only the WWII Jeeps used a...
Only the WWII Jeeps used a stock full-float rearend, and the spindle was an integral part of the housing, as are most Dana 60 axles. The Dana 25 rear shown is too weak for anything larger than the stock tire and wheel combo and is best suited for restoration of MB and GPW Jeeps.
Various aftermarket companies,...
Various aftermarket companies, such as Summers Brothers and Genuine Gear, supply full-float conversions for Jeeps. However, the Warn kit is the only one we know of that's specifically for Jeeps in this huge axle size and wheel bolt pattern. The smaller size of the standard Dana 44 full-float kit (left) becomes apparent when compared to the Warn 60 (right).
A standard Dana 60 hub is...
A standard Dana 60 hub is just too big to machine down for a Jeep wheel. These eight-lug monsters are big and strong, but are just short of overkill for a regular Jeep. Combining the five-bolt pattern found on Jeeps from 1941 to 1986 with the strength of a big axle ensures reliability and lighter weight.
This cutaway of a Warn full-floating...
This cutaway of a Warn full-floating kit displays the major components involved. Except for the axle shaft, the parts are assembled nearly identically to a standard Jeep front end from 1941 to 1986. For Wrangler and downsized-Cherokee owners, this kit can upgrade the axle assembly, but the front end will need to be changed to the larger wheel pattern too.
With a new axlehousing cleaned...
With a new axlehousing cleaned and ready to assemble, Gabe Garcia of Tri-County Gear sets the new pinion gear depth. Since these castings are new, proper tools are needed to gauge the correct depth rather than simply comparing them to an old pinion gear.
Pinion bearing preload is...
Pinion bearing preload is critical to long bearing life, and must be set correctly. The in-lb gauge that Garcia is using must also be held in the correct manner to ensure accurate readings.
etting the ring gear accurately...
etting the ring gear accurately is also important. After the ring gear was bolted onto a Detroit Locker, setup tools were placed on the Locker's bearing journals. Once the assembly was in the housing, the bearing preload and ring gear backlash were set.
After new bearings are installed,...
After new bearings are installed, white grease or marking compound is applied to the teeth to check the pattern. If a correct pattern is obtained, the gears will enjoy a long and happy life-and if not, an early demise is a certainty.
Install the Warn part of the...
Install the Warn part of the kit by placing a seal inside the spindle and an O-ring around the inner flange. This makes for a super-secure sealing area and a no-leak installation.
Many Jeep mechanics will recognize...
Many Jeep mechanics will recognize this seal as the floppy one that goes behind the spindle on front axle applications. Warn found this was a good seal to use on the front side to back up the hub seal while not interfering with the rotating components. A regular metal-clad seal is used in the vehicle hub as well.
Depending on the particular...
Depending on the particular vehicle application, the caliper bracket is installed next. Alternative methods include welding or bolting on the backside of the housing flange, and different calipers are available for different vehicle weights. The special T-bolts for the axle tube and locking nuts are supplied in the kit.
The Warn hub can be pressed...
The Warn hub can be pressed together on a rotor as shown, but drum brake applications are also available. The inner and outer bearings are packed with grease and placed in the hub. After the rear seal is installed, the hub is placed on the spindle and retained with the standard locknuts, which are found on a front Dana 60 adjusted to the specified torque.
The huge axleshaft is greased...
The huge axleshaft is greased on the inner splines to protect the surface of the seal inside the spindle. The Detroit Locker is available in 30 or 35 splines, since many Dana 60s were made with the smaller spline. This application uses the biggest and strongest components for the job at hand.
The outer locking hub is a...
The outer locking hub is a special version of Warn's 1-ton design for Dana 60 front axles. With the 35-spline outer gear matching the beefy axleshaft, the hub has a brass bushing to distribute the load evenly.
The inner hub body is held...
The inner hub body is held in place with a spiral-style snap ring that indexes on the inside of the hub. A special snap ring is then placed over the end of the axle to prevent end float, and the outer cap is bolted down. Special springs in the cap ensure that the gears in the locking hub stay engaged.
Bunch even offers a heavy-duty...
Bunch even offers a heavy-duty ring that bolts down around the rear cover of the 60. This thick steel plate keeps the stock cover from being pried away from the housing so leaks won't occur.
This is a comparo of the stock-style...
This is a comparo of the stock-style Warn hub unit and the 60 style. The Dana 44 style is on the left and the massive 60 is on the right. Note the amount of room between the studs and the hub.