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Superduty 60 passenger side drop

Toyota231

Toyota231

Lost in a sea of jeepers
Joined
Sep 16, 2020
Member Number
2881
Messages
4
Loc
Kernersville, NC
Curious to see if anyone has turned an 05+ Superduty 60 from driver side to passenger side drop. With the supply of kingpin 60's running out and prices going ridiculous, then being able to pick the 05+ superduty 60 in my area for terribly cheap I'm seriously considering doing one on the next build. Even though I posted in the newbs section I've been building stuff for 20 years, I'm just a person that likes visual cues when problem solving or building, so if anyone has done one let's start a discussion and hopefully some good pics. There are a few things I'm wandering about like getting the diff casting and radius arm mount removal (how much axle tube there is under the casting/ how far the diff casting can be trimmed), and a main concern is does anyone make an axle alignment tool that fits the superduty axle? I've done lots a research and found a small amount of info on the pre 05 axles but nothing on the 05+.
 
Depends on exactly what you want out of it, but yes it can and has been done.

Theres been a 99-04 pside for sale for a while now on fb, i dont want it because i would want leafs, which it cant (reasonably).

I have a spare 99-04 and just recently git some early ford shafts, i have a full set of kp outers. I want to build a early housing out of the sd just because i could use it on my gm leaf stuff and it would give me more options.
 
Guys usually just do the sleeve method.

Measure from the cross pin the same amount on both sides, cut, install a sleeve that fits the ID of the tube's, swap sides, bevel, check caster and weld.
 
Yes people have done it with a 99-04 axle, but as I stated I haven't seen anyone that has done an 05+, dirt lifestyle did a 99-04. I know that it can be done, I've done it myself on a different axle (sorry I've built a front 60 out of a rear), but as I stated originally I have certain questions, one which involves something on the axle that no other axle has, which I'm certain I know the answer to but it would be nice to find out from someone else's experience rather than cutting into to find out. But also I was just wanting to start a discussion with someone that has actually done it, get a few technical questions answered and just get a visual on a person's method that has actually done it. If no one has actually done it then oh well but I'll just move on with it myself but I'm sure someone has.
 
Cut casting shy of plug welds go to town. My axle guy used to press tubes out and push new ones in but he had problems with leaks. Went to the sleeve method with better long term results.

When I do custom axles I resign myself to making the housing fit vs making off the shelf axle shafts fit. Custom shafts aren’t that much more. Dutchman is reasonable with quick turn around.
 
I narrowed a 99-04 axle using the sleeve method. No different then if you wanted to swap sides to change the drop.

If my dumb ass can do it anyone can. If you are keeping stock WMS dimension then you don't need custom shafts. It's stock just on different sides 🤷

You are talking a giant axle tube with thick walls, can't fuck it up if you weld it right.
 
Toyota231 said:
Yes people have done it with a 99-04 axle, but as I stated I haven't seen anyone that has done an 05+, dirt lifestyle did a 99-04. I know that it can be done, I've done it myself on a different axle (sorry I've built a front 60 out of a rear), but as I stated originally I have certain questions, one which involves something on the axle that no other axle has, which I'm certain I know the answer to but it would be nice to find out from someone else's experience rather than cutting into to find out. But also I was just wanting to start a discussion with someone that has actually done it, get a few technical questions answered and just get a visual on a person's method that has actually done it. If no one has actually done it then oh well but I'll just move on with it myself but I'm sure someone has.
Click to expand...

All your info is out there, lots of people have trimmed the radius arm casting off and lots have trimmed the casting down.

I understand where you are coming from, but like someone else said. If you're worried about lack of short side tube, just put the diff where you want and order custom shafts. Might make your life way easier when adding link brackets.

But Fwiw, pennsylvaniaboy did it for his buggy


irate4x4.com

Chief buggy

Are we talking about having non-thread 'shank' between the link tabs rather than a bolt that has a shorter shank and then threads through one tab? Yes
irate4x4.com irate4x4.com
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Guys usually just do the sleeve method.

Measure from the cross pin the same amount on both sides, cut, install a sleeve that fits the ID of the tube's, swap sides, bevel, check caster and weld.
Click to expand...
so doing this you could also angle pinion up to tcase and get good castor. win win...:beer: but high pinion its not as big a deal for sure
 
one thing i never thought about when making the short side axle tube longer it puts the diff more to the center and can lead to oil pan clearance. only reason i ever heard of this is a buddy is doing this and his 14 bolt steer axle has a longer short tube and not oil pan to pumpkin clearance is a issue. fyi
 
chaplinfj60 said:
one thing i never thought about when making the short side axle tube longer it puts the diff more to the center and can lead to oil pan clearance. only reason i ever heard of this is a buddy is doing this and his 14 bolt steer axle has a longer short tube and not oil pan to pumpkin clearance is a issue. fyi
Click to expand...

Yes, but the SD 60s have the diff so far out it would have to move a lot for that to happen.
 
OP, if you are just doing a diff swap, the math is there. trim the housing, make 2 cuts, swap tubes side to side. Yes you will need to unbolt the outer knuckles and swap them cause they will be facing backwards but the inners are the same front or back.
then just use a 3" OD sleeve.
 
chaplinfj60 said:
one thing i never thought about when making the short side axle tube longer it puts the diff more to the center and can lead to oil pan clearance. only reason i ever heard of this is a buddy is doing this and his 14 bolt steer axle has a longer short tube and not oil pan to pumpkin clearance is a issue. fyi
Click to expand...
it only moves the pinion like 1.5" think.
 
pennsylvaniaboy said:
OP, if you are just doing a diff swap, the math is there. trim the housing, make 2 cuts, swap tubes side to side. Yes you will need to unbolt the outer knuckles and swap them cause they will be facing backwards but the inners are the same front or back.
then just use a 3" OD sleeve.
Click to expand...
how thick was this sleeve? .120 wall? just enough to keep it lined up..?
 
I have done the cut and sleeve method with success on an older axle.

Someone told me the SD60 ID is not a circle and the sleeve method won’t work….I’m assuming they are full of shit. Can anyone confirm who’s done the SD60 pass drop cut and sleeve method?
 
06h3 said:
I have done the cut and sleeve method with success on an older axle.

Someone told me the SD60 ID is not a circle and the sleeve method won’t work….I’m assuming they are full of shit. Can anyone confirm who’s done the SD60 pass drop cut and sleeve method?
Click to expand...

I've heard that more than a few times about 14b tubes
 
06h3 said:
I have done the cut and sleeve method with success on an older axle.

Someone told me the SD60 ID is not a circle and the sleeve method won’t work….I’m assuming they are full of shit. Can anyone confirm who’s done the SD60 pass drop cut and sleeve method?
Click to expand...


Looks round to me. Has dimensions in there for sleeves as well.
 
Round

I believe the Sterling has oval tubes so trying to sleeve the matching rear to match is impossible from what I have read. Unconfirmed

One thing that is grossly overlooked online with the SuperDuty axles is the severe offset of the diff. Whether it works for you or not it was made to match a tcase that is fucking wide.

So factor all of that in. My diff is inline with a pretty flat 242 but the only reason it is because 7" is missing.

The dude in that video I believe ran into a problem because the full width pinion landed where the frame was if I remember how that went. Just a heads up...
 
Skinny said:
Round

I believe the Sterling has oval tubes so trying to sleeve the matching rear to match is impossible from what I have read. Unconfirmed

One thing that is grossly overlooked online with the SuperDuty axles is the severe offset of the diff. Whether it works for you or not it was made to match a tcase that is fucking wide.

So factor all of that in. My diff is inline with a pretty flat 242 but the only reason it is because 7" is missing.

The dude in that video I believe ran into a problem because the full width pinion landed where the frame was if I remember how that went. Just a heads up...
Click to expand...
Yep, I think he ended up getting a custom axle made for that issue you mentioned. it was for his Land Rover and those frames are stupid narrow.

Good thing no one has to retube a sterling, they are just thrown in the trash anyways :flipoff2:
 
Skinny said:
Round

I believe the Sterling has oval tubes so trying to sleeve the matching rear to match is impossible from what I have read. Unconfirmed

One thing that is grossly overlooked online with the SuperDuty axles is the severe offset of the diff. Whether it works for you or not it was made to match a tcase that is fucking wide.

So factor all of that in. My diff is inline with a pretty flat 242 but the only reason it is because 7" is missing.

The dude in that video I believe ran into a problem because the full width pinion landed where the frame was if I remember how that went. Just a heads up...
Click to expand...
Correct Sterling isn’t round. This a great tech heavy post from the gram about that. I know the old 14 bolts were same way. Not sure about heavy casting newer 14 bolts.

 
I'm formulating a plan to do just this. My idea is to remove the long side C, cut the tube down and press it back on and weld it. As for the short side turned long, I was goin to press out the tube and replace the whole tube. I don't like the cut, sleeve method. To make things more complicated, I'm going to convert it to leaf. Right now It's just an idea.
 
for pressing in we used a 1 inch all thread and just pulled the new tube in. worked like a champ fyi. and a porta power to pop out old tube. it was crazy how little effort it took to pull in the short tube with just all thread and impact. it started as a way to get it lined up good prior to pressing but then just kept on wrenching and in it went.
 
06h3 said:
I have done the cut and sleeve method with success on an older axle.

Someone told me the SD60 ID is not a circle and the sleeve method won’t work….I’m assuming they are full of shit. Can anyone confirm who’s done the SD60 pass drop cut and sleeve method?
Click to expand...
Can you, or others, explain to me what you did exactly for the ID sleeving between the sleeve and inner axle shaft seals?

Dirt, water, mud, gear oil, whatever, pool in the area between sleeve and inner seals?
 
TrailTamer said:
Can you, or others, explain to me what you did exactly for the ID sleeving between the sleeve and inner axle shaft seals?

Dirt, water, mud, gear oil, whatever, pool in the area between sleeve and inner seals?
Click to expand...
I can speak for a custom axle.

For a SD60 you would still use the stock inner seals.

I had to do some additional work to get inner axle seals in but used the ruffstuff housing seals on my Dana 70 front.

I’ve never had an issue with crap pooling in between or leaking. My fluid has been clean and no leaks since I built the axle.
 
1713976361028.jpeg

I’ve narrowed a 2009 and a 2014 and can confirm that the long side is not round in the middle of the tube.
 
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