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Recommendations for Custom SD60/14B Housings?

Sean

Sean

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Member Number
6041
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1,412
I know TTR was doing them, but obviously there's been CS issues. ECGS does them but for a bare housing (basically a center and tubes; no inner Cs even) it was pretty spendy....IIRC for a SD60 it was $2600 plus shipping.

Anyone have any recommendations?
 
Don't hold me to any of this but when I was bouncing between 9" and 14 bolts a few months ago I was informed ECGS is using or will be using all new cast centers for 14 bolts. Supposedly they were revamped for clearance which I'd assume would require their "special" cover.

May want to pick up the phone. ECGS has a whole lineup and offerings that are not on their site. It's basically a "if you know, you know" deal.
 
Have you looked into Busted Knuckle yet? They make pretty nice 14B steering axles. A LOT of them.
 
Wuz-A-zuk said:
Don't hold me to any of this but when I was bouncing between 9" and 14 bolts a few months ago I was informed ECGS is using or will be using all new cast centers for 14 bolts. Supposedly they were revamped for clearance which I'd assume would require their "special" cover.

May want to pick up the phone. ECGS has a whole lineup and offerings that are not on their site. It's basically a "if you know, you know" deal.
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That's correct. I posted about that set up with their giant D60 Kingpin outers a while back.

I'm mainly looking right now for custom HP60 centers....and I know ECGS does those as well....that's where the ~$2600 in the first post came from.
 
JR4X said:
Have you looked into Busted Knuckle yet? They make pretty nice 14B steering axles. A LOT of them.
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I haven't...but just did. I think that's potentially the way to go just based on the 14B $900 housing with SD Cs....Not high pinion, but definitely viable.
 
Sean said:
I haven't...but just did. I think that's potentially the way to go just based on the 14B $900 housing with SD Cs....Not high pinion, but definitely viable.
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Hope you aren’t looking for high pinion 14B’s.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
$2600 is a lot for a new axle housing?

Does that include knuckles or just c's?
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IMO, it is....especially when BK is doing $900 for a 14 bolt front with tubes. The Inner Cs for a SD60 are extra at $400 for the BK 14B front.

When I got a quote it wasn't for either. Just a HP60 center (modeled off 05+ SD60) with 3.5" tubes (I'd probably do 4" if that's an option). Super 14 Bolt Steering Axle Assembly with 05+ Super Duty outers (Rockwell size knuckle)


So basically, BK is doing a stronger 14B center WITH Cs for 1/2 as much as ECGS SD60 without inner Cs.

JR4X said:
Hope you aren’t looking for high pinion 14B’s.
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No, no. Was looking at a HP60 build.
 
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Sean said:
IMO, it is....especially when BK is doing $900 for a 14 bolt front with tubes. The Inner Cs for a SD60 are extra at $400 for the BK 14B front.
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Bk is a new 14b center and new tubes? If so $1300 for a bare housing ready to add whatever parts you want is damn cheap.

Sean said:
When I got a quote it wasn't for either. Just a HP60 center (modeled off 05+ SD60) with 3.5" tubes (I'd probably do 4" if that's an option). Super 14 Bolt Steering Axle Assembly with 05+ Super Duty outers (Rockwell size knuckle)


So basically, BK is doing a stronger 14B center WITH Cs for 1/2 as much as ECGS SD60 without inner Cs.


No, no. Was looking at a HP60 build.
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I'm confused why you'd opt for a "custom" axle that's exactly the same as a super common used axle? What am I missing?
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Bk is a new 14b center and new tubes? If so $1300 for a bare housing ready to add whatever parts you want is damn cheap.



I'm confused why you'd opt for a "custom" axle that's exactly the same as a super common used axle? What am I missing?
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I don't believe the BK center is new....but TTR was doing used 14B centers too, I believe. I don't see a problem with it provided it doesn't have spun bearing seats or something.

Well, if I was going custom 14B for example, I'd be tempted to do a custom width as well.

The SD60 I have is in great shape, but mounting it under my Dodge is going to be a PITA due to the casting....and yeah, I could cut it off....but for $900 (which is roughly what TTR was charging to do a new SD60 center with tubes)....to me, it's not worth the hassle.
 
Sean said:
I don't believe the BK center is new....but TTR was doing used 14B centers too, I believe. I don't see a problem with it provided it doesn't have spun bearing seats or something.
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Fairly certain ecgs is all new, so apples to oranges.

Sean said:
Well, if I was going custom 14B for example, I'd be tempted to do a custom width as well.

The SD60 I have is in great shape, but mounting it under my Dodge is going to be a PITA due to the casting....and yeah, I could cut it off....but for $900 (which is roughly what TTR was charging to do a new SD60 center with tubes)....to me, it's not worth the hassle.
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If you're buying a new housing, may as well put the diff where you want it. The super duty diff placement sucks for most builds.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Fairly certain ecgs is all new, so apples to oranges.



If you're buying a new housing, may as well put the diff where you want it. The super duty diff placement sucks for most builds.
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Excellent point....except the centers that TTR was selling were the same SD60 HP castings....so also new for 1/2 the price of the ECGS ones.

The pinion location for my swap is actually fine. It's the coil bucket placement with where the factory SD control arms are that's the the problem. IIRC, the ECGS cast HP SD60 center was 8" narrower than the 24" of casting (with the control arm mounts)....which would leave a lot more room for activities. :smokin:
 
Sean said:
Excellent point....except the centers that TTR was selling were the same SD60 HP castings....so also new for 1/2 the price of the ECGS ones.
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And which of those 2 is still in business? :laughing:

Sean said:
The pinion location for my swap is actually fine. It's the coil bucket placement with where the factory SD control arms are that's the the problem. IIRC, the ECGS cast HP SD60 center was 8" narrower than the 24" of casting (with the control arm mounts)....which would leave a lot more room for activities. :smokin:
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Just cut the damn housing man :flipoff2:
 
YotaAtieToo said:
And which of those 2 is still in business? :laughing:



Just cut the damn housing man :flipoff2:
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I was going to say...how in the fuck was he selling them that cheap and making enough profit. Might explain why there's been so many problems.

Ain't worth the hassle to me. I'll either make it work as is or I'll get (looks like) one of the BK 14Bs...unless someone else has a line on tubed HP60s for around a grand.

I do have a RJ HP60 for the wife that I could potentially use....but it sort of sucks b/c it's got 3" tubes.
 
Sean said:
I was going to say...how in the fuck was he selling them that cheap and making enough profit. Might explain why there's been so many problems.

Ain't worth the hassle to me. I'll either make it work as is or I'll get (looks like) one of the BK 14Bs...unless someone else has a line on tubed HP60s for around a grand.

I do have a RJ HP60 for the wife that I could potentially use....but it sort of sucks b/c it's got 3" tubes.
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Pay a local shop/kid/buddy to cut the casting? I hate doing that work, but I'd do it for $1k :flipoff2:
 
I remember listening to a podcast a while back right about the time Wide Open Designs merged with Crane or whatever happened there, and they talked about the crane stuff being new castings with better materials. looking at the social media posts from busted knuckle, he's the reason for the SD60 price increases. dude buys them by the truck load weekly and cranks out a ton of retubed housings.
 
wvracer821 said:
I remember listening to a podcast a while back right about the time Wide Open Designs merged with Crane or whatever happened there, and they talked about the crane stuff being new castings with better materials. looking at the social media posts from busted knuckle, he's the reason for the SD60 price increases. dude buys them by the truck load weekly and cranks out a ton of retubed housings.
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Yeah, they're likely just chopping up the SD60s for the inner Cs...since they only list 14Bs and D80s on their site.
 
wvracer821 said:
I remember listening to a podcast a while back right about the time Wide Open Designs merged with Crane or whatever happened there, and they talked about the crane stuff being new castings with better materials. looking at the social media posts from busted knuckle, he's the reason for the SD60 price increases. dude buys them by the truck load weekly and cranks out a ton of retubed housings.
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that was the talent tank

 
I've got custom width SD60 in a crate from Fusion that looks pretty nice. It'll be going in the rig in the next month I hope. Not sure what a housing would run you, but he'll build to whatever specs you want AFAIK.
 
YJLOPES said:
I've got custom width SD60 in a crate from Fusion that looks pretty nice. It'll be going in the rig in the next month I hope. Not sure what a housing would run you, but he'll build to whatever specs you want AFAIK.
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Lot of different companies in the welding/fab world doing a google search. Got a full name or a website by chance?
 
I had a deposit on one of those TTR ultimate 60s. he gets them from ECGS. just call them. their site shows about half of what they have and their prices are very reasonable.
 
cdemart2 said:
I had a deposit on one of those TTR ultimate 60s. he gets them from ECGS. just call them. their site shows about half of what they have and their prices are very reasonable.
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I actually mentioned that in the first post. Price I was quoted was $2600 from ECGS....so twice what TTR was and didn't include Cs at that higher price point.
 
Sean said:
Excellent point....except the centers that TTR was selling were the same SD60 HP castings....so also new for 1/2 the price of the ECGS ones.

The pinion location for my swap is actually fine. It's the coil bucket placement with where the factory SD control arms are that's the the problem. IIRC, the ECGS cast HP SD60 center was 8" narrower than the 24" of casting (with the control arm mounts)....which would leave a lot more room for activities. :smokin:
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There’s a dude in the Dodge section that put a SD60 under his Ram. He used coilovers instead of coils. I know, it doesn’t help much because you’re using coils. But worth a gander..
 
McBastard79 said:
There’s a dude in the Dodge section that put a SD60 under his Ram. He used coilovers instead of coils. I know, it doesn’t help much because you’re using coils. But worth a gander..
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Yeah, I was considering coilovers instead of coils just for that reason...simplicity of install...and it might ride pretty nice once dialed in. But...the rebuilding of the c/o schedule vs. a coil kind of made me pause on that. I still might go that route but I'm also trying not to lift the vehicle any as it's the tow rig and fitting even a 10 or 12" coilover requires a lot of space.
 
Sean said:
Yeah, I was considering coilovers instead of coils just for that reason...simplicity of install...and it might ride pretty nice once dialed in. But...the rebuilding of the c/o schedule vs. a coil kind of made me pause on that. I still might go that route but I'm also trying not to lift the vehicle any as it's the tow rig and fitting even a 10 or 12" coilover requires a lot of space.
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Rebuilding and packaging of a 10” or 12” coilover makes sense to not go that route especially for a tow rig.

What about an 8” coilover? Still have to deal with packaging and rebuild intervals, though…
 
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