Superduty 60 passenger side drop

[Tydes]

This one is narrowed to 65.5” for a toyota. Cut and sleeved one side and c slide on the other.

 

[fvs]

2009 and 2014 what?

Front ford Dana 60

 

[Big4x4ride]

Not necessarily the exact same thing, but I'm looking at cutting and sleeving the short side to widen the axle 3ish inches to eliminate the need for my front spacers. and allow more room for link/shock mounts.

 

[flexy flatty]

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.

My 2003 14 bolt had round 3.5” tubes. Super thin though. I cut and sleeved it to make an offset rear using factory shafts that are swapped side to side for an fzj80 with the offset case.

 

[cgalpha08]

That's how thin 14b tubes are? is that limited to the newer ones or are the old ones like that? Curious if anyone has cut different "gens" apart to know.
I am largely asking because I'm about to install one under my rig, albeit a much older 14b.

 

[Bebop]

The 4" tube big boy unit from 2012 I cut apart was comically thin too.

 

[The Freeak]

My late 14 bolts have both had surprisingly thin wall tube.

I didn't measure when I made the hole, but I'd guess wall was well under 1/4".

I gouged a bit deep cutting off the perches/ brackets, and had to weld it up.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

3.5" 250 tubes is pretty crazy for a 1 ton. 4" 250 I can see being stronger than 3.5" 375

 

[Oddball]

So I'm gearing up to passenger drop swap a 05 sd60, and I spoke to a guy today at an axle and frame place. We discussed what it takes to do the job. I said I would prefer to push the long side out of the chunk and press in a new length. He said it's impossible as the tubes are swaged into the pumpkin. In all my research, this has never come up in conversation. Is he using antiquated boomer logic or is this a thing?

 

[Rangerrod]

So I'm gearing up to passenger drop swap a 05 sd60, and I spoke to a guy today at an axle and frame place. We discussed what it takes to do the job. I said I would prefer to push the long side out of the chunk and press in a new length. He said it's impossible as the tubes are swaged into the pumpkin. In all my research, this has never come up in conversation. Is he using antiquated boomer logic or is this a thing?

I know it wasn’t a thing on anything 97 and older 60’s. Wfo in their race truck broke a housing in half so maybe call them and ask.

 

[Oddball]

This one is narrowed to 65.5” for a toyota. Cut and sleeved one side and c slide on the other.

I cut the short side off mine today and removed the tube from the C. I am a little surprised to find the tubes are 3/8 thick. I was under the impression they are 1/2". How does a cut and sleeve hold up to abuse? It's definitely cheaper.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

So I'm gearing up to passenger drop swap a 05 sd60, and I spoke to a guy today at an axle and frame place. We discussed what it takes to do the job. I said I would prefer to push the long side out of the chunk and press in a new length. He said it's impossible as the tubes are swaged into the pumpkin. In all my research, this has never come up in conversation. Is he using antiquated boomer logic or is this a thing?

Impossible

What does he even mean by swaged?

 

[LScout800]

Impossible

What does he even mean by swaged?

Type of forming, they do it to bottles to form the ends.

Does not make sense since pretty sure the tubes are machined on the ends not formed. You need to machine the ends for the seal anyways just turn the OD at the same time.

 

[Tydes]

I cut the short side off mine today and removed the tube from the C. I am a little surprised to find the tubes are 3/8 thick. I was under the impression they are 1/2". How does a cut and sleeve hold up to abuse? It's definitely cheaper.

Holds up great, if a sleeve is done properly it’s stronger than the original tube. (Plug weld, correct length, tight fit tube that’s decent thickness)

 

[YotaAtieToo]

Type of forming, they do it to bottles to form the ends.

Does not make sense since pretty sure the tubes are machined on the ends not formed. You need to machine the ends for the seal anyways just turn the OD at the same time.

Right, I was drawing a blank, exhaust is the common thing to swedge.

 

[willis_racing]

Right, I was drawing a blank, exhaust is the common thing to swedge.

Maybe by "swaged", boomer mcgee means he is easily defeated by a pressfit

 

[Oddball]

Right, I was drawing a blank, exhaust is the common thing to swedge.

Yea he said swedge, not swage. So basically a taper fit. I thought it sounded like bullshit. I ordered some fresh 3.75 x 3/8 DOM to do the long side, expensive shit. I still plan on a full retube. I've read up on methods to remove the old tube from the center section, and the one i like best is the weld method. Drill out the plug welds as usual, and then weld inside the tube to shrink it. At that point, it should almost fall out. I'm going this route to help keep it as straight as possible. I figure if everthing is press fit, it should stay fairly straight.

 

[Oddball]

This is where I'm at. Trying to get the dimensions close to my 93 dodge d60. Both knuckles are free, should get the tube monday.

 

[Oddball]

So, results are in. It took two plus hours to cut, weld and push the slug out. The bore is stepped, and I'll need to throw the new tube on a lathe. Hopefully tomorrow I can measure the bore.

 

[willis_racing]

Sure doesn't look impossible to me, though that knurling is interesting. Bet a fella could go at that with a carbon air arc and have it out in a couple of minutes. If of course, you have the means.

 

[Grendel]

I just use the cut and sleeve method. A lot.

Chevy, Ford, doesn't matter.

AlxJ64 and arse_sidewards have made the internal, press fit sleeves for me.

JR4X sent me OD tube, to lengthen em.

Never had an issue in more than 15 years of running em.

 

[LScout800]

I just use the cut and sleeve method. A lot.

Chevy, Ford, doesn't matter.

AlxJ64 and arse_sidewards have made the internal, press fit sleeves for me.

JR4X sent me OD tube, to lengthen em.

Never had an issue in more than 15 years of running em.

What size tubes do you use for the internal sleeve? Are they there to reinforce the tube or just for alignment? I have a FF rear I want to narrow but do not want the internal sleeves to be very thick since I still need oil to get to the bearings.

 

[Oddball]

I just use the cut and sleeve method. A lot.

Chevy, Ford, doesn't matter.

AlxJ64 and arse_sidewards have made the internal, press fit sleeves for me.

JR4X sent me OD tube, to lengthen em.

Never had an issue in more than 15 years of running em.

I am in uncharted waters. If I had an alignment bar, I would cut, sleeve and truss it. I chose this path to give me the best chance of keeping it straight. It's certainly taken more time and money to do it this way. The tube alone was 230 bucks Canadian. I always take the hard road the first time I do something. I should be that much more happy with the result.

 

[Grendel]

I am in uncharted waters. If I had an alignment bar, I would cut, sleeve and truss it. I chose this path to give me the best chance of keeping it straight. It's certainly taken more time and money to do it this way. The tube alone was 230 bucks Canadian. I always take the hard road the first time I do something. I should be that much more happy with the result.

I don't use an alignment bar.

The inner tube is press fit. I also use angle on the outside (x2) to keep it straight while we're welding it up. My axles are often straighter than the factory's.

 

[Oddball]

I don't use an alignment bar.

The inner tube is press fit. I also use angle on the outside (x2) to keep it straight while we're welding it up. My axles are often straighter than the factory's.

No shit. The issue is that after I cut the short side off, I only had 1.5" of stick out with a bunch of crap still welded to it. So the angle wouldnt work in this case. And, being that this is my first go at this, I dont want to leave anything to chance. I plan on spending a crap load on this axle in the form of shafts, locker and highsteer. Would suck to have a crooked axle. This being an 06 SD60, it has 3.75 3/8 tubes, leaving the ID at 3". I like that it's a nice number, but To make sleeves with a press fit, I assume you would need some odd size tube to machine down.

 

[arse_sidewards]

I assume you would need some odd size tube to machine down.

You can usually find a pipe nipple in 160 or XXH wall thickness that will have appropriate wall thickness after you turn it down to size.

 

[Grendel]

No shit. The issue is that after I cut the short side off, I only had 1.5" of stick out with a bunch of crap still welded to it. So the angle wouldnt work in this case. And, being that this is my first go at this, I dont want to leave anything to chance. I plan on spending a crap load on this axle in the form of shafts, locker and highsteer. Would suck to have a crooked axle. This being an 06 SD60, it has 3.75 3/8 tubes, leaving the ID at 3". I like that it's a nice number, but To make sleeves with a press fit, I assume you would need some odd size tube to machine down.

No shit. I have one, used it at first. Now, fuck it, it's just extra time.

With a 6" + inner sleeve, that I have to freeze the inner and heat the outer tube to fit, as long as the inner sleeve machining is right, large plug welds, good bevel, no way it's not straight. Also, hella stronger than OEM.

I'd do it in a heartbeat. In fact, already have:

 

[YotaAtieToo]

I am in uncharted waters. If I had an alignment bar, I would cut, sleeve and truss it. I chose this path to give me the best chance of keeping it straight. It's certainly taken more time and money to do it this way. The tube alone was 230 bucks Canadian. I always take the hard road the first time I do something. I should be that much more happy with the result.

Wierd, I'd feel much better about doing a cut a sleeve over a retube with no alignment bar.

 

[Grendel]

Truss, straighter than some of the new OEM one's we took apart a few years ago.

 

[Oddball]

Wierd, I'd feel much better about doing a cut a sleeve over a retube with no alignment bar.

Welding warps metal.