Sure - larger axle tubes, larger ring gear, larger axles, larger pinion... even the diff cover is thicker IIRC!

Anyone happen to know the difference in spline count, metallurgy, etc.?

 

The wall thickness on the front tubes are a joke.I have also had to replace the left side shafts and a joint on the rt at VERY low miles.The rear has not been an issue.

Bob

 

I was speaking about the front not the rear.

Bob

 

Anybody else experienced Bob's problem?

 

are you speaking of the AAM or the Dana?

 

I haven't but a 60 is pretty tuff, enough to use as a rear axle on 3/4 ton vans and pickups in the 70's but the stock D60 bearing and axle shaft set up is not very good.

Curry fixed that with improved Timkin self contained tappered roller bearing assemblys pressed on to 35 spline axles.

I hear from one of my axle guys of defective/bent housings coming that way from the factory but i thought he was exaggerating.

My other axle guy says the AAM's are rock solid.

Both custom axle builders build off road racing axles for a living!

This could be a case of someone thinking they bent the housing but got stuck with a reject instead? I prefer to think this is the case?

 

The differences between them.

 

So the AAM has the larger parts?

 

Yes, he was saying that the AAM axles and components are bigger than the Dana's.

 

For the rear, AAM 11.5 Hands down. I have yet to work on one in a Chubby or Dodge.

Rear Dana 70's and 80's are always in the shop. Not usually broken, but diff brgs are smoked usually ruining the case.

For the front, I'd prefer a kingpin Dana 60. Parts are easy to come by and the kingpins are way stronger than our ball joints.

 

We took out 3 frt hosings in a club outing in one wk-end 2 more since.Many of us have now trussed the fronts.

Bob

 

I thought I saw a comparison in Diesel Power or Truck Trends that talked about the comparison on the axles. Maybe it was an old 4wheeler magazine. I sure if you do a google you should come across some good comparison information. Maybe check the AAM Axle site. I was just on their and I thought I saw a comparison on their compared to the Brand X.

Shawn

 

AAM has a website where it lists all of their axles and the specs. Our 11.5 rear axle is rated at 10,800 lbs and the 9.25 inch in the front is rated at 5200. They don't specifiy how much power can be run through them, at least not on the web pages I've looked at.