I am a Ford guy so my opinion don't count here.(just warning you up front) I manage a buisness and have several trucks to take care of. We have several Dodge and Ford trucks, we even have a few Chebbys. The best diesel in my opinion is the Cummins, but I have had very good luck with the 7.3 Powerstroke. You couldn't sell me another 6.0 stroke. I'm not impressed with the Duramax at all. I like the looks of the fords best but the dodges arn't too bad. My idea of the perfect truck is what I am building right now. '79 F250 4X4 extended cab. Cummins engine, NV4500 trany D60's front and back. AC, power windows and door locks

 

you think a 60 in back is a good idea?

 

welcome to DTR! Matt, i wouldnt use a 60 in the rear with the torque of that motor. it will not last long at all.

you'll love the longetivity of the CTD

 

Don't sell yourself short -- while this is a Dodge/Cummins site, I for one welcome all opinions.

I also am curious about your decision to put a Dana 60 in the rear of the Ford to put the Cummins torque to the ground. I am pretty sure the 79 Ford is much lighter than our current trucks, so capacity may be fine? Just curious if that D60 will be stock or beefed up with aftermarket internals and axles.

 

The reason I am using the D60 is that is what is in the truck now. I never looked close at the axle in my Dodge donor, but I assumed it had a 60 as well. I will take a look at it tomorrow. (What did '89 Dodges have in them, how do I tell?) I know it has a D60 front. I put the D60 out of a '79 F350 in my truck in place of the 44. If the Dodge came with a stouter axel I may change it out as it is already set up with the 3.54 gears I want.

 

I think my old 89 had a Dana 80 rear axle.... I know it took/and is still taking LOTS of abuse.... Seen the old truck the other day, some guys are using it as a log hauler now.. Doesn't have a straight piece of sheet metal on it!!. Kinda makes me feel bad, maybe I should buy it back and just put it out in the pasture????.. That thing has GOT to have 500,000 miles on it by now??

 

jimlj, your donor had a Dana 70 rear.

 

The first genners used Dana 70 axles as far as I can recall.. The Dana 80 didn't come out till 95 or something didn't it?

 

I have a 94 with a D80 rear

 

Thanks! What do you look for to tell the difference? I didn't have a chance to look at it today, that four letter word (work) got in the way.

 

FWIW, a D70 out of an early 80's Ford diesel will bolt in. Even better is a D70 out of a van because it is the same width as the front. You will have to move the mounts. Most of the vans got a D61 though.

 

a bud of mine had a 94 5 speed with a dana 80 he's who got me hooked on cummins one ride and had to have one all the torque and the sweet sound.at the time was running a 6.5 clatterdiesel.I saw a guy with a 1st gen dodge running dana 60 front from 80s GM and a 14 bolt from same truck he claimed big ring gear and three pinion bearings made it stronger.I have had quite a few dana 60-70s and a few 14 bolts never snapped either.I even had a 91/4 chrysler in a old w-250 only issue was spider gears plowed with that truck 10 years and put over 170k on it.My opinion is with stock tires and power dana 60 probably would work but with big tires and power upgrades go bigger.one thing though with 3.54 gears he doesnt have to worry about pinion so much as the dia is plenty meaty.if was going 4.88 or lower would worry about deflection snapping it.as far as shafts can get oversize chromoly shafts as big as a dana 80 for the 60 and just have to get carrier to match. Bill

 

it has a 70 cast into in on one of the flat strengthers on the diff ball. I cant rember where. Just look around and you will see it.

 

jimlj, you asked specifically about an '89? If the donor you're referring to is an auto, stay away from it. Autos only had 3.07 gears until '91.5. You cannot put different gears in that case at all. If the donor is a 5 spd, you could get either 4.10 or 3.54. They were all d70, then went to d80 later, like mentioned above.

 

YEP, what he said.