1973 Dana 60 Front axel

Norm Henderson · January 11, 2009, 01:39:52 AM

My 1973 F-250 front axel does not have ball joints......it looks like a giant ball and socket. the end of the axle is round and the knuckle goes over the axle....anyone know what thats all about and what it is...ive never seen anything like it.

thanks in advance, lil wagon

TopFist · January 11, 2009, 01:47:43 AM

closed knuckle.

Eroq · January 11, 2009, 04:26:51 AM

Quote from: 454 jeep on January 11, 2009, 01:47:43 AM
closed knuckle.

x2

drum brake im guessing? or is it disc?

Econo-box from Hell · January 11, 2009, 04:50:04 AM

Old school. Not great for serious wheeling but just fine for a street based 4x4.

Wild One · January 11, 2009, 10:14:24 PM

I would need to see it, but would guess it is a Dana 44

Norm Henderson · January 27, 2009, 01:56:54 AM

it is a Dana 60, i looked at the housing and found a 60F

Norm Henderson · January 27, 2009, 01:57:22 AM

drum break to

7387chevynut · January 27, 2009, 04:50:30 PM

The Close knuckle front axles are hard to get parts for.......so I'm told.......but You could always swap out the drum brake crap & close knuckle and swap in open knuckle and disk brake on it.

Most guys who buy old 4x4's with close knuckle front axles.....end up swaping them out for an open knuckle/disk brake axle.......because its stronger....& parts are available.

Just depends on what your gonna do with this axle?.

Norm Henderson · January 27, 2009, 08:05:53 PM

i was thinkin 35 or 37 inch boggers and building the 390 engine a lil

Norm Henderson · January 27, 2009, 08:06:38 PM

whats the purpose of the closed knuckle?

7387chevynut · January 27, 2009, 08:17:33 PM

The closed knuckle set up was the 1st type of 4x4 axle used........I'm not 100% sure on its real purpose, but it did enclose the axle/shaft U joint. I do know that the closed knuckled front axles were popular with all the Big 3........but one by one they all switched over to an (open Knuckle) front axle. The open knuckle was stronger, easier to work on.

if you are running 35 inch tire, you should be safe, although I would tear into that front axle and see how good the axle shaft U joints are.

betterbeaters · January 27, 2009, 08:20:19 PM

make sure you can get parts for it before you do too much with it! I know dana 70 closed knuckles are very hard to get outers!

Norm Henderson · January 27, 2009, 09:08:01 PM

how does that closed knuckle work? is there ball joints?

91 k1500 · January 30, 2009, 01:16:22 PM

http://quad4x4.com/images/4x4techclosed%20knuckle.jpg

it is kinda like a ball and socket....
easier to explain with a pic... lol

Norm Henderson · January 31, 2009, 11:39:08 PM

but what keeps it from flopping around it has to have some kind of pins or something

Eroq · February 01, 2009, 01:18:33 AM

it has king pins... just like your open knuckle 60's

gotta pull all the small bolts out of the back that hold the felt gasket in there... pop the king pins out and the whole assembly should come off

Norm Henderson · February 01, 2009, 02:48:48 AM

is there a liquid in the knuckle?

Eroq · February 01, 2009, 03:15:44 AM

shouldnt be... if there is there aint much....

Norm Henderson · February 01, 2009, 06:52:26 AM

ok i just didnt know if there was anything in there or not

390JOE · February 03, 2009, 02:06:54 PM

Quote from: lilwagon on January 27, 2009, 09:08:01 PM
how does that closed knuckle work? is there ball joints?

i had the same thing on my bogger. it had a closed knuckle dana44 and drum brakes. and inside the ball was a normal u joint. but let me ask you this. how big is the hex bolts holding the hub on. if there 5/16 in size you have whats called and external hub which the outer shaft is slightly longer than an inturnal hub, which uses the normal looking warn or spicer hubs. hope this helps you out.