05unlimited
Legacy Registered User
- City
- Lancaster
- State
- CA
I purchased a D60 with -501 embossed on the top of the carrier housing. The axle came out of a Rock Crawl CJ7 Laredo that was in a garage or carport fire, burned from the top down, so the drive train was in good condition. I also bought the D30 front axle w/4.88 gears and a lunch box locker. Was built (I think) by Try County Gear. Has full float 1.5" axles, 35 spline, Warn locking hubs with the Allen set screws, Detroit locker, and 4.88 gears. It had rusted drum brakes. I converted to disc brakes (78-79 Cadillac w/parking brake).
What sets the -501 from other D60's is the housing tube holes are sized for 2.5" tubes (D44), not 3-3.5" tubes. I read that Ford created a batch of these-501's for testing. When the experiment was done they sold the axles for scrap. I used CAD to design the disc brake brackets to mount the calipers and 3D printed the brackets to verify all the holes lined up. M20's don't hold up well behind 35" BFG's. Neither dose a T5, converting to an AX-15.
What sets the -501 from other D60's is the housing tube holes are sized for 2.5" tubes (D44), not 3-3.5" tubes. I read that Ford created a batch of these-501's for testing. When the experiment was done they sold the axles for scrap. I used CAD to design the disc brake brackets to mount the calipers and 3D printed the brackets to verify all the holes lined up. M20's don't hold up well behind 35" BFG's. Neither dose a T5, converting to an AX-15.