I have a coworker who's looking to swap axles out of his 79 3/4 ton Ford for higher gears.  I want to do a straight axle swap on my 88 GMC and he told me he had a Dana 70 up front and a Dana 60 in the rear so I was thinking of picking these up from him.  I this possible?  How and where could I source this information to make sure this info is correct?  btw Other than availability of parts how much better if any is a Dana 70 front axle?

thanks

no offense,  but your coworker sounds pretty dumb.  why would you swap axles if all u want is a higher gear ratio, just change the gears!!

i might be wrong but i have never heard of a front dana 70, but that doesn't mean that they are not out there, other than that, if you have a gm truck, and u r getting axles out of a ford, you will have to change your transfer case because the pumpkins are on the opposite site of each other

I can see swapping an axle in if it already has higher gears, and it bolts right in.

I would doubt that a 3/4 ton ford would have a dana 70 up front, unless someone has already swapped it in.  is it a closed knuckle dana 70 or open?

I would think it more likely that he has a 70 rear and 60 front, but even then it seems kind of funny to swap out a 60 for another 60 when he could just change the gears, unless he's going to another axle.

I think you need to really figure out what axle he is offering first, and then figure out if it will swap in.  It would be a good swap to put a 60 in the front of your gmc, but what rear axle do you have now?  and do you understand the amount of work involved in a solid axle swap?  If so go for it.

I'm beginning to.  I crawl up under the truck from time to time and look at things and say this goes, this goes....etc etc.  That guy at work, who isn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier,  as I come to find out is always talking about doing this or that and never does.  I've located a Dana 60 front and a 14 bolt rear at a junkyard near here, for $400 total, not too bad considering most others want $1000 for the 60 and $600 for the 14 bolt. 

My rear end is a 12 bolt. 

Looking forward to the challenge.

MM

Actually, on an 88 (and up) Chevy/GMC the xfer case output is on the driver's side, so the ford axle would be just what he needs.  

If you don't want it, I'll take it! Jump on that deal. You can sell them if you change your mind. Wow. Front dana 60 and rear 14 bolt for $400 total. It's a steal.

there aren't many d70 fronts around and fords never had one, the one I have in the front of my 79 f-350 is out of a dodge, I have since built a drivers side pumpkin 70 front to bolt in, 70 front and 60 rear was a common combo on older dodges, hard to confuse that with a ford though!