Ford Super Duty Dana 50 vs Dana 60

Chances are you landed here because you’re either trying to figure out what front axle you have in your Ford Super Duty, or you’re trying to find a used Dana 60. The Dana 50 and Dana 60 front axle are similar in appearance, but there are some methods that people have used to tell them apart. But first, what axles came in the Ford F-250 and F-350 trucks?

What Truck Came With What Axle:

Dana 50 Trucks:

2000-2005 Ford Excursion
1998-1999 Ford F-250 3/4 Ton
1999-2002 Ford F-250 Super Duty
1999-2002 Ford F-350 Super Duty

The Dana 50 was phased out of the trucks in 2004, in favor of the Dana 60 and was last used in the Ford Excursion.

Dana 60 Trucks:

NOTE: Trucks prior to 1999 are NOT Super Duties.

1978-1979 Ford F-250
1992-1997 F350s all had Dana 60s
2002-2006 Ford F-250
1979-2003 Ford F-350
1999-2019 Ford F-250 / F-350
2004-2011 Ford F-450 / F-550
2002-2011 Ford F-250 / F-350
1978-1979 Ford F-350 And Some Ford F-250 (Snofighter And High GVW Packages)
1986-1988 Ford F-350 With Dual Rear Wheels (DRW)
1988-1991.5 Ford F-350 With Single Rear Wheels (SRW)
1992-1995 F-350 (All) (Balljoint)
1996.5-1998 F-350 (All) (Balljoint)
1999+ F350 Dually 4×4 had Dana 60s
2000 F350/F-450/F-550 DRW (Balljoint, Metric 8x170mm Wheel Bolt Pattern F-350 / 8x220mm F-450/F-550, Unit Bearing Hub)
2000.5 F350/F-450/F-550 DRW (balljoint, Metric 8x170mm Wheel Bolt Pattern F-350 / 8x220mm F-450/F-550, Unit Bearing Hub)
2001 F-350 DRW (Balljoint, Metric 8x170mm Wheel Bolt Pattern, Unit Bearing Hub)
2001-02 F-450/F-550 DRW (Balljoint, Metric 8x220mm Wheel Bolt Pattern, Unit Bearing Hub)
2002 F-250/F-350 SRW (Balljoint, Metric 8x170mm Wheel Bolt Pattern, Unit Bearing Hub)
2002 F-450/F-550 DRW (Balljoint, Metric 8x220mm Wheel Bolt Pattern, Unit Bearing Hub)
2004+ F250-F350 had Dana 60s
2005+ F250 had coil springs & a “Super” Dana 60

They started dropping Dana 60’s in SRW Super Duties in 2002, some early 2002’s still got stuck with a Dana 50 though.

All these Ford front axles were drivers side differential, reverse-cut (high pinion) gears, and kingpin knuckles to 1991.5 and balljoints thereafter. Most Ford Dana 60’s are internal style hubs, but external type lockout versions do exist. 2000 and later Ford Dana 60’s have balljoints, a metric wheel lug pattern of 8x170mm up to F-350 and 8x220mm for F-450/F-550, different brakes and spindles, sealed “unit-bearing hubs”, hub-centric wheels, different length axleshafts from the earlier Dana 60s, and larger Super Duty specific tie rod ends. From 2000 on, the Ford Dana 60 front axle is also known as the Model 60F2000+ or the 248M. 248 just happens to be the equivalent in millimeters of 9.75″ – the diameter of the Dana 60’s ring gear.

Telling The Difference:

A Dana 50 will have 229 cast into the center section webbing on the pinion support and a 1-1/8″ pinion nut.

A Dana 60 will have 248 cast into the center section webbing on the pinion support and a 1-5/16″ pinion nut.

The 229 and 248 correspond to the mm diameter of the ring gear in millimeters (mm).

2000 was the first year for the “new” Dana 60 also known as the 248.

You can also look for a sticker on the rear of the passenger side axle tube. Look for a number on the lower right of the sticker. If it’s a 229 it will be a Dana 50 and if it’s 248 it’s a Dana 60.

Ford Dana 50 BOM Axle Sticker (see the ‘229’ in the bottom right corner)

Ford Dana 60 BOM Axle Sticker (see the ‘248’ in the bottom right corner)

Dana 50 & Dana 60 Differences:

On paper, the 3/4-inch difference between the Dana 60 (Left) and Dana 50 (Right) ring gear may not seem like much, but a little can make a big difference. Sitting at 9-inches, the Dana 50 ring gear doesn’t have as much surface area as the 9.75-inch Dana 60.

Both the Super Duty Dana 50 (Bottom) and Dana 60 (Top) have 1.50-inch axle shafts, but on the Dana 50 the shafts are machined down to 1.30-inch at the differential. The Dana 50 is also fitted with 30-spline inners, whereas the Dana 60 gets 35 splines.

Typically, the Dana 50 and Dana 60 were both equipped with 1350 pinion yokes under the Super Duty. The snout on the Dana 60 is noticeably longer and on some applications may require the use of a new front driveline when swapping from the Dana 50.