Calling on Dana 60 experts

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I wouldn't think there would really be a need for a 40 spline Detroit Locker for any type rear housing since I would expect that the average Detroit Locker would break long before the average aftermarket 35 spline axle would (in a drag car anyway).

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DILLIGASDAVE wrote:I wouldn't think there would really be a need for a 40 spline Detroit Locker for any type rear housing since I would expect that the average Detroit Locker would break long before the average aftermarket 35 spline axle would (in a drag car anyway).

I tend to agree. Although I'm not real hip on the Dana locker, I did once use a 4.56 geared 31 spline 9" locker in a drag car for a few passes. I had to use a shop vac to remove it from the housing. The 31 spline axles were still good as new, tho. For me, lockers are strictly street stuff.

JBR-3 wrote:...........So my next question is: Is a Dana 60 35-spl Detroit locker stronger than a Ford 35-spl Detroit locker ?

As for "stock" Locker vs Locker strength (with an iron Locker housing) I can't say cuz I haven't messed with a Dana Locker. But "Stronger" is a subjective term anyway. 8620 street gears are called "strong" because they are super hard to handle hundeds of thousands of miles of wear loading abuse on the street year after year without wearing out. And 9310 gears are called "strong" because they are softer to absorb high impact loading abuse without breaking.


I doubt the increased hypoid gear angle/increased tooth loading ability of the 9" (vs the D-60's hypoid angle) has an effect on Locker strength it's self. But the D-60's bigger ring gear diameter should theoretically allow it's Locker to have more room inside for larger internal components than the 9" Locker housing can have. Mark Williams does sell a "drag racing" 35 spline 9" Detroit Locker that has a steel billet housing (vs the factory Locker with it's nodular iron housing), so it is stronger than a conventional 28 or 31 spline 9" N-iron factory Locker body. But I have no idea where the 9" billet M/W Locker  falls strength wise vs a D-60 Locker.


But regardless of how strong any Locker design might be, they still can't take the impact loading a spool designed for drag use can. In a high impact application a spool having no internal moving components that can fail is hard for any Locker to equal.


Situations like this is why most any street-strip and/or Pro Street combo is always going to be a compromise deal to some degree trying to hit a middle ground between being a "street" car or a "strip" car.

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JBR-3 wrote:

I take it that all the hyper "street cars" on Drag Week that go 200mph are all spool cars ?

Yep