Dana 60 hole drilled in housing?

[ChevySean79]

Hey guys im new to the forum. I got a dumb question i just picked up a dana 60 and 14 bolt out of a cucv the guy i bought it from had a few sets and all the front dana 60's had 1 about 9/16" hole drilled in the bottom of the housing. Did anyone ever see this done before? Did the military do this so they couldnt sell the axles or something? I no this is a dumb question but i just wanted to know if anyone has ever seen this before. Thanks in advice for any imput.

Sean

 

[dstang97]

got any pictures. Are you sure its not for the bolts/studs in the housing? AKA 4th ubolt

 

[ChevySean79]

heres a pic

 

[dstang97]

try and tap it and put a plug or bolt in there. Or try to fill it in by welding it. Who knows why they did that. Maybe it was supposed to have "mutilated".

 

[ChevySean79]

thats what im going to do tap it and put a plug in it i just find it weird that they did it to only the front 60 and not the 14 bolt. I just wanna know if anyone else has seen this before.

 

[Iceman3005]

Maybe they did that so they could have a drain hole. Don't know why they would drill case for that, when they could have bought a diff cover with a drain hole. I really get tired of people cutting, drilling, or hacking things instead of doing it right.

 

[ChevySean79]

All of the guys dana 60s he had the same hole drilled in it. He had a few of them but this one was in the best shape i dont think they drilled it for a drain hole i think they did it so they couldnt sell the axle or sumthing? I hate the hacking thing to i restore cars and trucks for a living this hole kinda bothers me but i gotta deal with it axles are hard to come by out here in NY, and forget about finding a clean chevy truck out here im lucky and found a one owner decently clean 78 c20.

 

[rnd-motorsports]

Welcome to the site! Take the cover off and make sure its clean and tap and plug . never seen that before but when you tap and plug it just make sure the plug doesn't hit the ring gear. what do you plan on putting them in? are they 4:56 gears or something else? is the 14 bolt have a Detroit locker in it? Wow I'm nosy

 

[Boreal21]

I imagine it was a quick way to drain the diff before storage/sale. I've never seen them drill the hole... usually they just take off the diff cover and leave it hanging by a bolt. They've been known to drill a hole in the gas tank, oil pan, trans pan, etc to drain fluids

 

[Iceman3005]

I agree with ya ChevySean79 its getting to be like that in MI either there junk or a lot of cheap short cuts.

 

[Iceman3005]

dstang97 was probably right, "Maybe it was supposed to have mutilated".

 

[rnd-motorsports]

Wow you posted and answered one of my questions as I was typing! Nice looking truck.
I now what it's like finding a clean early model truck truck if the rust has not got them the high scrap prices has! Thats why most on here has that green sickness I got my m1028 it spent its life in Arizona on a base had 15580 original miles on it when I got it! thats why I asked what gears and such the military stuff had 4:56 gears and a Detroit locker in the rear and the 1028 had a posi in the front! here is a pic of my low miles truck

 

[ChevySean79]

Thanks rnd and yup 4.56's detroit out back open front, but will have a detroit before they go under my truck. I have been looking for a while for axles all the ones i found around here had more scales on them than a fish the northeast is not metal friendly. Boreal21 that makes sense i seen a long time ago somewhere they they drilled a hole in tires so they couldnt sell them i figured they drilled this hole so they couldnt sell it. But draining the gear oil faster makes more sense just makes me .

 

[Boreal21]

I don't think those axles ever required mutilation. I remember seeing crated D60s at the local surplus yard years ago. I think they were selling for $500 or less. Where's that time machine when I need it....

Anyway, leads me to believe it was for draining and not mutilation. Just IMO

 

[ChevySean79]

rnd real nice looking truck u got there . I no what u mean boreal u cant find anything cheap now a days. Its nuts how much stuff goes for i got both the axles for $950 i thought that was cheap compaired to the rusted to **** ones i seen out here with 4.10's and open diffs for $1500+ Here a pic of the axles and a 89 k5 blazer i recently sold it was to clean to drive 1 owner garaged since new even the original window sticker i had to sell it because i had no garage to keep it my camaro race car is in it.

 

[ken]

Mabye that's what GL means when they say "All fluids drained"?

 

[diesel583]

That's what it means. When I worked for Forestry saw a few like that most came from Air force. No Batteries, holes drilled in everything, power steering hose cut, belts removed. Looked like some trucks were intentionaly damaged.

 

[bushhawg73]

That is crazy, I can only imagine how many drill bits they burned up drilling through the thick material.

 

[DokWatson]

Somebody probably messed up and must have said axles have to be de-milled before auction. Otherwise, only an idiot would drill through the housing instead of the diff cover, if they were really THAT lazy.

 

[ODdave]

hope you got the top plates with that front end, there like hens teeth around here.......... good buy though!