When did Dana 60 go from 16 to 30 to 35 spline?

[HOWDY69]

When did Dana 60 go from 16 to 30 to 35 spline?
Which is better or does it matter?

[heep70]

Don't know the exact dates, but the more splines the stronger. I think the 35 spline is a bigger diameter shaft also. Not sure if Ford used a 35 spline in their D60s. Some chebies did military one anyway.

[averagef250]

Ford used 16 and 30 spline dana 60's. Ford started using 30 spline dana 60's in 1956 under F-100's. The 16 spline 60 was used under F-250 2wd's until '72 and in the 4x4's through early '77.

35 spline dana 70 axles will not fit in a standard dana 60 housing. The spindle holes need drilled out to accomodate the diameter. If you're breaking 30 spline 60 shafts you should be running a 70, that's how I see it anyway.

[HOWDY69]

So is the 16 stronger than the 30 since it was used in F250's.

I have a 1969 F250 with a what my uncle called a 1 ton rear end. It is a Dana 60 but when I go to get brake parts or front wheel bearings I have to call it a F350 to get the right parts.

[averagef250]

Depends what you're definition of stronger is. The F-100 and 250 axles are totally different. One's a semi floater and the other is a full floater. The 30 spline semi floater will handle more power, but the 16 spline full floater will take far more weight. Starting in '73 the 2wd F-250 D60's were mostly 30 spline.

It takes a lot of trying to break even 16 spline 60 shafts though.

A D60 is not a 1 ton axle. You probably have the higher GVW F-250 which shares brake parts with the F-350.