BALLJOINT D60 VS KINGPIN D60

[Ray Cecil]

I've got one of each sitting on the shop floor.

The ball joint has the later style knuckles with the dual piston calipers. Rotors, calipers and brake pads are a little surface rusty but look almost brand new.

The Kingpin has the older style knuckles for the single piston slide pin calipers, but are not on the axle, my current brakes would convert over to this axle with no issues, however I do need new rotors and pads.....they are nearing that point of needing to be replaced. My current brakes are losing performance. So If I go Kingpin, I will for sure be getting all new rotors, calipers, pads, rubber lines...

Both axles will need a total cleaning, painting and bearing/seal rebuild. Both are 4.10 geared to match the truck.

Which do I choose to use? I know the kingpin is easier to align myself.

Any other input/arguments for either axle?

Im leaning Kingpin since thats what everyone seems to be after, but the upgraded dual piston calipers and not needing to buy all new brakes is tempting....

[Gary Lewis]

I'm running a ball-joint D60 on Big Blue and like it.  The adjusters that go in at the top provide plenty of adjustment w/o having to bend anything.  And the slightly bigger brakes with two pistons are a minor benefit as well.

Not saying it is better, but it worked out nicely for me.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

I'm running a ball-joint D60 on Big Blue and like it.  The adjusters that go in at the top provide plenty of adjustment w/o having to bend anything.  And the slightly bigger brakes with two pistons are a minor benefit as well.

Not saying it is better, but it worked out nicely for me.

Have you don't hydroboost on big blue? I've been thinking about it, but vacuum brakes work fine unloaded. I have trailer brakes, so I really haven't felt the need for hydroboost brake upgrade. Wondering if that plus the dual piston is a major upgrade and worth it.

[Nothing Special]

Everybody wants the kingpin Dana 60 because everybody says that's the best.  If you're planning on really beating on it like a rock bouncer then I'm sure you want every bit of strength you can get.

But people do say that the brakes are a significant advantage to the ball-joint Dana 60.  So for most use I think that would be (slightly) the better choice.

But bottom line is I don't think either are a bad choice.  I'd go with whichever seemed easier.  And if I was thinking about selling the one I wasn't using, I might lean toward selling the "holy grail" kingpin axle and using the one with ball joints.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't think hydroboost makes a truck stop any better.  You still have the same brakes and tires, so if you can lock the brakes with vacuum that's as good as it gets.  However, it FEELS like you have better brakes.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

I don't think hydroboost makes a truck stop any better.  You still have the same brakes and tires, so if you can lock the brakes with vacuum that's as good as it gets.  However, it FEELS like you have better brakes.

Right now I cannot get my front brakes to lock up no matter how hard I hit the pedal. The rear will lock up.

Yall got me leaning more towards that ball joint axle now....hmmmm.....

I decided to not go with the Skysoffroad RSK. I just bought factory f350 from leaf springs. I know everyone swears by it, I just don't like the look of having to cut up the bumper, and all the extra work involved.

Main goal is to basically have the extra towing capacity of a 1 ton, over my 3/4 ton TTB.

If I was going to put serious miles on this truck, I'd have done the rsk.

I'm hoping to basically make this a tow rig and occasional driver.

I've decided to put the edison motors hybrid project money into my 72' International Loadstar. So just doing some basic load capability upgrades to the f250, and making it more road worthy, vs a Mud Terrain tired bouncy bounce truck.

[Gary Lewis]

If you can’t lock up the fronts then the dual-piston brakes should help. And if that doesn’t then you can still go to hydroboost later.

[salans7]

I would also look at it from the angle of:

Will a kingpin rebuild kit for a Dana 60 be easy to find/reasonably priced in five years? Ten years?

[Ray Cecil]

salans7 wrote

I would also look at it from the angle of:

Will a kingpin rebuild kit for a Dana 60 be easy to find/reasonably priced in five years? Ten years?

That's easy enough to solve today. Just buy two of everything and store it away.

[Ford F834]

I am really surprised that a kingpin D60 would have single piston calipers. Mine has dual pistons, and I thought all 8 lug trucks 8600 GVWR and up had them 🤷.

Kingpins have the last-forever reputation but are a lot more difficult to address when they do wear out.

[Ray Cecil]

Ford F834 wrote

I am really surprised that a kingpin D60 would have single piston calipers. Mine has dual pistons, and I thought all 8 lug trucks 8600 GVWR and up had them 🤷.

Kingpins have the last-forever reputation but are a lot more difficult to address when they do wear out.

You know what...you are correct. I was thinking that all the slide pin style calipers were single piston. I also forgot I had removed the calipers to trade off the dual rear wheel hubs to a friend. I just looked, and you are correct, they are dual piston.

[Ray Cecil]

Ford F834 wrote

Kingpins have the last-forever reputation but are a lot more difficult to address when they do wear out.

Yeah, I doubt seriously I will ever wear out a freshly rebuilt kingpin. It also adds value to the truck over the balljoint....maybe?

[Nothing Special]

Maybe.  But I'd guess the difference in the truck value would be negligible, unless it was being bought to part out.

I could imagine the value difference bordering on significant if you were selling just an axle, because everyone has been told that kingpin axles are best so that's what they should be looking for.

Still, overall I think the differences are small enough that if it were me I'd pick whichever axle was easier to use, which is entirely a factor of what condition each is in.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm with Bob.  If you list the truck as having a D60 that will be enough for those that know to notice.  But personally I don't think there's enough difference in kingpin vs ball joints to make a dollar difference to me.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

I'm with Bob.  If you list the truck as having a D60 that will be enough for those that know to notice.  But personally I don't think there's enough difference in kingpin vs ball joints to make a dollar difference to me.

Yeah, I'm with yall. This winters project is to install the D60 and the factory Garret Turbo. Did I mention I picked up a turbo motor? Can't remember if I did or not.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't think you mentioned the turbo motor.  So are you installing the turbo on the existing engine?

[Ford F834]

Hopefully you are not planning to use the flattened factory down pipe. That is the one component of the factory Ford branded 093 that hobbles an otherwise decent system. Do not separate the Y pipe from the up pipe if you can avoid it. They like to leak there and not a lot can be done to fix it. If they are tight together leave them that way! 🙂