Dana 60 Front or Rear Master Bearing Kit, Timken

A Dana 60 that howls at highway speed, a one-ton front axle getting new gears for 37 in. tires, or a built rear that is getting a locker: every one of those jobs needs new carrier and pinion bearings, shims and a fresh pinion seal. The Motive Gear RA29RMKT is the master version of their Dana 60 install kit for 1950-1997 axles, and it covers both standard rotation rears and reverse rotation (high pinion) fronts. That makes it a fit for most older Ford, Chevrolet, GMC and Dodge three-quarter and one-ton trucks, along with plenty of swapped and built off-road axles.

What the bearings and shims do in a Dana 60

The Dana 60 pinion is a 29-spline shaft carried on two tapered roller bearings. Pinion depth is set with a shim behind the inner race, and preload is set by crushing a sleeve between the bearings. The carrier rides on two tapered bearings that sit in the housing with shims behind them, and the housing has to be spread slightly to install it. Those shims set carrier preload and ring gear backlash at the same time. On a heavy truck that tows or a rig running large tires, any looseness in this stack lets the ring gear deflect under load, and that is how teeth chip and gear sets fail.

Symptoms that point to worn Dana 60 bearings

• Whine that starts at a certain speed and gets louder as you go faster
• A noise that is loud on the gas and quiet coasting, or the other way around, usually pinion bearing wear
• Steady rumble or growl from the center section, often carrier bearings
• Clunk or slack at the pinion yoke and a leaking pinion seal
• Bearing cage pieces, rollers or heavy metal in the oil when the cover comes off

How to confirm before you order

Note at what speed the noise starts and whether it changes on and off throttle. Raise the axle, check the yoke for play, and drain the oil through a clean pan. On a front axle, rule out wheel bearings and hubs first, since they can sound much like diff bearings; our Dana 60 front axle problems guide covers how to separate them, and the Dana 60 rear axle guide covers the rear. If the hubs are the issue, the Dana 60 front wheel bearing and seal kit is the part you want instead.

Fitment

RA29RMKT is catalogued for Dana 60 axles from 1950-1997 and fits both standard and reverse cut ring gears. It is set up for the 29-spline pinion, 12 ring gear bolts and a 10-bolt cover. Ford Super Duty, Ram and GM trucks from the late 1990s on use later Dana 60 versions, and the 2017-up Ford front axle is a different design with its own kit, so check your axle tag, ring gear bolt count and pinion spline before buying, or send your year and VIN. Shop more axle parts in our hard parts collection.

What is in the kit

Motive Gear lists carrier bearings, inner and outer pinion bearings, pinion shims, carrier shims, crush sleeve, pinion seal, pinion nut, ring gear bolts, a cover gasket, gear marking compound and a brush. The T suffix is the Timken bearing version. Motive Gear notes that during a supply shortage it may ship equal or better bearings in place of Timken.

Install notes

• Yukon's setup chart lists the Dana 60 at 17-30 in-lb pinion preload on new bearings and 8-12 in-lb on used, with 0.006-0.011 in. backlash on a 5-cut gear set, ring gear bolts at 110 ft-lb and bearing caps at 80 ft-lb.
• Set pinion depth first, then bring preload up slowly on the new crush sleeve. Going past spec ruins the sleeve.
• Spread the housing only as far as needed to drop the carrier in; never pry it in sideways.
• Read the pattern with the included compound on both the drive and coast sides before final assembly.
• Pair the kit with a gear set such as the Yukon Dana 60 reverse rotation 3.73 set or the Revolution Dana 60 reverse 5.38 thick gear; our Dana 60 ring and pinion buyers guide explains carrier breaks.
• Fill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 GL-5 and break new gears in gently before towing.

Does RA29RMKT fit a front or a rear Dana 60?

Both. It fits standard rotation rear axles and reverse rotation (high pinion) front axles, because the bearings and seal are shared.

What years does it cover?

It is catalogued for 1950-1997 Dana 60 axles with the 29-spline pinion and 12 ring gear bolts. Later Super Duty, Ram and GM axles and the 2017-up Ford front need their own kits, so confirm with your axle tag or VIN.

Are shims and ring gear bolts included?

Yes. As a master kit it adds pinion shims, carrier shims and ring gear bolts to the bearings, seal, crush sleeve, nut, cover gasket and marking compound.

Are the bearings Timken?

The T suffix is the Timken version. Motive Gear notes that during a supply shortage it may substitute bearings of equal or better quality.

What preload and backlash should I set?

Yukon's chart lists the Dana 60 at 17-30 in-lb pinion preload with new bearings and 0.006-0.011 in. backlash on a 5-cut gear set. Always check your gear maker's sheet too.

Do I need a new kit if I only add a locker?

If the carrier bearings come off the old case, yes. Pulling bearings usually damages them, and a new carrier needs fresh shims set to it.