Yukon Gear Hardcore Drive Flange Kit For Dana 60 / 30 Spline Outer Stubs. Non-Engraved Caps

If the front locking hubs on your Dana 60 truck keep jumping out of lock, will not turn, or have chewed their internal splines, and you run the front axle for traction far more than you run it free, a drive flange kit is the simple fix. Yukon Gear & Axle YHC50004 is a pair of Hardcore drive flanges for Dana 60 front axles with 30-spline outer stub shafts, supplied with plain, non-engraved caps and the mounting hardware. Yukon describes it as everything needed to replace internal manual locking hubs on these axles.

What a drive flange does on a 30-spline Dana 60

On a Dana 60 front with locking hubs, the wheel hub turns on its bearings around the spindle and the outer stub shaft passes through the spindle into the center of the hub. A locking hub can connect or disconnect those two. A drive flange removes the choice: its internal splines engage the 30 splines on the stub, and its outer flange bolts to the wheel hub in place of the hub body, so the stub and the wheel are always tied together. There is no dial, no sliding clutch ring and no spring to fail, which is why flanges are popular on rock crawlers, plow trucks and any one-ton that sees hard four-wheel-drive use.

The trade-off is honest and worth knowing before you order. With flanges installed, the front stubs, axle U-joints, the front carrier and the front driveshaft turn whenever the truck rolls, even in 2WD. Expect a little more drivetrain noise and wear on the front end and a small fuel economy hit on the highway. If you want to keep free-wheeling, the Yukon Hardcore 30-spline locking hub set is the alternative.

Symptoms that send owners to drive flanges

• A locking hub that pops out of LOCK under load or when backing up a grade
• One front wheel that does not pull in 4WD, so the truck crabs on loose ground
• Ratcheting or grinding from one hub when torque is applied
• A selector dial that is seized or spins without changing engagement
• Rounded splines on a factory hub driver after repeated hard use
• Hubs that need constant cleaning and re-greasing after water or mud crossings

How to confirm before you buy

Lock both hubs, put the transfer case in 4WD, lift one front wheel and try to turn it by hand. If it turns freely while the driveshaft stays still, that hub is not engaging. Pull the cap and look at the driver splines, the stub splines and the snap ring. Yukon's Dana 60 hub instructions also tell you to check the stub axle for side-to-side and up-and-down play, because a worn spindle bearing causes engagement problems that a new hub or flange will not cure. A broken U-joint or stub can feel the same from the driver's seat. Our hubs not engaging guide walks through the full checklist, and the Dana 60 front axle problems guide covers the rest of the axle.

Fitment

Yukon lists YHC50004 for Dana Spicer 60 front axles with 30-spline outer axles. Their technical note says it will not work on 1986-1989 Dodge fronts or on 2005-and-later Ford Super Duty. Dana 60 fronts were built with both 30- and 35-spline stubs, sometimes in the same truck line and year range, so count the splines on the end of your stub before ordering. If it is 35-spline, use the 35-spline Hardcore flange kit. The caps on this version are plain; the same 30-spline kit with Yukon engraved caps is otherwise the same application. If you are unsure, send us the year, the VIN and a spline count and we will check it. More Dana 60 parts are in our rebuild kits and axle parts section.

Install notes

• Support the truck on stands, remove the wheel and take out the existing hub or flange following the factory procedure.
• With the hub open, this is the time to service the wheel bearings and set bearing adjustment to the factory spec.
• Clean and deburr the splines inside the wheel hub and on the stub, then coat them with high-pressure grease.
• Fit the flange over the stub, install the stub snap ring so it fully seats in its groove, bolt the flange to the hub with the supplied hardware, then fit the cap.
• Spin the lifted wheel: with flanges in, the front driveshaft must turn with it.

A flange makes the stub carry every bit of front torque, so worn stubs are worth replacing now; the Yukon 4340 chromoly 30-spline outer stub is a direct upgrade. If the front carrier is noisy, pair the job with the Dana 60 front master overhaul kit and refill with 75W-90 or 75W-140 gear oil.

Will this kit fit my Dana 60 front axle?

It fits Dana 60 fronts with 30-spline outer stub shafts. Yukon says it does not fit 1986-1989 Dodge fronts or 2005-and-later Ford Super Duty. Count the splines on your stub; if you have 35 splines you need the 35-spline kit.

What is the difference between this kit and the engraved-cap version?

The caps. This kit ships with plain, non-engraved caps; the other 30-spline kit has Yukon-engraved caps. Both are listed by Yukon for the same 30-spline Dana 60 application.

Can I still drive in 2WD with drive flanges?

Yes. The transfer case still selects 2WD or 4WD, but the front axle shafts, U-joints, carrier and front driveshaft spin whenever the truck moves. Expect slightly more noise, wear and fuel use than with hubs unlocked.

What comes in the box?

Two drive flanges, two non-engraved caps and the mounting hardware, per Yukon. Wheel bearings, seals and stub snap rings are not part of the kit.

Should I replace anything else at the same time?

Inspect the stub splines, the axle U-joints and the wheel bearings while the hub is open. Worn or twisted stubs should be replaced, and repacking the wheel bearings now saves pulling the hub again later.