How to Convert a Ford Super Duty Dana 60 to 8×6.5 Lug Pattern

How to Convert a Ford Super Duty Dana 60 to 8×6.5 Lug Pattern

If you are using a 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60 in a Chevy solid axle swap, one of the first problems you run into is the wheel bolt pattern.

The Ford Super Duty Dana 60 uses an 8x170mm lug pattern. Most older Chevy, GM and Ford trucks use 8×6.5. That means your existing Chevy wheels will not bolt onto the Ford unit bearings unless you either buy aftermarket conversion parts or re-drill the stock unit bearings.

For my budget Chevy SAS build, documented in my Chevy 2500 solid axle swap series, that did not make much sense.

You can buy pre-drilled unit bearings, but by the time you buy a pair you can easily be around the $1000 mark. For my budget Chevy SAS build, that did not make much sense.

Instead, I built a simple steel drill template that lets you accurately mark and drill the factory Super Duty unit bearings to the 8×6.5 bolt pattern.

This article covers the process I used to convert my 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60 unit bearings from 8×170 to 8×6.5, including the drill sizes, rotor modification, minor clearancing, and wheel fitment notes.

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Quick Answer

• A 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60 can be converted from 8×170 to 8×6.5 by drilling the factory unit bearings.
• The drill template uses the factory 8×170 lug pattern to locate the new 8×6.5 holes.
• Do not drill through the template directly. Use the template to center punch the new holes, then remove it before drilling.
• Start with a 1/4″ pilot hole, then finish with a 19/32″ drill bit for the wheel studs.
• The brake rotor does not need a full new bolt pattern drilled. The existing holes can be enlarged to 13/16″.
• Some wheels may need the center bore opened up to fit over the Super Duty unit bearing.

Why Convert a Super Duty Dana 60 to 8×6.5?

The 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60 is one of the most common front axles used in modern solid axle swaps. They are strong, common, relatively affordable, and work well under heavy trail rigs, tow rigs, and rock crawlers.

The problem for a Chevy SAS build is the bolt pattern.

Ford used an 8x170mm wheel pattern on these axles. Older Chevy 2500 and 3500 trucks commonly use 8×6.5. If you want to keep your Chevy wheels, match an 8×6.5 rear axle, or avoid carrying two different bolt patterns, converting the Super Duty Dana 60 to 8×6.5 makes a lot of sense. This conversion allows you to run the common Chevy wheel pattern on a 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60.

This is especially useful for:

• Chevy solid axle swaps
• GMT800 SAS builds
• Squarebody Chevy builds
• Older 8-lug GM trucks
• Rock crawlers using Super Duty Dana 60 axles
• Anyone trying to match an 8×6.5 rear axle

Super Duty Dana 60 Unit Bearing Drill Template

To make this conversion easier, I built a drill template specifically for the 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60 unit bearing.

The template is a piece of 1/4″ steel plate, cut 8″ round, with a 5.5″ center hole. Around the outside are large 9/16″ holes in the factory 8×170 pattern. Those holes slide over the factory wheel studs and locate the template on the unit bearing.

The smaller 1/4″ holes are evenly spaced in the 8×6.5 bolt pattern. These are used to center punch the new lug locations.

Important: I do not recommend drilling through the template directly. The template is for locating and center punching the holes. If you drill through it, you will eventually open up the 1/4″ holes and make the template less accurate.

Tools and Parts Used

The most important tool in this job is the correct drill bit. The oddball size you need for the final holes is 19/32″, and that is not always something people have sitting in the drawer.

Tools and parts used for this job:

• • Shop My Recommended Gear
  • Super Duty Dana 60 8×6.5 Drill Template
  • 19/32″ Drill Bit
  • 13/16″ Drill Bit
  • 1/4″ drill bit
  • Snap Ring / C-Clip Pliers
  • Rapid Tap Cutting Fluid
  • Center punch
  • Hammer
  • Drill or drill press
  • Clamps or vise grips
  • Die Grinder Bit Set
  • Wire wheel or flap disc
  • Jawbone Bone-Conduction Headphones

Some of the links above may be Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps support the videos, fabrication projects, and tech articles on this site.

If you have watched many of my videos, you have probably noticed I wear bone-conduction headphones in the shop all the time. I like them because I can listen to something while working but still hear the grinder, compressor, or someone trying to get my attention.

Step 1: Remove the Unit Bearing

The first step is removing the unit bearing from the axle so you can work on it properly.

Depending on how rusty your axle is, this may be the most annoying part of the job. These axles are often pulled from old work trucks, farm trucks, plow trucks, or front yards, so expect rust, dirt, and seized hardware.

1. Remove the brake caliper (16mm) and caliper bracket (21mm). The rotor will slide off the unit bearing at this point.
2. Remove the speed sensor on top of the unit bearing (6mm Allen) and then the three hub dial cap screws (T27 Torx).
3. Using a large breaker bar and a 21mm socket, remove the four nuts holding the unit bearing to the knuckle. The nuts are located on the back side of the knuckle and you may need to turn the steering to access all four.
4. Remove the extremely stiff snap ring. You’ll need long, strong snap ring pliers. I broke two smaller sets before finding a pair that actually worked. These 9″ snap ring pliers made the job much easier.

Once the unit bearing is removed, clean the mounting face and the area around the wheel studs so the template can sit flat.

Step 2: Install the Drill Template

Lay the drill template over the factory wheel studs using the large 3/4″ holes in the 8×170 pattern. The large holes locate the template using the factory Ford bolt pattern.

Make sure the template is sitting flat against the unit bearing. Once it is properly located, clamp it into place with vise grips or clamps so it cannot move while you center punch the new holes.

The template is not meant to be a hardened drill guide. It is meant to accurately transfer the new 8×6.5 pattern onto the unit bearing.

Step 3: Center Punch the New 8×6.5 Holes

With the template clamped in place, use a center punch and hammer to mark each of the new 8×6.5 lug locations through the 1/4″ holes in the template.

Take your time here. The accuracy of the center punch marks controls the accuracy of the final drilled holes.

Once all eight holes are center punched, remove the template and inspect the marks before drilling.

Again, do not drill through the template. If you drill through the template repeatedly, the 1/4″ holes will get sloppy and the template will become less accurate over time.

Step 4: Drill the 1/4″ Pilot Holes

Start by drilling each center punch mark with a 1/4″ drill bit.

Use cutting fluid and take your time. You are drilling through a unit bearing flange, not sheet metal. Keep the drill straight and let the bit do the work.

This is where a drill press is nice if you have one, but the job can still be done carefully with a hand drill.

Step 5: Drill the Final Holes with a 19/32″ Drill Bit

After the pilot holes are drilled, step up to the final size using a 19/32″ drill bit.

This is the important size for the wheel studs. A 9/16″ hole is too small because the studs have a knurled shoulder that needs to press into the unit bearing. The 19/32″ hole gives the stud enough room to seat properly while still allowing the knurl to bite.

This oddball drill bit is one of the main things people get stuck on when doing this conversion. It is not a size everyone has in their drill index, so I recommend ordering it before you start the job.

This is the 19/32″ drill bit used for the final holes.

Step 6: Clearance the Unit Bearing for the Stud Shoulder

Once the new holes are drilled, test fit one of the wheel studs through the new 8×6.5 pattern.

On these unit bearings, you may need to do a small amount of grinding inside the casting so the shoulder of the lug stud can pass through and seat properly.

This is not major surgery. It is minor clearancing. You can easily see where material needs to be removed by trying to install a stud through one of the new holes.

Use a die grinder or carbide burr to remove just enough material for the stud shoulder to clear the casting.

Step 7: Install the Wheel Studs

Once the holes are drilled and the casting is clearanced, the new 8×6.5 wheel studs can be installed.

Make sure each stud pulls in straight and seats fully against the back side of the unit bearing flange.

You can use the usual washer-and-lug-nut method, a stud installer, or a press if you have access to one.

Do not rush this step. If a stud starts crooked, stop and fix it before damaging the hole or stud.

Step 8: Drill the Brake Rotor to 13/16″

The rotor is much easier than the unit bearing.

You do not need to use the template to drill an entirely new bolt pattern in the rotor. The brake rotor locates on the center bore, not the wheel studs, so the simple solution is to remove the rotor and enlarge the existing stud holes to 13/16″.

Drilling the rotor holes larger gives the rotor enough clearance to slide over the new 8×6.5 wheel studs.

This is much simpler than trying to lay out and drill a second bolt pattern in the rotor.

Step 9: Check Wheel Center Bore Fitment

Before calling the job done, check that your wheels fit over the Super Duty unit bearing center bore.

Most aftermarket 8×6.5 wheels have a large enough center bore and will fit without any issues. My American Racing 767 wheels fit over the Super Duty unit bearing center bore without machining.

However, not every wheel will fit. I found one rusty wheel in the bushes with a smaller center bore, and I had to open it up by about 1/8″ all the way around before it would slide over the hub.

A die grinder can work, but a router or more controlled cutting method will do a cleaner job if you need to open the wheel center bore.

The Super Duty unit bearing center bore measures approximately 125mm (5″).

For reference, my aftermarket wheels measure approximately 5.125″ (5 1/8″) at the center bore and fit without modification.

Step 10: Test Fit the Wheel

Once the unit bearing is drilled, studs are installed, rotor holes are enlarged, and center bore clearance is confirmed, test fit the wheel.

The wheel should slide over the center bore and the studs should line up cleanly in the 8×6.5 pattern.

If everything fits correctly, you have now converted the front of your 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60 from 8×170 to 8×6.5.

Template Only or Template with Drill Bit?

I offer this as both a template-only option and a template plus drill bit option.

The template-only option is for people who already have the correct drill bit and just need an accurate way to lay out the 8×6.5 bolt pattern.

The template and drill bit combo makes sense if you want the exact oddball 19/32″ drill bit included with the template so you are not stuck searching for the right size separately.

Even after buying the template, drill bit, studs, and consumables, you’re still dramatically cheaper than purchasing pre-drilled conversion unit bearings.

Is This Worth Doing?

For a Chevy SAS build, yes. Absolutely.

The 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60 is a great axle, but the 8×170 bolt pattern is annoying if the rest of your truck is already 8×6.5.

Buying pre-drilled unit bearings works, but it gets expensive fast. Drilling the stock unit bearings with a proper template is a much cheaper way to solve the problem, especially if you are trying to keep a budget solid axle swap under control.

For my build, this let me use the Super Duty Dana 60 while keeping my existing 8×6.5 wheel setup.

More Super Duty Dana 60 and Chevy SAS Content

This unit bearing conversion is part of my ongoing Chevy solid axle swap build using a 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60.

• Chevy Solid Axle Swap Build Article
• Dana 60 Knuckle Gussets and Axle Reinforcement
• How to Weld Lock a Ford Super Duty Dana 60
• Pathmaker Productions Fabrication Parts
• Super Duty Dana 60 / Chevy SAS Video Playlist

Final Thoughts

Converting a 2005–2017 Ford Super Duty Dana 60 from 8×170 to 8×6.5 is not complicated, but it does need to be laid out accurately.

The drill template makes the job straightforward: locate the template on the factory 8×170 studs, center punch the new 8×6.5 pattern, drill pilot holes, finish with a 19/32″ bit, and enlarge the rotor holes to 13/16″.

If you are building a Chevy SAS truck, GMT800 solid axle swap, or any other project using a Super Duty Dana 60 with 8×6.5 wheels, this is one of those small parts of the build that can save a huge amount of money.

Thanks for checking out the build, and stay tuned for more Super Duty Dana 60 and Chevy SAS content.