D44 chevy outers

[Fishnbeer]

I had this SAS S10 project on the back burner for way too long but I am making good progress now. The donor D44 I got has detroit locker, moeser chromo shafts w/ctm joints. It needed high steer arms so I got chevy flat top knuckles, spindles, caliper brackets+calipers and using ford hub/rotors so wheel bolt pattern matches rear axle.

Got it almost together and I cant get the snap ring on the stub shaft..... forgot I need chevy stub shaft too and still need locking hubs. So now I need to get that stub shaft. What should I go with for that outer shaft? Chromo or no? Moeser.. yukon.. something cheap? I am on the fence about the hubs... go drive flange or no? And now I have to press these ctm joints out of the shaft... that gonna be a PITA or what?

I like the idea of having the hubs being the weak link but if I go with drive flanges this thing will be pretty stout

 

[Wulf]

Forgive me for the obvious but whatever you do make sure you get 30 spline outers and not 19 spline

 

['84 Bronco II]

Forgive me for the obvious but whatever you do make sure you get 30 spline outers and not 19 spline

RCV and Nitro are the only ones that list 30 spline outers these days. For an RCV stub, you have to run their whole CV axle assembly ($$$), and the Nitro ones look like they neck down to more or less the same diameter as a 19 spline shaft, so I am not sure if they are much of a strength upgrade over any other Chromo stub. Solid, Alloy USA, and anyone else who might have been selling 30 spline outers back in the day don't list them anymore.

I am sure you could get Branik or any of the other custom shaft suppliers make you some 30 spline outers, but at what cost? I would be interested if anyone has the answer.

I noticed Ten Factory makes some Chromo axles for XJ, YJ, TJ, ZJ, and WJ applications that use the newer 1350 size axle joints from the JKs and JLs which makes me wonder if you could do the same in legacy Dana 44 applications since the U-joints were always the Achilles of the Dana 44 platform. It is too bad the aftermarket has basically forgotten about legacy Dana 44 axles and R&D has dried up.

 

[Fishnbeer]

Forgive me for the obvious but whatever you do make sure you get 30 spline outers and not 19 spline

Oooooooooo did not know about 30 spline shafts.... got me feelin saucy now. Just looked up nitro, they still have the kit with 30 spl shafts + flanges for +/- $500. But they only work with 5-297X joints... gotta figga out what ctms are on my inner shafts. Feck, take it all apart again...

https://www.polyperformance.com/nit...romoly-drive-flange-kit-with-outer-stub-axles

 

[Wulf]

RCV and Nitro are the only ones that list 30 spline outers these days. For an RCV stub, you have to run their whole CV axle assembly ($$$), and the Nitro ones look like they neck down to more or less the same diameter as a 19 spline shaft, so I am not sure if they are much of a strength upgrade over any other Chromo stub. Solid, Alloy USA, and anyone else who might have been selling 30 spline outers back in the day don't list them anymore.

I am sure you could get Branik or any of the other custom shaft suppliers make you some 30 spline outers, but at what cost? I would be interested if anyone has the answer.

I noticed Ten Factory makes some Chromo axles for XJ, YJ, TJ, ZJ, and WJ applications that use the newer 1350 size axle joints from the JKs and JLs which makes me wonder if you could do the same in legacy Dana 44 applications since the U-joints were always the Achilles of the Dana 44 platform. It is too bad the aftermarket has basically forgotten about legacy Dana 44 axles and R&D has dried up.

Those are some fair points. I didn't realize the options were so limited these days... It has been about 2 years since I looked into building a 44 front and decided against it.

It's not a direct comparison but I have a Diamond rear in my Tacoma setup for full float with D44 outers. I turned a 19 spline RCV into a jigsaw puzzle and it took out the spindle with it. I'm only on 35s as well. The two shafts in it now have twisted splines and are probably not long for this world.

Oooooooooo did not know about 30 spline shafts.... got me feelin saucy now. Just looked up nitro, they still have the kit with 30 spl shafts + flanges for +/- $500. But they only work with 5-297X joints... gotta figga out what ctms are on my inner shafts. Feck, take it all apart again...

https://www.polyperformance.com/nitr...ter-stub-axles

What are your goals for the rig? What size tires are you running?

 

['84 Bronco II]

Oooooooooo did not know about 30 spline shafts.... got me feelin saucy now. Just looked up nitro, they still have the kit with 30 spl shafts + flanges for +/- $500. But they only work with 5-297X joints... gotta figga out what ctms are on my inner shafts. Feck, take it all apart again...

https://www.polyperformance.com/nit...romoly-drive-flange-kit-with-outer-stub-axles

5-297X is the obsolete Dana Spicer part number for the old hot-forged U-joints which have been superseded by the 5-760X cold-forged joints (supposedly ~20% stronger than the 5-297X). The 5-297X and 5-760X U-joints are interchangeable as are any of the aftermarket replacement joints for those sizes. Your CTMs will work just fine.

 

[Fishnbeer]

Those are some fair points. I didn't realize the options were so limited these days... It has been about 2 years since I looked into building a 44 front and decided against it.

It's not a direct comparison but I have a Diamond rear in my Tacoma setup for full float with D44 outers. I turned a 19 spline RCV into a jigsaw puzzle and it took out the spindle with it. I'm only on 35s as well. The two shafts in it now have twisted splines and are probably not long for this world.

What are your goals for the rig? What size tires are you running?

Not a super hardcore crawler, just a good stout trail/hunting rig. 4.3L/4L60E/np231HD/4.30s locked F+R. I really want to stuff 37s on there but that might be pushing it for the rest of the drivetrain so realistically be running 35s