Dana 44 rig picture thread...

[DFW Rusty]

Just curious who still runs D44 axles in their junk. Post a pic and a brief description w/ tire size, also post a link to your build if you have one.


I'll go first- My current project shitbox CJ7, scout 44's front and rear, Revolution 4340 front axles, alloy usa rears, 5.13, disc brake conversion, 1.5" wheel spacers, high steer on 38" boggers. Will eventually move up to 1 ton axles, but it's a couple years away unless the right deal just finds me.

 

[90supra]

76 Chevy 44. 5.38's, Yukon shafts, superjoints and hardcore hubs. Spyder high steer arms. 40" Toyo's. When I first bought it, I blew up a stub shaft the first time out. Seems like a ticking time bomb and I'd really like to swap it for a 60 since I always have my kids with me and I would like the piece of mind.

 

[_stucky]

82 wagoneer 44, jantz kit with 4.10s and spartan locker. I have only broke it once so far, moments after this pic. Broke the lockout, which stripped the splines on the stock stub shaft.

 

[Paul]

My 91 trooper has a waggy front with RCVs and an OX. Rear is a mid 90s isuzu rodeo rear 44 w/ factory discs and a detroit (not the later ones with the 8.9" ring tho). In the no-trailer club so I wanted to ensure I could beat on it and get home. I've been wheelin it like this for almost 10 years. I have been on 35s mostly but ran 37s for a bit. Not worried about the front breaking stuff, but the rear was always a mild concern with the 8.5" ring and no chromos, semi float, etc. Have a set of built 60s going in soon, so I can step up to big boy tires.

 

[D_JEEPER]

HP D44 from a 1979 F250. Truss, high steer, etc etc.

Being pushed by a 4 banger. Will have 5.38 gears on 37s

 

[crazybluerider]

TJ Camping Rig / Mild Trail Wheeler

It's probably time I got a thread going on this thing. The build has started now that my buggy is operational. It's a 2005 TJ that I purchased a little over a year ago to use as a tow behind when we go camping, I've also been doing some exploration type wheeling and camping in it. It's a 4.0l...

irate4x4.com

Waggy front and Isuzu rear. No real action pics as its only been drivable for a little under 2 weeks. I took it on its first trip into the woods last weekend. Setup is stock TJ 4.0 engine/trans/t-case with 5.38's on air lockers in the axles and 35's. Front axle has chromo shafts, rear is stock. So far I have been pretty impressed with it.

It's really only built for mild trail wheeling and tow behind duty when we go non offroad camping. I have a buggy for doing dumb stuff.

Green rig in the second pic is a buddy's, it is also of 44's front and rear. 37 inch pitbulls on it and it gets beat fairly hard.

 

[lowslungCJ]

I run a Waggy D44 and a Isuzu D44 rear. I’m not easy on my Jeep but I do use my common sense when wheeling. I’ll try to call an obstacle three times and if I’m close I’ll use the skinny pedal. I’ve worn out born front u-joints so I upgrade to ECGS Chromoly axle shafts. Rear shafts stock.

4.30 gears f/r
Lunchbox f/Spool r

I can smoke the tires at will and have never broken an axle on 35’s or the current 35’s.

 

[TRINDU]

My 91 trooper has a waggy front with RCVs and an OX. Rear is a mid 90s isuzu rodeo rear 44 w/ factory discs and a detroit (not the later ones with the 8.9" ring tho).

Waggy front and Isuzu rear.

Green rig in the second pic is a buddy's, it is also of 44's front and rear. 37 inch pitbulls on it and it gets beat fairly hard.

I run a Waggy D44 and a Isuzu D44 rear. I’m not easy on my Jeep but I do use my common sense when wheeling.

I can smoke the tires at will and have never broken an axle on 35’s or the current 35’s.

I've been on the fence with a mid 90s Isuzu D44 disc rear (58.5" WMS flavor to match waggy front). Hold back was lack of aftermarket for shafts.

Now I'm buying the next one I see. 33s at the moment, 35s max. Most likely use an OX locker.

 

[Thrown_hammer]

Rubi front with 44 outers, and Rubi rear with ARB and USA alloy shafts. 35" Nittos.

Non Rubi LJ.

 

[Blueleader]

Rear is a stock offset 44 housing with a full float setup built out of Chevy 44 front spindles and custom axles. Detroit and 4.56 gears.
Front is a Chevy 44 housing, narrowed to match the rear width. ARB and 4.56 gears.
Both have held up good since I first built them in the late 90s.

 

[Paul]

I've been on the fence with a mid 90s Isuzu D44 disc rear (58.5" WMS flavor to match waggy front). Hold back was lack of aftermarket for shafts.

Now I'm buying the next one I see. 33s at the moment, 35s max. Most likely use an OX locker.

I would opt for the later 90s early 00s slightly wider with the jk style 8.9" ring gear and meatier pinion if it fits your rig. Might need to run front spacers on a typical waggy, or if you can find a j truck axle, they are a bit wider.

 

[TRINDU]

I would opt for the later 90s early 00s slightly wider with the jk style 8.9" ring gear and meatier pinion if it fits your rig. Might need to run front spacers on a typical waggy, or if you can find a j truck axle, they are a bit wider.

Arent they 63.5"? Didnt want to be that wide with a 'stock' CJ7.

I have a 70s K10 I could cut down.

 

[lowslungCJ]

I've been on the fence with a mid 90s Isuzu D44 disc rear (58.5" WMS flavor to match waggy front). Hold back was lack of aftermarket for shafts.

Now I'm buying the next one I see. 33s at the moment, 35s max. Most likely use an OX locker.

I’ve had a 1996 Rodeo D44 in the rear of my Jeep since I’ve built it. I wheel all over the Southeast and for the first 5 years I was on 35” original BFG KM’s. I recently switched to 36” SX’s and beadlocks and I’ve still never had a problem.

I extensively wheel Chocco, AOP, Gulches, River Rock, and Blackmoose. I bought two 4.30 geared rear axles and used the spare gear set in my Waggy D44 up front. The widths match up and if I have problems out of the gearset I can install a Jantz JK Gear Kit.

FYI - I did truss the axle due to the axle tubes on the smaller size.

 

[TrailTamer]

DFW Rusty is this thread only for older Dana 44s (26 spline pinion), excluding Jeep JK and JL Dana 44s?

 

[_stucky]

Arent they 63.5"?

I’m not sure about jtrucks, but my 82 waggy front with 80s chevy 10 bolt 8 lug parts is 63.5. Cab and chassis 14 bolt is 63.

 

[_stucky]

Also, you spring under guys on wagoneer axles, I have the dynatrac u bolt flip. You can see it in my pic earlier. When I put my truck together I couldn't find it online and had to call them.

 

[DFW Rusty]

DFW Rusty is this thread only for older Dana 44s (26 spline pinion), excluding Jeep JK and JL Dana 44s?

By all means, post what ya got... I would rather not see a bunch of JK rubicon's with 35's because we could go to the mall to see that... So if you got a JK/ JL with 37" or larger tires and you bash on it, then sure post it...

 

[Weasel]

I've been on the fence with a mid 90s Isuzu D44 disc rear (58.5" WMS flavor to match waggy front). Hold back was lack of aftermarket for shafts.

Now I'm buying the next one I see. 33s at the moment, 35s max. Most likely use an OX locker.

I put one in the back of my XJ and it's narrow. I added 5/8" spacers on each side and tires barely clear the leaf springs. Just got lucky on the spacers and the minimal clearance I ended up with. More offset wheels would work but not in my app as they'd smoke the flairs, it's just a heads up. Otherwise it's been great.

 

[Treefrog]

LJ on JK Rubicon 44s. 4.56 gears and 35s. And some bedlined stock 15" TJ wheels.
Roommate's JKU in the background was swapped from 2wd using axles off a Sahara.

 

['84 Bronco II]

I am not sure what the intent of this thread really is, but I'll play along.

Here is the beater Bronco II I had briefly. I estimate it weighed about 4,500 Lbs, stock truck EFI 5.0L, NP435, BW1356, 4.10s, welded front and rear, Dana 61 from an '84-85 E350, 35" OG MT/Rs and later 38" XMLs.

The front axle was a '73 F150 housing (2.75" OD X 1/2" wall tubes) with '78-'79 F250 outers (68-69" WMS, about 1/2" narrower than a real F250 axle). It had a home built high steer arm on the passenger knuckle to get the draglink above the leaves. I ran stock shafts with Spicer 5-760X joints tack welded in, but there was evidence that the previous owner had broken a U-joint before while it was on the 35s. The ball joints were toasted when I took possession and I replaced them with Spicers. It had a Warn premium hub on the driver side and a Mile Marker hub on the passenger side when I bought it.

I broke the Mile Marker hub first and replaced it with a factory drive flange. Then I broke the driver stub which killed the Warn hub with it when I fell into a crack and just steered into the wall and crawled out. I parted it out right after that and found out the Spicer ball joints were already worn out after only 6 wheeling trips (that I can recall anyway)


On 35" tires

On 38" tires

The same crack that broke the stock stub (not my Bronco II )

The axle will live on in my 4600 until I can replace it with a fabricated 9".

 

[Winchested]

I don't still but did until this spring. Couple years wheeling this Scout, I'm sure the axles didn't have a good prior life either as they were 38+ years old when I built it.

Never broke nothing.
35" Maxxis Razrs, ten factory 1541H shafts in the rear and ten factory chromos with Spicer joints in the front. Pretty sure I had Yukon 4.88s lunch box up front, trutrac in the back. Just the crappy CJ/scout Dana 30 outers up front. Had to tighten the external hub studs everytime we stopped for a break when wheeling. TMR TJ truss on the rear. Jumped it. (not big by any means) never bent either axle to my knowledge.

These axles were sold to a guy in Iowa building a Scout Traveler. Kept em spring over.

 

[BDK]

1994 4 door Explorer.
Front; HP D44 out of 1976 F150 narrowed to early Bronco width, 5:13 gears, elocker, T-bird brakes, 14" Radflo coilovers, chromoly inners, stock stubs.
Rear; Original 8.8, Yukon C clip eliminator, Detroit, custom leaf springs.
35x12.5x15" Maxxis Razrs.
OEM engine, 700R4 trans, 3.8 Atlas II.
Haven't broke anything yet.

Old flex test

 

[Tater]

I am running a 44 in front of my u4 build! We will see for how long though! Ran it on 39.5s and propane turbo before I put a ls in!

 

['84 Bronco II]

I am running a 44 in front of my u4 build! We will see for how long though! Ran it on 39.5s and propane turbo before I put a ls in!

What are you running for ball joints? I bought some of the gold metal, blue boot Joints that are made by AC Delco now for my build since they were the best based on internet research I did. I am running some of those in the lower position on my TTB with 37"s as well, and so far so good. The Spicers are obviously junk based on my experience with them on the Bronco II.

I think I ran across a ball joint eliminator conversion or two for the Dana 44, but they were expensive and I haven seen much written about them.

 

[[memphis]]

Rear is a stock offset 44 housing with a full float setup built out of Chevy 44 front spindles and custom axles. Detroit and 4.56 gears.
Front is a Chevy 44 housing, narrowed to match the rear width. ARB and 4.56 gears.
Both have held up good since I first built them in the late 90s.

I’m doing the same thing on my flat fender build. Are you allowing gear oil into the spindle or did you install axle seals?

 

[[memphis]]

What are you running for ball joints? I bought some of the gold metal, blue boot Joints that are made by AC Delco now for my build since they were the best based on internet research I did. I am running some of those in the lower position on my TTB with 37"s as well, and so far so good. The Spicers are obviously junk based on my experience with them on the Bronco II.

I think I ran across a ball joint eliminator conversion or two for the Dana 44, but they were expensive and I haven seen much written about them.

The delco balljoints are made by DRIV (federal mogul). You can source these same joints at Napa USA

 

[CDA 455 II]

Does this include the Bronco TTB Dana 44?

 

[Blueleader]

I’m doing the same thing on my flat fender build. Are you allowing gear oil into the spindle or did you install axle seals?

I went with axle seals and greased bearings. The seals are the same as what's used in a 44 front, except I have them at the outer end of the tubes. I figured the only way I could have run oil in the spindles was to run drive flanges with the caps sealed to the hubs. Otherwise, gear oil will just leak through the lockouts. I accidentally proved that theory once with a clogged vent line that pushed oil past the seals. Made a nice mess of the lockouts and wheels.

 

[Tater]

What are you running for ball joints? I bought some of the gold metal, blue boot Joints that are made by AC Delco now for my build since they were the best based on internet research I did. I am running some of those in the lower position on my TTB with 37"s as well, and so far so good. The Spicers are obviously junk based on my experience with them on the Bronco II.

I think I ran across a ball joint eliminator conversion or two for the Dana 44, but they were expensive and I haven seen much written about them.

I am running a upper ball joint eliminator and lower

What are you running for ball joints? I bought some of the gold metal, blue boot Joints that are made by AC Delco now for my build since they were the best based on internet research I did. I am running some of those in the lower position on my TTB with 37"s as well, and so far so good. The Spicers are obviously junk based on my experience with them on the Bronco II.

I think I ran across a ball joint eliminator conversion or two for the Dana 44, but they were expensive and I haven seen much written about them.

i can’t remember what I am running on the lowers. I think they might be moog.

Upper is a ball joint eliminator. I have had a couple problems though with them so far. “Not there fault” first problem is the upper and lower C on the axle are not inline after years of abuse and welding the gussets on the C’s.

This creates a bind between the upper and lower joints and creates a ton of preload on the upper.

So It will either wear in and be cool or wear in and become a shit show and need normal ball
Joints installed.

I have gave the front axle a ton of caster to help with return to center and it would suck to loose that because the upper joint is right.

 

[Home_brewd]

RCVs, Reids, ARBs Dana 44 front/ 9” rear. 39x12.5 tires. It has 4.88 gears but they are too high. I will be going 5.38/5.29 soon. Build thread. Built a dumb KJ for my woman