D44 front axle swap

Currently working on a Dana 44 front off of an 81 wagoneer for my 96 XJ.

Bolt hole pattern is 6 on 5-1/2 and it needs to be 5 on 5-1/2 to match the rear(ford 9").

Read an article about using F150 hubs, rotors, etc from a late 70's/early 80's for this. Seeking input on this. Whatelse needs to be considered?

Spindles? will the current waggy spindles work? again read that they don't. What will work??

Calipers? use the fords? waggy's? others?

Other issues???

Thanks
David

Assuming you want to reuse as much waggy stuff as you can to save some cash...

Use the waggy knuckle, caliper backing plates and calipers.
Ford hubs, rotors and lockouts of some kind.
You will need the CHEVY 6 bolt SMALL BEARING spindles and the chevy stub shafts (same as waggy, 1/4" longer than ford stubs)

complete offroad is a good source for 44 parts.

Also look into the late dodge 1/2 ton(85-up I think) they are 5 on 5-1/2.I'm not sure about the spindles..GM/waggy might interchange.
OlyWa

Hijacking post

I will be getting my hands on a HP44 this weekend WMS seems to be around 64". It's a stock unit from a '76-'78 F-150 with the welded mounts removed, (c-bushings and panard rod) a set of outer knuckles, and a small carrier. (3:73 and down) There are no axles, hubs, rotors, brakes, etc.

I have a line on a 64" D60 for the rear that I plan on building and gearing up in the high 4's to low 5's. What will I need for the 44 with disk breaks?

TIA :anon: sorry for hijack!

Here's what I did on the 44 for my CJ using a 44HD from a 79 J10 which should be the same -
The outers consist of the following.... 79 J10 Knuckles, dust Shield / caliper bracket, 73 1/2 ton Suburban spindles, & New hubs & rotors for a 70's Ford Bronco. Here's how this all works...the bearings used on the Jeep spindles are too large for the Ford hubs but the early 70's GMC/Chevy ones are the same. Why use the ford hubs you ask... well cause the bolt pattern is the same as the Jeep's rear. (the J10 uses a 6 bolt pattern) ...then you ask why not ford spindles... well cause the ford knuckle to spindle pattern is different than the Jeeps but the Chevy is the same..confused yet (-:
This is from the write up over on my site - http://members.aol.com/CJ51969/home.html
BTW: the dust sheilds and calipers from the axle you have will work just fine, and the F150/bronco hubs, bearings and rotors are so cheap new that it almost isn't worth dickin around with rusty junkyard stuff. There are lots of 70's chevy 1/2 tons in the junkyards so the spindles shouldn't be too hard to find.
HTH,
Mike B.

Does list aply to narrowing the 44, or leaving it a 64"?

M. Lake said:

Does list aply to narrowing the 44, or leaving it a 64"?

Click to expand...

Probably the easiest way is to cut the housing to Waggy length so you can use stock-length axle shafts. Use Waggy inners, Chevy outers, brakes, calipers, spindles, and knuckles (small bearing), Ford rotors and hubs. The bearings will swap over to either. You'll end up with 5 on 5 1/2 bolt patern.

So then I would have to cut the D60 down to match it, with the worries of finding shafts for it. Just to get it to a stock width, and I was hoping to get the full 64". Might as well keep stock crap on and not lift it either.

Oh, me and my best friend were out wheeling a year ago. Before we headed out, we swaped my stock-gold honeycomb rims (with good meat) for a set of after market (one size only) crome rims with the holes all around, and bald tires. I told him I was going to keep his rims, and he said no. This is on my project jeep, which has no motor (curent stroker, blown, build up), possible use of the SM465 I have, an atlass II or a 300 geared. The axles of choice, with F/R LA with coil rear conversion. 8-10" lift 33-35 meats, and wide stance. My friend got the 231 case, my wife has my axles, and I have a jeep on blocks with a tranny in it. My best friend died out on that wheeling trip and I had to come into town and tell his wife he wasn't coming home. I got his rims, and plan to use them in the build.

All project is old mains, with new (brand new, never used) inners, i.e old block, wait months for new parts to be made. So if I have to have custom made shafts, thats fine, or anything else.

M. Lake said:

So then I would have to cut the D60 down to match it, with the worries of finding shafts for it. Just to get it to a stock width, and I was hoping to get the full 64". Might as well keep stock crap on and not lift it either.

Click to expand...

My bad. :anon: I forgot you had a full-width Dana 60 for the rear. In that case, just get everything Ford from the inners on out. (rotors, hubs, axle shafts, calipers, etc.)
I was talking about cutting it to mach a stock-width for an XJ.

Thanks, that helps a ton. Sh!t, I'm getting the 44 from you. Having a bad day, battery died today, so bad from full charge, it dims out the dome light in 12 seconds. Flat broke.