Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf1

Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf sprung 1. The camper edition. I know most people will work with the ford radius arms, but I have leaf spring mounts on mine so I want to do the jeep style 4 link and retain all my susp that I have on my 91'XJ. Will everything line up correctly with using the RE TJ kit?
Troy

Re: Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf1

Big Red said:

Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf sprung 1. The camper edition. I know most people will work with the ford radius arms, but I have leaf spring mounts on mine so I want to do the jeep style 4 link and retain all my susp that I have on my 91'XJ. Will everything line up correctly with using the RE TJ kit?
Troy

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Go leafs or go home!

That center section is very wide to accomadate the cast in leaf spring mount, I don't believe that the RE kit will work well at all, since it is designed around a center section that does not have a leaf perch on it.

Caveat: It has been a while since I have worked on a leaf sprung RS44, so I may be mi-remembering the width of leaf pad.

CRASH

Is that F-150 HP Dana 44 the same as one from a F-250? If so, then the RE kit won't easily work on the driver's side. The coil bucket, LCA mount, and bridge would all have to be cut and fitted since they all land on the extra casting.

I'm working on making some of my own.

http://community.webshots.com/user/skyjackerxj

Re: Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf1

CRASH said:

Go leafs or go home!

That center section is very wide to accomadate the cast in leaf spring mount, I don't believe that the RE kit will work well at all, since it is designed around a center section that does not have a leaf perch on it.

Caveat: It has been a while since I have worked on a leaf sprung RS44, so I may be mi-remembering the width of leaf pad.

CRASH

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I was going to go with leafs at 1st and a major reason I wanted this axle over the other cast wedged ones out there. This is the rare "Camper Edition" f-150 hp44. I just decided after putting it up here and the response I got to stay with my 4 link and coils. I know it will be more work to get everything hooked up, but at least it will be a bolt in in the future if I switch rigs and I can use or sell it to bolt into a XJ, TJ, ZJ up front.

I'm not really sure if the perches on this axle are the same as the f-250. I think the f-250 is wider a bit with its 8 lug axles, but that all might be after the knuckles.

Troy

Re: Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf1

I'm betting you're screwed.

CRASH

Re: Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf1

CRASH said:

I'm betting you're screwed.

CRASH

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I'm betting CRASH is right.

A D44 front in an XJ/MJ/TJ/ZJ means you either need to have a welder and know how to use it, or a credit card and know how to use it.

Re: Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf1

BrettM said:

I'm betting CRASH is right.

A D44 front in an XJ/MJ/TJ/ZJ means you either need to have a welder and know how to use it, or a credit card and know how to use it.

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I know how to use the cc very well by now thank you very much. :laugh3:
I know it needs work, but the hp44 is a good axle to put some $ into. I bought the RE TJ kit already so I'll have to see if things work out, otherwise it will be more custom/expensive then I'd like.
Troy

Re: Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf1

Big Red said:

I was going to go with leafs at 1st and a major reason I wanted this axle over the other cast wedged ones out there. This is the rare "Camper Edition" f-150 hp44. I just decided after putting it up here and the response I got to stay with my 4 link and coils. I know it will be more work to get everything hooked up, but at least it will be a bolt in in the future if I switch rigs and I can use or sell it to bolt into a XJ, TJ, ZJ up front.

I'm not really sure if the perches on this axle are the same as the f-250. I think the f-250 is wider a bit with its 8 lug axles, but that all might be after the knuckles.

Troy

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If you are set on using a Ford HP 44 and your original suspension design, I would sell that Supercab axle that you have and start with a '76 or '77 F-150 front axle. The coil mounts can be removed on those year axles and then you could put the TJ bracket kit on it. Those would be open knuckle, heavy tube and disc brakes.
Stay away from the '78-'79 F-150 44s because the coil mounts are part of the axle tube. If you cut them off, there is nothing underneath.
The F-150 with leafs axle that you have is pretty rare and you should be able to re-sell it.
A friend of mine has a '79 F-150 front that I can have for free, and I have been considering getting it and re-tubing it to use waggy axles.

Re: Will RE TJ front axle brackets work on a fullwidth f-150 hp44? Mine is the rare leaf1

Troy-
I haven't seen that axle. If the spring perch is cast as part of the pumpkin, you may be outta luck without some serious modification of the bracket kit. If the perch is seperate, just torch it off and get to work. :wave: