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removing hubs on a Ford HP D44

Z

ZPD

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Modesto Ca.
OK I got a mid 70's front D44 off of a Ford. I am trying to dissasemble the thing and can't seem to get the hub off. I removed the caliper and the hub end cap. I then removed the snap ring around the axle shaft. Now I can't seem to get the rotor and hub off. Did I miss something? I scraped off all the grime but I don't see any other snap rings or bolts holding the thing in and beating the bajeebers out of it with a bfh hasn't gotten me anywhere. What did am I missing? :wierd:
 
There are two lock nuts on the spindle holding the hub on. There is a special socket you can get from an auto parts store to get the nuts off. It's a big socket with 4 teeth that index on the nuts.
 
ZPD said:
OK I got a mid 70's front D44 off of a Ford. I am trying to dissasemble the thing and can't seem to get the hub off. I removed the caliper and the hub end cap. I then removed the snap ring around the axle shaft. Now I can't seem to get the rotor and hub off. Did I miss something? I scraped off all the grime but I don't see any other snap rings or bolts holding the thing in and beating the bajeebers out of it with a bfh hasn't gotten me anywhere. What did am I missing? :wierd:
Click to expand...

Sounds like you missed the spindle nuts.
Billy
 
there is another snap ring(outer) holding it all in, push the inner hub assembly back and you should see it, a flat head screw driver and needle nose ussually work.
 
Ya, it was the little piano wire snap ring that was holding me up. After I got that off, everything came off real easy. Unfortunatly this axle isn't from a 75 as the guy told me it was. The cast mounts are welded to the tube but there is no tubing between the inner weld and the inner knuckle. Anyone know of any good writeups on re-tubing and know where I can buy new inner knuckles?
 
You still have to jig a front when putting on new tubes. Between that and getting the press fit correct, I would just pay someone else to do it. Currie charges $250 and I'm sure there are a bunch of other shops setup to do it also.

Are you sure you can't use the stock inner C. I looked my spare housing over a couple of times, but I haven't cut into it and checked yet.

I think http://www.partsmikeparts.com/catalog.htm sells them. Then I believe Crane, Rock Crusher, and Dynatrac all have something too.
 
ZPD said:
The cast mounts are welded to the tube but there is no tubing between the inner weld and the inner knuckle. Anyone know of any good writeups on re-tubing and know where I can buy new inner knuckles?
Click to expand...


The cast mounts do have a tube holding in the inner C to the radius arm bushing. It's 3/8 inch thick and very short. If you carefully grind away the weld you can rotate the inner C just like any other D44. If you grind away the weld on the pumpkin side of the mount you can rotate all the pieces independently for pinion angle, radius arm angle, and caster. All the pieces have a very tight press fit.
I found all of this out first hand this weekend. I considered retubing, but it seemed like a larger hassle to drill out plug welds at the pumpkin than to grind away the welds at the mounts with a cutting disk. Plus, while the cast mounts don't have a tube running through them, by themselves they are super beefy pieces and seem plenty stout with the combination of a press fit and good welding.
 
Ya, I just wasn't planning on using radius arms. If I can't find a way to make this one work then maybe I will sell this one and try to find another axle. Would it be a bad idea to cut the cast mounts out and get the proper width by using inner and outer sleeves around some tubing that is welded to the inner C?
 
Do you have a lathe? Inner sleeves to make up for length can be strong, I've seen it done on fullsize broncos running big tires. The problem is that the tube in the inner C is 3/8", and the rest of the tube is 1/4".
What I would do to delete the cast mounts is find/machine an inner sleeve to fit the pumpkin side tube, then slide an appropriate length of 3" OD over that to the inner C after you grind/press out the short tube inside of it.

Actually, for all that work it might be easier just to torch out the plug welds at the pumpkin and stick in 1/2" wall tube of appropriate lenght and then weld on your old inner Cs. It really is that easy. I guess it just depends on how much tube you want to buy.
 
Lucas said:
Do you have a lathe? Inner sleeves to make up for length can be strong, I've seen it done on fullsize broncos running big tires. The problem is that the tube in the inner C is 3/8", and the rest of the tube is 1/4".
What I would do to delete the cast mounts is find/machine an inner sleeve to fit the pumpkin side tube, then slide an appropriate length of 3" OD over that to the inner C after you grind/press out the short tube inside of it.
Click to expand...
That is what I was thinking. The tube is 3" with a 1/4" wall so if I got some 2.5" OD tubing with 1/4" wall and sleeved the inside of the tubing after cutting the cast mounts off then I could slided an appropiate length of 3" tubing over the 2.5" and then do a butt weld and a several plug welds. Then the inner Cs could be welded to the 3" tubing. I am hestant to retube the whole thing out of fear for proper alingment.
 
I'm doing the whole sleeve thing this week. I'll let you know how it goes. Personally, I think it is more likely for things to be out of alignment welding in sleeves than pressing in new tubes, but then again the press fit of the sleeve should prevent undue warping of the tube. Plus, with the hub design and overall length of the axle, alignment shouldn't be as critical as a rear axle.

If I had the time and money I would probably retube mine 1/2" wall all the way, but once I tore it down that far the list of "might as well" upgrades would snowball, i.e crane inners, then outers, then hi-steer, etc. :laugh3:
 
Lincoln said:
You still have to jig a front when putting on new tubes. Between that and getting the press fit correct, I would just pay someone else to do it. Currie charges $250 and I'm sure there are a bunch of other shops setup to do it also.
Click to expand...

Currie Charges $600 for a housing set to your width, castor, pinion angle, .375 tubes, including cover and yolk. You even can choose your inner Cs. I did that so I didn't have to deal with all the hassles.

Sorry to high jack but that is my .02 if anyone gives a $hit.
 
Lucas said:
I'm doing the whole sleeve thing this week. I'll let you know how it goes. Personally, I think it is more likely for things to be out of alignment welding in sleeves than pressing in new tubes, but then again the press fit of the sleeve should prevent undue warping of the tube. Plus, with the hub design and overall length of the axle, alignment shouldn't be as critical as a rear axle.

If I had the time and money I would probably retube mine 1/2" wall all the way, but once I tore it down that far the list of "might as well" upgrades would snowball, i.e crane inners, then outers, then hi-steer, etc. :laugh3:
Click to expand...
Ya but since I don't have a press then it might not work out to well for me. Are you using waggy shafts? Let me know how it goes and email me some pics if you get a chance.
 
Staying fullwidth and 5x5.5. I'll try to borrow a digicam.

I think there is a writeup on BC4x4 of a guy who did it without a press. Put the tube in some snow while he gently heated the housing. Slid right in without a press and then tightened up when the tube expanded. You could probably do the same with dry ice. There is a link to it somewhere on MrN's 44 pages.
 
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