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Just a quick question, I'm heading to the junkyard to look for a Dana 44 to strip down and place up front on a 88 Xj, I was just wondering, what sort of truck or suv can I find a simple D44 to swap right into the front. I got a bud who will fab the coil spring perches, comtrol arm brackets, and all that other good stuff. I saw a chevy with a 8 lug 3/4 ton up front w/discs which I almost pulled exxcept that the gearbox was on the wrong side. Just need a list of what sorta truck or suvs I am looking for. I dont have too deep of pockets but deep enough for a salvage yard. Thanks for any help
unless you wanna go full width axles, or shorten them, waggy D44 is your best bet. just put up the brackets and your ready to go. ( you will have to change the rear bolt pattern though)
lots of guys grab 79 ford truck.. high pinion dana 44 fronts.. only issue is unless you decide to run radius arms up front you'll probably have to have it retubed. the waggy widetrack 44s that came in NON-quadratrac waggy's work well but as stated previously the bolt pattern is different.. its 5 on 5.5
First off, there is no Wide Track waggy axle. The wide tracks only came in the fullsize Cherokee model. The most common lug pattern is 6 on 5.5 for the driverside drop axles.
The only real problems with the waggy 44 is making and welding on brackets, and the lug pattern. Since your buddy can do the brackets, your only issue will be the bolt pattern, why not just get both waggy axles and then you'd be set. The rear is pretty much a bolt in swap.
Also beware of the front vac operated axles, they'll have a vacuum actuator (SP?) on the diff housing.
lots of guys grab 79 ford truck.. high pinion dana 44 fronts.. only issue is unless you decide to run radius arms up front you'll probably have to have it retubed. the waggy widetrack 44s that came in NON-quadratrac waggy's work well but as stated previously the bolt pattern is different.. its 5 on 5.5
Retubing is needed on the later ford axles because the "C" bushing mounts are cast pieces. The tube doesn't extend all the way through. The tube between the cast mount & knuckle is one piece & the tube between the cast mount & pumkin is a completly seperate piece. If you're going to keep the "C" bushings than this axle is ideal. All you have to do is cut the inner long side tube down, grind & press that piece of tube out of the cast mount, press the cast piece back on the shortened side tube, & weld it up. If you're wanting to retain the stock style XJ brackets than the 3/4 ton ford would be a better choice because it had leaf springs in the front which the mounts are easy to remove, but it will also be 8 lug. The other would be an earlier ford axle with the welded on "C" mounts, but are more difficult to remove.
I've seen a few folks use the HP pumkin from the Ford, and retube it to waggy width. This allows use of waggy shafts instead of custom shafts and a High pinion pumkin instead of the waggy's LP pumkin.
I currently have a waggy 44 under the front of mine, but I also have a 79 Ford 44 bare housing setting in the garage. Haven't decided if I'll do this swap yet.
I guess "79 fords" is too general of a description of these 44's....
I don't know much about which things had what, all I know is I have a 79 f250 44 that didn't have the casting, it was set up for leaf springs, which was why I wasn't sure why the thing needed to be retubed. I've seen what you are talking about though, just wasn't sure which vehicles those are found on....
I guess this is what I'm trying to figure out now. I'm gonna run it like it is and see if the HP would help anything. I haven't got it on the trail yet, so it's still in the "working out the bugs" process.
BTW, I got the HP44 free, so I couldn't pass it up. If I don't use it on this XJ, I'll hold it for a future project.
i like the high pinion option because i've watched people slide down thier long arms quite often if that pinion was lower than the arms it might not look too pretty afterwards... guess it just all depends on where your arms are located.....
oh yeah and farmermatt kudos on the article in the magazine those radius arms got the wheels turning for me ... too bad my oil pan, exhaust etc etc etc are in the way
As far as I know all f150 & broncos from 78 through to the twin I beam years used the cast mounts. This isn't set in stone & I'm pulling this from memory so there could be some exceptions. The f250's used leafs & are 8 lug.
Low pinion vs. high pinion is an old argument that has been hashed out many times. Bottom line is that the high pinion is stronger, but more work to put in. It will also give you better pinion angles & raise the drive shaft up further out of harms way. Having said that I'm running a low pinion front & worry very little about the ring & pinion strength. The high pinion front-end is an all around better axle & offers real benefits over the low. Whether the benefits are worth the extra work to build it are up to you.
Thanks for the props. dave. My wife says she's going to attach a valve to my mouth & start filling up balloons with all the hot air from my swollen head.
tell your wife that any of us would be the same way someday my junk will be in there.. but i'm sure it will be when a small block isnt unique or cool anymore and its an " old tech" write-up
ok i know this may be stupid and i may get hammered for it but im gonna ask. why exactly do you want to go with a 44? am i corredt in that newer XJ with high pinion 30 have the same size u joints as a d 44? and if ya get a pair of warn shafts there about as strong just not a big. sure the ring and pinion is not as befe but from my understanding unless you are crazy or buy cheap ring and pinion sets(which i consider crazy) un less ya go numaricly highre then 4.56 then for the most part you wont worry much at all untill what 37s about breaking them. housing strenght may be a concern but you can truss the housing with less effort then it would take to put all new brackets on a new axel and may end um stronger. ok now yell at me curse me what ever just wanted to throw this on the table. and please if i am wrong on any of this please tell me so i can learn and not be so ignerent.
less carrier flex
more housing beef
being able to run numerically higher gearsets
easy and affordavle true highsteer
hubs standard
bigger brake systems
axle tubes
sex appeal.
