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Dana 44, replace LP with HP?

Pathatten

Pathatten

Pat-PAt-PaT-pAt-pAT-paT
Location
Washington
I've ran my LP 81 waggy D44 for 1 year now, and I need to set it up correctly. I was in a hurry on the initial set up and didn't set up my castor or pinion angle correctly :hang: So I've been fighting a crummy pinion angle (frt. d-line vibes) or a crappy castor angles (a bad case of the "wandering jeep" i.e. don't go over 50mph, it gets un-predictable/scary).

Knowing that I have to cut off all the hurried work done a while ago and also cut and rotate the inner knuckles, a boat load of work.

Is it worth it to pick up a D44 HP and fab it up properly and swap my 5:38's and ARB?

Planned upgrades will include Hi-steer and alloy shafts

I'm leaning to just get a new axle and set it up so I don't have any down time and I can sell my old axle to someone who wants a direct bolt in with crummy angles.

IMG_4553.jpg


PAT
 
Last edited:
to cure the driveline vibes you can just unlock your hubs on the street.

i didnt turn my knuckles and have my caster dialed in, just a crummy pinion angle. I dont have any vibes though even when my hubs are locked.

ive been up to 90 mph on this setup and it drives straight as an arrow.

then again im only running about 4.5" of lift so it's a little easier for me to get my caster and pinion angle acceptable than most
 
I thought i could just swap the gears it seems, at least at randys ring and pinion, that a D44 housing LP or HP share the same part #'s for gears/Carrier. I'm hoping that when I'm done that I am only out about $400. I will still need to spend the money on alloy shafts and steering upgrades on my current axle.

I wouldn't mind a plasma cutter but they seem to be priced around $1200+ for 3/8" cut cap.

Tanks this is helping my thought process a lot!

Pat
 
HP and LP D44's use the same carrier(s), different gears.
 
In Randy's parts lists, there are some ford TTB applications that use the same part number as LP D44's. For example a 4.56 ratio part # is YGD44-456, same for Waggy's.

But further down the parts list are reverse rotation gear sets and that is what the HP D44 has. the 4.56 ratio part # for that application is YG D44R-456R.

But just like the D30, the carriers are the same for both LP and HP.

I know what you're going thru, I kick myself often for going thru all the trouble of getting a Waggy D44 to work in the front of mine. I haven't had any problems but I should have built a HP D44. Much stronger, and in my case I could use the full width too, I find that with my Exo cage, there are some obstacles (like Escalator) that I need the wheels out further for, then my cage wouldn't run into the wall before the tires can climb.
 
Am I missing something, can't you just adjust the pinion angle on the 4-link using adjustable arms? Why all the hassle of building a new axle?
 
yeah to some extent... but not very much.. and it doesnt have to be a 4-link either.

After you adjust it so much the coil buckets get screwed up, trackbar, draglink, etc.

I also disagree w/ ruining the tube/C's...
 
jonzer12 said:
Am I missing something, can't you just adjust the pinion angle on the 4-link using adjustable arms? Why all the hassle of building a new axle?
Click to expand...

You can adjust the pinion angle that way, but that makes the caster angle go more positive. So if you want the best of both, knuckle rotation is needed.

uncc civilengineer said:
I also disagree w/ ruining the tube/C's...
Click to expand...

Just because a plasma cutter is rated for only 1/4" thickness steel cutting. Does not mean it will only cut 1/4" deep. There is no depth control to a plasma cutter. Just like a torch may only be rated for certain thicknesses of metal, there is no way to precisely control the depth of the cut.
 
Just because a plasma cutter is rated for only 1/4" thickness steel cutting. Does not mean it will only cut 1/4" deep. There is no depth control to a plasma cutter. Just like a torch may only be rated for certain thicknesses of metal, there is no way to precisely control the depth of the cut.[/quote]

yep, true... if it's rated at 1/4" yeah, it'll cut thicker metal running it slower and on more than one pass... you can also control the pulse or speed your cutting.. Im sure it's been done and again I dont see any reason it cant be done safely and much quicker than an angle grinder...
 
Have you ever cut and rotated knuckles? Even with an angle grinder you end up tearing the tube up a bit. There is no way you would be able to remove the knuckles with a plasma cutter without chewing the inner C up and destroying the tube.. You'd be blowing holes through it, and slicing into it exactly where the sheer plane will be when you put it all back together, creating new weak spots. bad.
 
cal said:
Have you ever cut and rotated knuckles? Even with an angle grinder you end up tearing the tube up a bit. There is no way you would be able to remove the knuckles with a plasma cutter without chewing the inner C up and destroying the tube.. You'd be blowing holes through it, and slicing into it exactly where the sheer plane will be when you put it all back together, creating new weak spots. bad.
Click to expand...


What he said. Stick to a grinder with a cut off wheel to remove the welds on the inner C's. I have done this before and theres no way a plasma would work safely, a torch with a rosebud tip could help with getting the knuckles back on but thats about it.

AARON
 
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