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D44 Waggy or hold out for Ford?
- Thread starter BAC478
- Start date
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
I don't know, do you want to go backward or have the modification be an upgrade? 
uncc civilengineer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Winston Salem, NC
Goatman said:I don't know, do you want to go backward or have the modification be an upgrade?
So the waggy 44 is going backwards from a 30?
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
Sure, if you're going from high pinion to low pinion. And, if you plan to use stock Spicer axles and joints in the D44, then it's a total waste of time and money, since the D30 and D44 axle joints and Spicer axle yokes are the same strength.
I have a personal rule that any upgrade has to be an improvement, so going from high to low pinion is going backwards in my view. Also, to really upgrade, you at least need to get chromo axles for the D44. I'd get chromo axles for the D30 before I'd go to a low pinion D44. But, that's a personal opinon, others think differently.
I have a personal rule that any upgrade has to be an improvement, so going from high to low pinion is going backwards in my view. Also, to really upgrade, you at least need to get chromo axles for the D44. I'd get chromo axles for the D30 before I'd go to a low pinion D44. But, that's a personal opinon, others think differently.
uncc civilengineer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Winston Salem, NC
yep, to each his own...
xjbubba
NAXJA Member # 1524
- Location
- santa barbara, ca
The D44 standard rotation (low pinion) ring and pinion are about the same strength as the D30 "reverse" rotation ring and pinion. The late model D30's have the same u-joints as the D44, so the low pinion D44 does not add material strength over the high pinion D30. It does add flexibility, in the way of disconnects, and it does add much stronger hubs & bearings, as well as bigger brakes and larger axle tubes.
That said, I'd still hold out for a high pinion D44.
That said, I'd still hold out for a high pinion D44.
The axle is going to be the foundation for a build. I decided if I am going to throw money at a front axle its not going to be a D30 since the build prices are similar and I dont have any money into my D30 already. Just to make sure im taking everything into consideration, what are the differences between a waggy 44 and an HP 44 aside from the high pinion, gear spiral, and axle length? By this I mean does one have limitations that would not allow it to be built as strong and as easily as the other? I have been reading a lot but I am still learning, sorry for !!!1Goatman said:
- Location
- Lafayette, CA
Buy it. Take the parts you want off of it, and sell the rest. You might be able to get spare shafts, yoke, carrier, hubs and other small parts for less then $50.
Then when you buy the Ford hp44 you will have parts/spares when you narrow it.
Then when you buy the Ford hp44 you will have parts/spares when you narrow it.
Last edited:
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
The advantages of the waggy 44 are that you don't have to narrow it. A HP44 from an F150 is going to need to be narrowed, which is extra fab work and time, but many of us have done it ourselves. The only other difference is the high or low pinion. D44 stuff is interchangeable, so you can use the Chevy outers you need to get if you want to run high steer, or the F150 hubs to get a 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern.
