HP44 bracketry

[olivedrabcj7]

let me know if you decide you need anything....


oh - I was at 6" with short arms before the 44 and it rode like shit! i raised the axle mounts 2" as part of this, and it rides awesome!
something to consider...

i run control arm drop brackets so my arms sit pretty good right now.

 

[seanR]

Well, I tried to use it on a waggy 44. Nothing fit.
The brackets were all for smaller diameter tubes, The arch was way too small to fit over the pig.
I was told they were designed for a D30.

X2
The waggy axle center section is not shaped the same as others, because the spring pearches are part of the center section.
the RE kit is the best way to go.
You will need to coustomize it a bit.
It will be no big deal, if you are able to take out the axle and replace it, you will be able to mount the brackets.

A tip...keep the old D-30 close by to measure as you go, it makes an awesome referance to get everything centered again.

 

[Roxtar]

you dont own a grinder?

That's a little beyond my fabbing capabilities.

 

[XJ_ranger]

That's a little beyond my fabbing capabilities.

i understand - fabbing is a gift - some have it - some dont...

 

[olivedrabcj7]

well here we go. picked these up today for $400 for the set. did i do good?

HP44 out of EB. welded wedges, 5 on 5.5 pattern. drum brakes.

9" out of same bronco.

they came with the steering, trackbar, and wheels and tires.

notice the ghetto fab lift blocks under the spring perches. lol.

 

[XJ_ranger]

Opie, your pics are always to big, or two small. Never inbetween. :laugh3:

well dang howdy - then i guess ill have to have you over for dinner so you can look at them in real life - Say 2nd week of May sometime?

 

[XJ_ranger]

well here we go. picked these up today for $400 for the set. did i do good?

HP44 out of EB. welded wedges, 5 on 5.5 pattern. drum brakes.

9" out of same bronco.

they came with the steering, trackbar, and wheels and tires.

notice the ghetto fab lift blocks under the spring perches. lol.

well - could have done better, but parts are worth what the buyer and seller agree to...

The knuckles with drums will be converted to Chevy/Jeep for Hi-steer anyway - so you'll get discs in the end i assume?

Check that rear axle to make sure it has 31 splines - some of the EB's had 28 if memory serves...

here is a good d44 info page -
http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html

 

[olivedrabcj7]

what are my options as far as getting disks? ill need new knuckles, hubs, and brake components? can i use pretty much anything from any dana 44? i need a good link to all this info.

 

[CRASH]

1. Take everything bolted or splined on the front axle and throw it in the trash.

2. Get you credit card out and call Parts mike for all your steering, brakes, and knuckle junk.

3. Call Randy's for your gearing and a set of axles.

4. Bolt it all together and you'll have an axle that is worthy.

 

[olivedrabcj7]

$400 for 2 knuckles is rape. i can buy a scout II 44 for a couple hundred bucks, take the outers and stubs off of it and part the rest out. i work at autozone so brakes i can get cheap. this stuff literally all bolts on though?

 

[XJ_ranger]

$400 for 2 knuckles is rape. i can buy a scout II 44 for a couple hundred bucks, take the outers and stubs off of it and part the rest out. i work at autozone so brakes i can get cheap. this stuff literally all bolts on though?

you dont want scout outters - the parts arent near as common for the Jeep flat tops and Chevy Flat tops...

 

[MontanaXJ]

For my current build I had to make the same decisions on how to do the brackets. For the uppers I bought the Rubicon Express mounts, $94.95 for the driver & $47.95 for the passenger side. They included the bridge, risers, bushing cradles and the small super ride bushings.

For the lowers I used 3x3 3/16" square tube that was about 9 inches long. Using a hole saw I put a 2.75" hole right through the middle, on a side perpendicular to the seam. I then cut that piece in half, which leaves you with 2 pieces that will fit on the tubes. Holes were drilled for the bolts, and the side with the seam was cut off. Questions?

For the coil mounts I used the D30 buckets ontop of some 3/16" plate risers. Track bar mount has yet to be fabbed because the steering is not on.

Greg

 

[olivedrabcj7]

Ok to address the drum brakes, I'm going to do a chevy disc conversion.
This consists of spindles, caliper brackets (or backing plates), and calipers from a late '72 to early '77 chevy 1/2 ton d44. then you run '77-'85 bronco Hub/rotors and the stock lockouts (or aftermarket, whichever). The only thing after that is brakelines and banjo bolts which I will snag from the junkyard with my calipers im going to pick up for cores. This is going to be interesting.

Other plans as of right now:

I plan on doing like mentioned above and buying the UCA brackets from RE and fabbing the lowers out of 3x3x.25 box steel. I hope to be able to reuse the stock coil buckets, and the trackbar will be addressed once i have my steering in place.

by this summer i should be able to afford 5.13 gears, tires, wheels, and chromo's.

how does this sound?

 

[XJ_ranger]

ok to address the drum brakes, im going to do a chevy disc conversion.
this consists of spindles, caliper brackets (or backing plates), and calipers from a late '72 to early '77 chevy 1/2 ton d44. then you run '77-'85 bronco Hub/rotors and the stock lockouts (or aftermarket, whichever). only thing after that is brakelines and banjo bolts which i will snag from the junkyard with my calipers im going to pick up for cores. This is going to be interesting.

the banjo bolts were the same on my d30 calipers as my Ford calipers - which now that i think of it - wont help you much...

You do realise that you also need the Chevy caliper right?

to run the Ford 5 on 5.5 outers, you need the "small bearing" chevy spindles. Also keep your stub shafts matched to the spindles - the spindle length determines the length of the stub shaft...

the lockouts on your current unit should work with the Chevy spindle -

here is a page that more elloquently says what i am trying to say -

Swapping the Knuckles Out for high steer and 5 on 5.5" wheel bolt pattern: You've Three options

<li> Option 1: Use a mix of Chevy/FSJ and Ford parts. You'll need a Chevy or Full Size Jeep Dana 44 flat top knuckles, spindle, caliper mount plate and outer axle shaft from a 73-76, see chart for exact years and BOM. To convert these to the Ford 5 on 5.5” (also the same bolt pattern as a Jeep CJ, Scout II and many other vehicles) you’ll need a 1976-1984 or 1987-1995 Ford hub, rotor and bearing. My suggestion is use 76-79 parts, but you can use an 80’s Ford IFS Dana 44 (minus 1986 and some 85 as they had a unique style.) Pull the hub with the bearings, rotor and lock-out. Any standard Dana 44 ½ ton or Chevy ½ ton 10 bolt axle lock outs should work, and spare are always good.

<li> Option 2: Use only Ford parts. One catch, you'll need a 1/2 Super-Cab knuckle, see above General misconceptions table for reason. If you have a nice Ford 1/2 ton axle with new calipers and rotor I suggest just find in a knuckle from a 1/2 Super-Cab, as that is the only part you'll need. (Note to self, check spindle part numbers in Dana book to confirm this) Or you can just grab the entire Knuckles Out from a 1/2 Super-Cab and bolt it up to your inner knuckle.

<li> Option 3: Run IHC or Dodge parts. Because of the IHC 8 bolt spindle and the limited years plus the few truck produced I don't recommend this option. Save those knuckles for the Scout guys, plus you've have to swap knuckles out and the parts cast more. Dodge parts knuckles out because of the uniqueness of them(?), years are 1980.5 - 93 and 86 and up is an auto or fulltime hub.

from here - about 3/4 of the way down - "Knuckles out"
http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/flatop_knucles.html

 

[olivedrabcj7]

im thinking i dont want full high steer....im leaning toward either an inverted T or a crossover with the draglink on top and the tierod on bottom of the knuckles. using 3/4" heims and bolts to attach everything. flat top knuckles are gonna put me over budget im afraid.

 

[XJ_ranger]

im thinking i dont want full high steer....im leaning toward either an inverted T or a crossover with the draglink on top and the tierod on bottom of the knuckles. using 3/4" heims and bolts to attach everything. flat top knuckles are gonna put me over budget im afraid.

thats what i thought, and that is what i did - i wish i had saved more and gone flat top...

oh - and use bigger heims and these high missalignment spacers that give you more angle - wish i had done that too -

more info on these here:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=415629

That will give you more angle - my Ford outer knuckle hole's major diamiter was 3/4" so that is why i thought id use 3/4" heim - sould have used a 1" heim and then used thoes spacers...

 

[cLAYH]

the banjo bolts were the same on my d30 calipers as my Ford calipers - which now that i think of it - wont help you much...

You do realise that you also need the Chevy caliper right?

to run the Ford 5 on 5.5 outers, you need the "small bearing" chevy spindles. Also keep your stub shafts matched to the spindles - the spindle length determines the length of the stub shaft...

the lockouts on your current unit should work with the Chevy spindle -

here is a page that more elloquently says what i am trying to say -



from here - about 3/4 of the way down - "Knuckles out"
http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/flatop_knucles.html

That' a really tough way to get a 5 on 5 pattern. Like it says at the bottom the simpliset way is to use all Dodge stuff from the knuckle out. Now it all matches and usually the Dodge stuff is cheaper than the Ford/Chevy stuff. The '86 and up "auto hubs" are simply just blanks, remove them and install a regular D44 locking hub of your choice.

Oh, and all Dodge D44 knuckles from 1980 to 1993 are flat top. Pretty simple eh? Just remember you HAVE to use the the Dodge knuckle as the brake mount is cast into it.