Help narrowing a front 44

ok so at my buddys shop a friend of his just dropped off a 70's HP44 stripped of everything. I found out my front 44 pass tube is bent. So instead of trying to bend it back im just going to swap everything over to the new housing, and narrow it. It has the 1/2" tubes so its a sweet 44. It dosent have C's so well cut mine off and weld them to the new 44.

My question is about narrowing, Im using rubicon inners. Can I just measure the length of my buddys full width 44 shafts and subtract them from my rubicon inners to get the exact length I need to chop the tubes? Will that work? And if not, then whats the best way to measure? Because Im not sure my front 44 is cut to the correct length so I dont want to go off that.

Both are ford axles. I will be using ford stub shafts, ford knuckles, and everything else ford on it, just like whats on mine.

jeepfreak1020 said:

My question is about narrowing, Im using rubicon inners. Can I just measure the length of my buddys full width 44 shafts and subtract them from my rubicon inners to get the exact length I need to chop the tubes? Will that work?

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That's all I did when I narrowed my HP60. Subtract the length of the new shaft from the length of the old shaft. Took that much off the end of the tube and moved my inner c in that same amount.

I did the same thing, just took the difference in shaft lengths and cut that much off. Have you checked on getting that axle straightened? Last one I had done (a front D44 before I narrowed it) cost $150 at a local frame shop. Might be easier than building a new axle.

It would be if my axle wasent already trussed. So that's where the money adds up super quick.

foxwar71 said:

That's all I did when I narrowed my HP60. Subtract the length of the new shaft from the length of the old shaft. Took that much off the end of the tube and moved my inner c in that same amount.

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How I did it as well.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=993467

That is how I narrowed mine narrowed too, measured the difference between the ford shafts and the waggy shafts and cut! The only thing that raises a question in my mind is the rubicon inner C's. I think all the guys that posted have used the stock 44 C's, but not sure if the rubicon one (which is a Dana 30 C) will change anything?? Just something to think about...

VET'S XJ said:

That is how I narrowed mine narrowed too, measured the difference between the ford shafts and the waggy shafts and cut! The only thing that raises a question in my mind is the rubicon inner C's. I think all the guys that posted have used the stock 44 C's, but not sure if the rubicon one (which is a Dana 30 C) will change anything?? Just something to think about...

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Very good point.

VET'S XJ said:

That is how I narrowed mine narrowed too, measured the difference between the ford shafts and the waggy shafts and cut! The only thing that raises a question in my mind is the rubicon inner C's. I think all the guys that posted have used the stock 44 C's, but not sure if the rubicon one (which is a Dana 30 C) will change anything?? Just something to think about...

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i think john D narrowed to rubicon width. might want to look for his build thread.

VET'S XJ said:

That is how I narrowed mine narrowed too, measured the difference between the ford shafts and the waggy shafts and cut! The only thing that raises a question in my mind is the rubicon inner C's. I think all the guys that posted have used the stock 44 C's, but not sure if the rubicon one (which is a Dana 30 C) will change anything?? Just something to think about...

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Im not using rubicon C's? Im using the stock ford C's. Im using Rubicon length inners.

The axle I have right now in my jeep thats bent is a Ford HP 44. And the new one is a Ford HP 44 as well. Just to make that clear. Its the same axle and same year to, just swaping parts from mine, to the new one.

jeepfreak1020 said:

Im not using rubicon C's? Im using the stock ford C's. Im using Rubicon length inners.

The axle I have right now in my jeep thats bent is a Ford HP 44. And the new one is a Ford HP 44 as well. Just to make that clear. Its the same axle and same year to, just swaping parts from mine, to the new one.

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Oh...well then you are good to go on the rubicon inner shafts and the method of narrowing. I'm not sure why I thought you were using the inner C's from a rubi? WFO Concepts in Auburn, Ca has done several 44's this way and had no issues. Just measure many times before you cut and weld!

Ryan how in the world did you bend that thing?!

G.P_XJ said:

Ryan how in the world did you bend that thing?!

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Hey now my bro might yell at you for thinking he drives a Xj lol, ryan drives TJ, Chad drives XJ

Who's wrong brother! But what did you do to it?