Dana 44 narrowing and other unanswered Q's

I have been searching for a few days and haven't seen the answers to these questions I have about narrowing my D44.

1. How much should it cost to have it narrowed?

2. The welds holding the tube into the carrier on the long side are broken. Can I just clean those out, pull the tube, shorten it, and stick it back in. (aligning inner knuckles and making sure it is straight in the process.

3. Legnthening the ford radius arms......they look cast, but don't feel cast, is it safe to just cut them and add material?

4. Everyone seems to be cutting the knuckles off and rotating the knuckles for caster correction. The degreed c-bushings seem to be an easier ticket if I end up with a problem, but I read that they severely limit articulation. I was thinking of adding bends into the stock ford radius arms near the axle end, when I lengthen them, to keep the caster correct and add clearence. Is this just a bad Idea?

5. Most of the pictures of this operation were dead links. Does anyone have any current pictures, showing radius arm lengthening/reshaping, and showing the crossmember? The pics that I found seem to concentrate on how pretty the axle looks from the front.

goodburbon said:

4. Everyone seems to be cutting the knuckles off and rotating the knuckles for caster correction. The degreed c-bushings seem to be an easier ticket if I end up with a problem, but I read that they severely limit articulation. I was thinking of adding bends into the stock ford radius arms near the axle end, when I lengthen them, to keep the caster correct and add clearence. Is this just a bad Idea?

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The idea behind doing the knuckles instead of the C bushings on the Ford style stuff, or any axle for that matter, is that then you can set you caster independent of the pinion angle.

3. Legnthening the ford radius arms......they look cast, but don't feel cast, is it safe to just cut them and add material?

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I am pretty sure they are cast. It is recommended that stock FORD radius arms be left alone as it is difficult to get a weld to hold on them. Something about the welds not holding well or it weakens the material around the welds.

That being said, I have friends with early Broncos and a buddy with radius arms on his XJ who have all welded theirs. The guy with the XJ lengthened his, and one of the guys with a Bronco actually built his own wristed radius arm out of a stock one for extra flex. They both added alot of material (weld) to ensure they wouldn't break. So far... neither have had any problems.

I'll try to find some pics.

Update, its still in the back of the jeep, I don't have anyone to help me take it out.

I do, however have a plan. I have a friend with an old ford he's restoring that has the wrong front gear ratio, so I am gonna true this one up, weld it up, and trade housings with him. any Ideas on the other q's?

why not leave it full width?

The thought had occured to me, but I have a selectable locker in the rear explorer 8.8, and it would look really funny with a full width front and stock rear. I am putting a spool in the front, and I cannot afford to build a rear axle at this time.

Harvo said:

I am pretty sure they are cast.

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They're cast steel not cast iron.
Welding shouldn't be a problem.
Use a good preheat, high nickle rod, and slow cool to be safe.

goodburbon said:

Update, its still in the back of the jeep, I don't have anyone to help me take it out.

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Got a wheeled engine hoist and a tree strap? That's what I've been using to jockey axles around since I hurt my elbow.