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Good news, bad news...

mattk

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Florida
Good news is I made it all the way up Slickrock without a winch last weekend! Bad news is I broke a Brute Force U-joint and trashed the short side inner shaft doing it.
Good news is that I now have an excuse to upgrade. I want Dana 60 U-joints. They will be CTMs. I currently have a HP D44 with 5 x 5.5 bolt pattern, Detroit, a high steer conversion and of course lockouts. Tires are 33" now but will be 36" by next summer.
I know that this is going to be expensive. What I need is opinions about what is the best way to do this. I'm not to picky about which bolt pattern I will end up with or that wheel size to use, it just needs to be factored in in the total cost. I will also re-gear to 4.56 at the same time. More axle width would be a plus at this point as I will be lifting another 3" soon as well.
BTW I also somehow bent a 2" x .25 wall round tube long arm. For those of you building long arms, do like Beezil and use 3/8" wall tube. I will.
I know it's dangerous to ask for opinions around here, but let's here them. I need ideas.
TIA,
mattk
 
Well, I would sell your 44 and buy a Ford 60. This will be the strongest, most cost effective solution to your problem.

Sell your 44 for $1500 - $2000 and buy a Ford 60 for $1,000. Stuff it with an ARB and gears, switch your rear shafts to 8 on 6.5" and you are done.

CRASH
 
Why not just go the warn shafts + CTMs route? Isn't brute force AZs generic brand, I doubt they are as good as stock spicer junk.

If you really want a 60 and want to build another axle, thats cool, but you will probably want to go at least 38s to get some ground clearance back.
 
Beez, weren't you suggesting 3/8" wall for lower links a while ago? OK maybe I was sleep deprived and hallucinating. :wow:
Gary, I don't know if CTMs in alloy shafts will hold up to 36's and blatant abuse. I hate breakage and want bulletproof. That said, I don't want the clearance problems and weight of a D60. I feel the housing and R&P would be way overkill with only a stock 4.0 and t-case.
The reason I started this thread is that I've seen a few D44 housings running D-60 outers and hybrid inner shafts. I want to know how to do this.
I don't know though. Anyone running 36's, a 4.0 and CTMs break their U-Joints?
mattk
 
You'll be fine with Warns and CTM's. You can't just slap hybrid shafts into a Dana 44 and get the 60 joints. The axles you are talking about use special knuckles and unithubs to get the outer 60 parts to work. Unless you absolutely loose your mind with the Warn shafts and CTMs they will last you forever with 36's. Just keep the CTMs full of grease and happy. Also, make sure you steering stops are adjusted correctly and the ears of the yokes aren't contacting each other at full lock, that's a big axle killer.

On a side note, you weren't in the 50 rig gridlock on Slickrock this past weekend were you?
 
Thanks for the advice. Maybe I will get those new 300 alloy steel 2 piece shafts with the cryo process and the cryo'd CTMs,
And no, I went up on Friday before the crowd got there. Did upper two on Thursday. It felt like we were alone in the place.
mattk
 
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