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Ford 9/44 swap

jwtrapper

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Wetmore, CO
So I really want to go full width. The man at the yard said $400 for the set. I can't resist that. So now I need to figure out what year to pull. What is the best years to pull from.
I have an 8.8 with detroit now and a 30 with a truetrac and 4.56's I might swap them over to my wifes but more than likely I will be selling them to help fund the swap. What is a good price to ask for a the set? I only have 9 months left before Moab!!!
 
Alloy shafts or no alloy shafts? What brand shafts/gears?

As far as 44/9, iirc late 70's f150 is the ticket.. 77?
 
stock shafts yukon gears

Every time I think about doing this swap I think that I could just get the supper 8.8 kit and get some more with and strength out of the 8.8 and doing a 44 swap out of a new JK. $1500 and its locked already with steering and brakes, it would save me on buying two new lockers. I would just have to regear.

1500 front 44
500 super 88
600 gears

2600 swap

400 44/9"
540 detroit 9"
600 detroit 44
400 gears
400 front truss
150 rear truss
2500 total

Then I have to do steering and such still on both options. Oh decisions decisions....... My limit will be about $3000 If I can squeeze it in I want to link the rear also.
 
With Yukon gears and stock shafts, maybe $500 for the front and $600 for the rear sale value. Maybe a little more because the detroit for the 8.8 is a pretty solid rear locker, but you can find locked rears in the $650 range with detroits every other week up here.

I'm a big fan of the JK front axle. Full crossover steering, hp44, nice width, you just have to deal with it being 5x5.5.

A 5x5.5 adapter for the 8.8 (which would cover the width) and some new wheels and you're golden. I don't think the super88 kit isn't really necessary. 8.8 shafts are very strong as they are.
 
If you don't want to do ford style radius arms stay earlier than 78 on the 44 or else you'll get cast "C" which suck. 76 is the first year with discs on the f-150. so 76 or 77 is ideal, but you can convert the older drum 44's to discs for cheap.

the JK is 5x5 NOT 5x5.5. all it is is a WJ front axle with a high pinion 44 center section. the coil, shock and control arm mounts are slightly different.
 
Yeah, I meant to type 5x5, and not 5.5. I was reading up on some warn parts earlier and had too many 5's on the brain.
 
Gravesdiggerxj said:
If you don't want to do ford style radius arms stay earlier than 78 on the 44 or else you'll get cast "C" which suck. 76 is the first year with discs on the f-150. so 76 or 77 is ideal, but you can convert the older drum 44's to discs for cheap.

the JK is 5x5 NOT 5x5.5. all it is is a WJ front axle with a high pinion 44 center section. the coil, shock and control arm mounts are slightly different.

You could also go with a hp44 / d60 combo from a 78 F250, you'll get a little more width, disk brakes on the 44, and no radius arm wedges to deal with. But it will be 8 lug. Nothing will be as quick and easy as the JK front axle. With high-steer, brakes, ARB, gears, shafts, superjoints etc, I spent 3k just on the front d44.
 
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You would get stronger tubes and better calipers that way too.
 
The super 88 kit would be so that I wouldn't have to run spacers in the rear. I think they said it ads 1.5" but then that puts it at around 60.5 and I'm still 1.5" short.

3K for just the 44? I might look at the JK axle. Mounts would not be that bad to move on the JK axle. A quick cut with a plasma, cut and rotate the knuckles, put the buckets in the right spot and your good. I read somewhere that the control arm mounts are the same but not sure on that.
 
cal said:
I'm a big fan of the JK front axle. Full crossover steering, hp44, nice width, you just have to deal with it being 5x5.5.

JK axles are 5 on 5" bolt pattern... same as WJ, WK, and commander.. Just FYI to clarify..

Edit... I see someone was more on the ball than me..

I would get the D44 / 9" combo from a 77 or older f100 4wd... welded wedges and easy to make work.
 
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