gregclimbs
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- salt lake city
I know, most donors will have to be cut down...
thoughts on the best donor?
thanks,
g
thoughts on the best donor?
thanks,
g
Jeepin Jason said:without cutting down?
Jeepin Jason}I really don't see what use a D44 would be over a stock D30.[/QUOTE said:larger ujoints, larger diameter shafts, larger diameter axle tubes, going knuckle over steering at same time...
what more?
g
LouisianaZJ said:late model D30's have the exact same ujoints
im not sure the hubs on most real d44's would clear a 5x4.5" bolt pattern
5x5.5 is the minimum i beleive
btw, rubicon D44's are really D30's with a D44 center section
gregclimbs said:true, I do believe that stock d30's and d44's have 260 ujoints, but you can run 297s in the 44 (as I understand from ny research)...on 30 spline axles...
and since I have to cut down, I have to have new axles, hence moving to the larger size.
If I have to move to 5x5.5 (can someone confirm this?) then so be it... but again from research, I thought you could run 5x4.5 on replacement front axles... if not, I will go full float in the rear and make the jump to 5.5.
g
LouisianaZJ said:if i was swapping in a D44 i would get a hp44 out of a 78/79 ford f150. 63" for the 1/2 ton or 67" for the 3/4 ton version i believe
Jeepin Jason said:Wow, ok, your research is way wrong. All D30's have used 297x u-joints (read: D44 u-joints) since '97, and you can get 30-spline shafts for D30's, but that moves your weak link to the R&P (at least with an LP D30). So what though? The joint is usually the weak link anyway, so D30 or D44 shaft, the joint usually goes first taking out the shaft with it.
There's no manual hub I know of that fits a D44 that is 5x4.5". You can run 5x4.5" on a D44, but I think you have to use some funky Dodge unitbearing hub... so you're back to D30'ish style parts.
You can go hi-steer on a D30 now-a-days for about as cheap-n-easy as you can on a D44, depending on what you pay for a flat-top D44 knuckle and a hi-steer arm.
i think it was a mid-year change for the cast mounts, I definitely found a 77 at PnP with welded mounts. and it had disc brakes which aren't on some of the earlier ones.CRASH said:Actually not correct. 67" for the 1/2 ton, 69" for the 3/4"
And the 70-76 are actually much better if you want any suspension other than the OEM Ford radius arm. They have welded C-bushing mounts rather than cast.
CRASH
gregclimbs said:... but no discussion on HOW the donor was chosen. Which is the discussion I wanted to start here (not a justification as to WHY to swap).
Jeepin Jason said:But IMHO the REASONS you want to swap to a D44 will help determine WHICH D44 route you choose...
Spidertrax doesn't make 5 to 6 lug adapters. I don't even think you can make 5 to 6 lug adapters with both on a 5.5" circle. The studs/holes of the two patterns would interfere.Jeepin Jason said:But IMHO the REASONS you want to swap to a D44 will help determine WHICH D44 route you choose... EFB D44 vs Waggy 44 vs F150 cut-down vs ???
The end result you're looking for will determine the route you take and what you do to get there.
If you're looking for best swap candidate, and cutting down the housing isn't an issue, then go with Crash's recommendation on the early 70's Ford D44's, and cut it down to Waggy width to use "off the shelf" shafts. Stick with the stock 6x5.5" and swap in a matching Waggy D44 rear, or convert to 5x5.5" using Ford hubs and rotors, and use some Spidertrax adapters to convert the rear to match (or get some dual-drilled axle shafts and have your brakes drilled to match).
Static-XJ said:Spidertrax doesn't make 5 to 6 lug adapters. I don't even think you can make 5 to 6 lug adapters with both on a 5.5" circle. The studs/holes of the two patterns would interfere.
Gotcha. That was what I was thinking.Jeepin Jason said:edit: ah, OK, I think I see how you read what I wrote... when I said convert the rear to match using adapters, I meant convert his stock rear axle to match, not convert a Waggy 44 rear to match and a converted front.