Dana 44 Questions...

[k_williams1982]

I don't have the money to put the famous Dana 60 under the front of my truck, so I'm looking at Dana 44 Ford straight axles (Gotta be better than the IFS setup right???). How hard will it be to install this axle in my truck until I can find a Dana 60? I thought I had the rearched springs sold, but shipping was going to be a big fee, so it looks like I'm stuck with them. Rather than let them just go to waste (or the wrecking yard this spring), I want to put them in my truck, but I can't use them with the current IFS setup (drop brackets won't give the correct drop to go from the F250 to the F350 without modification). I have found a couple Dana 44 axles for $100-$200, so that's much more affordable for me compared to $1,200-$1,500 for a D60. Just checking all my options before I make a decision that I might regret.

 

[MUDKICKR]

if you want drop brackets made, i could make you a set. what drop would you need?

 

[k_williams1982]

if you want drop brackets made, i could make you a set. what drop would you need?

Currently have a "stock" F350 suspension. The springs are rearched to add a 4" lift. Not sure of exact measurements that I'd need, so that why I considered the Dana 44 straight axle to just avoid the whole "drop bracket: problem. Since the drop bracket that came with the springs is still on the F250, and the drop bracket is still installed in the F350, is there a way to compare the two and get a measurement? How much would you charge to build me a set?

 

[MUDKICKR]

if you have 4" lift springs you need to drop the brackets 4". the axle has to be straight. now are you saying you have access to dropped brackets? also what i would for you is make your factory brackets into lift brackets. you send them to me, i make them for a 4" lift and i would send them back to you. id charge 100 bucks to modify them. and i guarentee them to be strong and good. i would also make them to where they would be adjustable between factory height up to 4" lift in 1" incerminutes. so basicly if after everthing in mounted up and your springs sagged 1" you can adjust them for 3" lift. if your interested just let me know before you remove them from the trk, i will need one measurement to make them right

 

[nukinfuts]

a D44 is weak. I had one in my lifted and SAS'ed explorer and kept snapping ujoints and axle stubs with the STOCK 4.0L,

If you go D44, get chromoly shafts and Beefy U joints. This will cost you $$$, comparible to a D60 in price but still not as strong. Behind the torque of a diesel, the D44 will be left a little short in durability. Then you have to deal with bolt patterns as well. If you want to keep the 8 bolt config, you will need to find a 70's highboy with the 8 lug setup..

 

[Clydesdale]

a D44 is weak. I had one in my lifted and SAS'ed explorer and kept snapping ujoints and axle stubs with the STOCK 4.0L,

If you go D44, get chromoly shafts and Beefy U joints. This will cost you $$$, comparible to a D60 in price but still not as strong. Behind the torque of a diesel, the D44 will be left a little short in durability. Then you have to deal with bolt patterns as well. If you want to keep the 8 bolt config, you will need to find a 70's highboy with the 8 lug setup..

What is the difference between the strength of a ttb 44/50 and the strength of a SFA44?

Weren't the early 6.9 TTB F250's a TTB44?

 

[MUDKICKR]

the solid axle frt dana44hd and the ttb dana44hd are the same strenth, just the ttb bends a little in the middle. i have had a ttb frt ford for ten years and i love the frt end. the best thing to do with them is add poly bushings, it not only makes them handle better, it makes them last longer and helps out all around. the stock rubber bushing get weak and cause most the problems people have with them. if ford put poly bushing in them factory they would have done a lot better. but hey, thats my .02 cents. my daily driver/offroad trk has a ttb dana50 in it and i wouldnt change it for a dana 60 for anything. only reason i havent driven that trk is i broke the transfer case.

 

[fastass350]

I'm with Mudkickr, except I wish I would save my pennies and put a solid 60 in place of my TTB50. I've got an 85 standard cab on 38's that's open in the front...used to run the TTB44 and 35's, and would blow u-joints every trip (maybe it was some hard wheelin too) but have only broke one since I moved up to the 50. Far as I know the only difference between the 44 and 50 TTB's are the u joints in the axle shafts (outer snap ring as opposed to inner) and the shafts themselves at the u-joints are stronger (bigger yokes at the joint). They also have bigger ball joints for what that's worth. The spindles are different too, I'm not sure if they are bigger since it's been so long. If I were you trying to do what you're tryingq to do I'd buy 4" drop brackets, or have yours modified, and drop in a 50. I might even have a mostly complete 50 out of a 91, only gear sets I have is 3.54's though.

 

[k_williams1982]

**<I might even have a mostly complete 50 out of a 91, only gear sets I have is 3.54's though.>**

I have a TTB 50 in the truck now, except the gears are 4.10 in the front (4.11LS rear). I do have a Sterling 10.25 with 3.55 gears sitting under my parts truck. I have thought about "regearing" too because the current gears are just too low with the C6 from crusing speeds (But I could move alot of weight off the line).


**<only reason i havent driven that trk is i broke the transfer case.>**

What kind of transfer case do you need? If you need one for that will bolt into one of these trucks, I have a spare transfer case sitting in the garage. Maybe a trade for some modified drop bracket work??? Where is the best place to get those poly bushings you were talking about? Should I put those in while it's all apart?

 

[MUDKICKR]

yes, you should put the poly bushing in everything in the frt. the pivot bushing and the leaf spring bushings, trust me you will never regret it. well my trk is a 460/c6 and im doing a 7.3/zf5 conversion on it in a few weeks. the transfer case i have in it right now is a np208, but im putting a married np203 with a divorced np205 in it. i have all the parts i just need to rebuild the engine(its at the machine shop) and convert everything. if you got a ttb dana 50, then your set. the hubs and ball joints and all are 1 ton stuff and its ring gear and all is bigger then the dana 44hd. if you want to go solid axle, going dana44hd will be a step back. to bad your so far away id trade you a dana 50 gear set in carrier with 3.55 for your 4.10s. i bet shipping would be a lot. but just for the ring and pinion i bet shipping wouldnt be to bad, hell want to trade a 3.55 for a 4.10?

 

[MUDKICKR]

oh yea lmc truck sell poly bushings, i have energy suspension bushings but i cant remember where i got them, jegs sells them and also summit sells them. worth the money

 

[countryboy]

a D44 is weak. I had one in my lifted and SAS'ed explorer and kept snapping ujoints and axle stubs with the STOCK 4.0L,

If you go D44, get chromoly shafts and Beefy U joints. This will cost you $$$, comparible to a D60 in price but still not as strong. Behind the torque of a diesel, the D44 will be left a little short in durability. Then you have to deal with bolt patterns as well. If you want to keep the 8 bolt config, you will need to find a 70's highboy with the 8 lug setup..

Dude are you serious?? I have a 69 chevy with one wicked 6.5 t in it, 14 bolt rear, 4-speed, 205, and 44 front,and 44" swampers. I have done things with that truck that would blow your mind!! I have a mack tri-axle dump truck that I got stuck in 2' of nasty mud. the first attempt had my dad in my 69 and me in the mack.... he back up to get a run for it(for which i wanted to hurt him) and snap broke the rear driveshaft! so I fixed that, aired down the tires, put dad in the mack, and drugg him forward about 200' to just outside the mud hole. But wait the mack had to go to the other side!!! So I hooked to the back of the mack and got ready for the real fun. I have never wished for a video camera more in my life. We started though the 150 yard hole with me in low range and in third. and it was unreal!! the 6.5 came to life like never before. With all four swampers slinging mud everywhere( even on the hood of the mack and it was backwards) I didn't let the tires stop til i hit the pavement. BTW the 44 is bone stock period!!! I have done tons of other 44 torture but the point is that if everything is in decent shape you'll be fine with a 44. But if you run junk to start with your asking for trouble (you know who you are!!). So dont listen to everybody just cause they think they know, find the guys who beat the sh!# out of there stuff everyday.

 

[k_williams1982]

hell want to trade a 3.55 for a 4.10?

I would, but I've never "regeared" anything and I'm afraid I'd screw it up. Not saying that I'm not capable, but never done it and can't afford to have the truck down right now.

 

[Rot Box]

I put a D44 under my 86 6.9 last year to replace-the piece of poo-TTB D44. If I had the D50 I probably would have just left it, but my TTB did not have one good ball joint or rod end so it was actually cheaper to go with the D44 solid axle.

The best D44 for your aplication has got to be the 78-79 High pinion axles from the F250's. The axle tubes are 1/2 inch thick, and they are soo much cheaper to rebuild than the TTB axles imo.

You will need to have the spring perches moved (sorry can't remember how far not much though) and also have the passinger side knuckle machined to accept a cross over steering arm. Other than that you need a drag link, and possibly a ring and pinnion to complete the swap. These guy's have everything you would need http://www.wfoconcepts.com/ if you wanted to buy it outright...

I was really glad I went that route personally--It rode a lot rougher, but at least the tires were strait up and down .

Unless your truck sees a lot of offroad abuse I doubt you'll have problems with the D44 strength. I would avoid aftermarket axles, u-joints and such because in the long run a D60 would suit you better imo.

 

[FordGuy100]

This has crossed my mind as well. I like the ride of a solid axle rig compared to my TTB setup. My truck has a TTB44HD, basically worthless I suppose . I havent broken anything on it yet, but I do know its weak and try to play nice with it. If I could find a Dana 60, and I had the coin, thats what I would do. But I dont have the money , so if anything it will be a Dana 44. I know many chevies running Dana 44's with 36-38" tires and some pretty good built small blocks, and they have survived. So I think that with 33" tires a Dana 44 would be fine for me.