1979 8 lug Solid Axle ?

[bradrob82]

the ball joints and wheel bearings are beginning to get pretty rough on my 93 it currently has a dana 50 ttb under it. (cupping left front tire) i have recently aquired for cheap, a 79 F250 with 8 lug sfa under it (used to be a brush fire truck), i am guessing its a 44 not to sure, i was wondering if you all have any tech info on it or knew anything about it. since it quit raining here today, i will crawl under it when i get home and see what it really is hopefully. would this be a decent swap into my 93? just want to get opinions, i would rather have the dana 60 but they are pricey around here it seems....

 

[caterpillar]

As far as I know you can swap that right into your pickup, the difference in the 44(HD model i guess w/8 lugs) and the 60 are the lock out sizes on the hub, the 44 will be much smaller than your ttb50, your 50 is the same size as the 60, don't know if you can swap your hubs from your 50 to your 44, i know you can take the hubs from the 50 and they bolt right up to the 60 just look at the size of the lock outs on the hub, that'll tell you what axle it is.

 

[6xCrew]

Far as I know it should work. Gears might be an issue. Should be disk and high pinion even. Moght even just bolt in but for the steering.

Calvin

 

[bradrob82]

would it hold up okay to the weight of the 7.3 well or would it be to ******* it? and possibly a snow plow in the future

 

[6xCrew]

Well the old F-250's with the snow fighter package got the D60. Must have been a reason. If you ONLY run around on the road and use 4x in the snow and ice then maybe you will be ok. We see the 460 and big bumpers on D44's so they can handle some weight. The tubes on a 60 are much bigger than those of a 44 also.

Calvin

 

[riotwarrior]

Ok it CAN be made to work with your truck. The older Dana 44/60's of that era have a pumpkin that is offset more towards the center of the truck compared to the solid axles of the next body style or anything that in general we look at and consider now.

Most likely you will have to use a lift spring setup, along with notching the cross member or at the least removing the lower front portion that has the powersteering cooler line (if thats what you want to call it) off and reinforce it.

Scroll down the page here http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/60_front/index.html and take a look at the Dana 60 dimension chart. There is a ton of info on Dana axles here.

Here is a similar swap to what you want using a NEWER 86 solid axle dana 60 http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99748

Notice how short that short side axle is compared to what you have?

You can do a forum search for SAS and you'll get tons of info off that site.

Hope this helps you out.....

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Most likely a 44. As was said above the 60 was only in the "snow fighter" package which was very rare. Believe me there are many more times "Dana 60" front axles in the 78 - 79 trucks than were ever produced. People just want to believe it's a 60.

I've found the pre-80 trucks were built better (heavier) than anything 80 - 97. My bet is the axle (Not ring gear) is as strong as a 80+ straight axle.

 

[mainiac]

My 79 has the solid 44 with a 460 and an 8" fisher plow.
I have been plowing commercially for 9 years, the first 4 with this truck alone.
I have never had a problem with durability, stress, anything of the sort.
Hope it all works out for ya.