Strait axle conversion

[tractorman86]

So I'd like to put a strait axle under the f150 in my sig and I have a dana 44 out of a74 f100, only problem is that it has drum brakes. My question is, would I be able to swap the split44 knuckles onto the 74 strait 44 giving me a strait axle with disk brakes?

 

[Diesel_brad]

no idea about the brakes but you need at least 4" of lift to clear the solid axle

 

[tractorman86]

The lift on it already has extended radius arms and lift coils, could be 4 or 6" not sure which.

 

[Diesel_brad]

As far s I know you cant use the any of the 80s suspension with the 70 axle. It needs to be all 70s stuff

 

[ocnorb]

So I'd like to put a strait axle under the f150 in my sig and I have a dana 44 out of a74 f100, only problem is that it has drum brakes. My question is, would I be able to swap the split44 knuckles onto the 74 strait 44 giving me a strait axle with disk brakes?

I don't think the "split 44" stuff will fit... however i have never tried it and may be wrong.

I have done an early Bronco 44 disk brake conversion as shown here:
http://classicbroncos.com/disc.shtml

http://classicbroncos.com/disc_faq.shtml

This works good and is pretty cheap if you hit the junkyard. New rotors and pads are also fairly low priced. You can also pull the knuckles out on a 77-79 F150 or Bronco... but by the time you do all that it might be worth finding an axle that is already disk to swap in.

 

[Optikalillushun]

sell it, buy a 78/79 F-150 or Bronco axle. Nothing will swap over except the rotor and hubs. Any specifics shoot me a question...i did 2 already, and possibly 2 more this winter.

 

[gatorman21218]

isnt the dana 50 stronger than the 44HD ?

 

[MUDKICKR]

isnt the dana 50 stronger than the 44HD ?

yes, and the dana44hd was only in the 3/4 ton trucks, not the half ton

 

[gatorman21218]

yes, and the dana44hd was only in the 3/4 ton trucks, not the half ton

Well there are three d44s. The solid axle which was only used in the late 70s I think, the d44 TTB used in the half-tons and the d44hd, which was the TTB version that was used by the light duty f-250s.

Now I am almost positive that while the D44 is a straight axle, the Dana 50 is stronger. So unless you are doing a 2wd swap or your TTB is wearing out the inner sidewalls of your tires, then with all the work of a swap I would get a 60.

 

[MUDKICKR]

Well there are three d44s. The solid axle which was only used in the late 70s I think, the d44 TTB used in the half-tons and the d44hd, which was the TTB version that was used by the light duty f-250s.

Now I am almost positive that while the D44 is a straight axle, the Dana 50 is stronger. So unless you are doing a 2wd swap or your TTB is wearing out the inner sidewalls of your tires, then with all the work of a swap I would get a 60.

you forgot about the dana44hd that was also a straight axle used in the late 70s models, that is the same as the reg. dana 44, but has 8 lug outers.

 

[tractorman86]

This is on my half ton guys. I already have my d50 swapped out for a d60 on my f250

 

[Drew2010]

sell it, buy a 78/79 F-150 or Bronco axle. Nothing will swap over except the rotor and hubs. Any specifics shoot me a question...i did 2 already, and possibly 2 more this winter.

x2 A 78 or 79 5 lug coil sprung axle will be your best bet. Make sure you get the radius arms, and the brackets if possible. You should be able to get away with your stock spring buckets. You'll have to fab a tracbar mount, Your TTB springs are going to be a little stiff, so I would suggest a 4 inch lift spring for the truck the axle came from. After doing the leaf swap into my F150, Coils seem soooo easy to do.

On a side note, I have a 79 HD Dana 44 in my F150 in my sig. the HD dana 44 8 bolt axles from the late 70's F250's are a little more beefy then the regular 5 bolt. The HD has 1/2 inch thick axle tubes, which is slightly thicker then the dana 60's, although the 60 uses larger diameter. The outers (hubs spindles etc...) can be swapped between the half ton and the HD.

 

[Optikalillushun]

x2 A 78 or 79 5 lug coil sprung axle will be your best bet. Make sure you get the radius arms, and the brackets if possible. You should be able to get away with your stock spring buckets. You'll have to fab a tracbar mount, Your TTB springs are going to be a little stiff, so I would suggest a 4 inch lift spring for the truck the axle came from. After doing the leaf swap into my F150, Coils seem soooo easy to do.

On a side note, I have a 79 HD Dana 44 in my F150 in my sig. the HD dana 44 8 bolt axles from the late 70's F250's are a little more beefy then the regular 5 bolt. The HD has 1/2 inch thick axle tubes, which is slightly thicker then the dana 60's, although the 60 uses larger diameter. The outers (hubs spindles etc...) can be swapped between the half ton and the HD.

TTB springs require an adaptor to work with the 70s axle and, its scary. Friend did it to his when he was in college at a "get me by" that lasted for a few weeks. With 4" springs u will need to cut the engine crossmember to clear the track bar. Using the TTB coil buckets typically yields another 1/2-1" of lift over the 70s coil buckets. Plus the axle itself gives about 1" of lift because of where the springs mount on the axle.

For mine i used 79 coil buckets, radius arms, radius arm brackets and 4" superlift springs. Total lift was about 5" over my sagged out rough country 2 1/2" leveling kit and 33"s. (my RC lift settled almost 1 1/2 inches after 3 years of HARD use like jumping and baja'n through the coal access roads). Total lift with the 35s and SAS was like 6 1/2" over a stock truck (using my dads bone stock 95 as an example).