Your Front Axle....

[Duke Thieroff]

Seems the general consensus is a D60 is the ticket....

My truck has a D44...

I believe I am correct in saying the options in these trucks was D44 D50 and D60.

Anyone else have this setup?

What was most common?

Most uncommon?


What are the drawbacks and advantages to all axle options?

Thank you!

 

[franklin2]

What I have picked up over the years;

Dana 44HD was standard issue on the regular cab f250. Engine didn't matter(doesn't on any frontend option).

Dana 50 was standard issue on the extended cab f250's and the f350's 1980-1985.5. Some say the dana 50 was a special order option on a regular cab f250, I do not know if this is true or not.

Dana 60 was installed on the f350's 1985.5-up.

 

[Still Strokin]

I dunno if this helps but I have a dana 50 in a regular cab 1994... Has a huge 50 stamped in the bottom... I'm currently building this truck to a true F350 changing the springs blocks, front axle to a D60, adding front and rear sway bars, and swapping the fender badges

 

[texcl]

I have a 1993 regular cab with a Dana 50 as well but think it was an added option, will have to look at the invoice again.

 

[4x4manonbroke]

I have an '87 with the twin I beam , Is that a dana 50 ? ... found a great way to make it ride better in any case ... pro-comp rs3000 hydraulic shocks ... rides so nice my wife wants to drive it now ..... of course the Cooper AT/3'S are real nice addition as well .. picked nearly .5 mpg .... now porting heads and doing HG ... cant wait for the rollers ... wish me luck

 

[towcat]

Seems the general consensus is a D60 is the ticket....

My truck has a D44...

I believe I am correct in saying the options in these trucks was D44 D50 and D60.

Anyone else have this setup?

What was most common?

Most uncommon?


What are the drawbacks and advantages to all axle options?

Thank you!

In 1988 a reg cab truck got the D44hd if you were a F250. you would have gotten a D60 if you were a F350
both D44 and D50 are not "bad" axles, they require more maintenance/frequent overhaul cycles due to more moving parts.
a D60 has fewer moving parts and doesn't require attention as the other two do. but when it does.... your wallet will hurt.
I own one truck with IFS (a D44hd) and it was previously cared for by a autoshop instructor who's specialty was brake and front end.
Fordsnguns will tell you it drives like a dream. I drove it from kali to TX a couple of times and it didn't beat me up at all.

 

[riotwarrior]

1 D60 solid axle

1 D50 TTB

1 D44 TTB

1 D27 TTB IIRC

that's it!

 

[jaluhn83]

I don't think the 44HD was standard for all F250s, I'd bet it was only the heavy duty ones (8600 gvw). There was a light F250 (~6900 gvw??) that I think tended to get a D44 front/D60 rear, but I'm really not sure.

I think a good rule of thumb would be that a reg cab F250 diesel is a 44HD, x-cab and 87 down F350 are D50 and 88+ F350 is a D60.

Easy way to tell them apart - D60 is a straight axle, no way to mistake that. (except with a 44 straight axle, but that's way smaller looking), D50 is IFS and has large hubs (almost the full diameter of the center of the rim) while the 44HD has the smaller hubs. (~2" smaller OD than the rim center)

 

[Can30Diesel]

I had the Dana 50 at first on my truck, then when I blew a wheel bearing and spindle, I hunted down a D60 and never looked back. The D60 does ride different than the D50 but I like the simplicity when it comes to maintenance. The folks above here are right, the big diff comes with a big price tag, everything 1 ton is considerably more expensive than even 3/4 ton it seems. I went with a D60 because one basically fell into my lap and it was cheaper than fixing the 50.

Comparisons between the diffs have been plenty all over the internet. Which one is the best really depends on your preference. Some people love the nice ride of the twin beam system and don't care about the maintenance piece, while others like the simplicity of the straight axle and don't mind less often though more expensive maintenance.

 

[SparkandFire]

Of the trucks I've owned, all 4x4's -

1st - 1986 F250 Reg cab - D50
2nd - 1987 F250 Super cab - D50
3rd - 1994 F250 Super cab - D50
4rd - 1985 F250 Reg cab - D44HD

I had the original window sticker on the '86 truck, it had a "Heavy Service / Snow Plow Option" that was $400. I think the Reg cab would get a D50 and heavier springs, plus trans cooler, if it was ordered with said option...
Super cabs F250's in these years always got a D50.

For what it's worth, the nicest riding truck of all four was the D44HD - I think the lower rating springs made this thing a caddy to drive, and boy do I miss that truck...

 

[franklin2]

I don't think the 44HD was standard for all F250s, I'd bet it was only the heavy duty ones (8600 gvw). There was a light F250 (~6900 gvw??) that I think tended to get a D44 front/D60 rear, but I'm really not sure.

I think a good rule of thumb would be that a reg cab F250 diesel is a 44HD, x-cab and 87 down F350 are D50 and 88+ F350 is a D60.

Easy way to tell them apart - D60 is a straight axle, no way to mistake that. (except with a 44 straight axle, but that's way smaller looking), D50 is IFS and has large hubs (almost the full diameter of the center of the rim) while the 44HD has the smaller hubs. (~2" smaller OD than the rim center)

The dana 44ttb was the f150 frontend with 5 lug rotors. The dana 44HD ttb was the 8 lug version, with different housings for the leaf springs, different brakes, and larger lower balljoints among other things. All f250's got the dana 44hd. The extended cab got the dana 50 because the truck was heavier, so the higher GVWR required the heavier front axle.

It looks like it's confirmed, some regular cab f250's were special ordered from the factory with dana 50 frontends. It would have been simple for the factory to just bolt one in place, I guess they would have a special GVWR sticker made for it also. I am surprised they didn't make people who wanted this option check the f350 box.

 

[Hyde]

All of mine, 83, 84, 85 single cabs have had the D44HD. Cons, I can break axle joints at will. I do have a D50 in my mud truck, it has taken some serious abuse.

 

[texcl]

The dana 44ttb was the f150 frontend with 5 lug rotors. The dana 44HD ttb was the 8 lug version, with different housings for the leaf springs, different brakes, and larger lower balljoints among other things. All f250's got the dana 44hd. The extended cab got the dana 50 because the truck was heavier, so the higher GVWR required the heavier front axle.

It looks like it's confirmed, some regular cab f250's were special ordered from the factory with dana 50 frontends. It would have been simple for the factory to just bolt one in place, I guess they would have a special GVWR sticker made for it also. I am surprised they didn't make people who wanted this option check the f350 box.

Yeah, mine has the D50 listed on the invoice and on the door jamb, so it was original equipment ad it was an added option and it is a regular cab.