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View Full Version : Dana 44 HD front from a doge good or bad?

coolguyinjeep
10-31-2002, 09:42 AM
Well I just bought a 14 bolt FF rear for my project and the guy told me he had a Dana 44 Heavy Duty Front axle out of a dodge that he would sell to me cheap. Its totally rebuilt with disc brakes and has the passenger side drop. I believe the HD's had 33 spline axles but If I am wrong please let me know. I was gonna go with a Dana 60 but from looking around they are pretty expensive and if I can get a good deal on this I might go with this one. My friend has a dana 44 with 30 spline axles in the front of his 72 blazer and he is running 44" tires and he wheels his truck pretty hard and he hasn't broken it yet. I would like some advise on this axle if anyone knows about them.
Thanks again,
Mike
tuck
10-31-2002, 09:46 AM
I'm pretty sure the only difference between a D44 and HDD44 is the housing is stronger on the HD. As far as I know, they both have 30 spline shafts and 297 joints, someone chime in if I have the wrong info. Obviously the HD44 will be 8 lug.
mark
10-31-2002, 11:27 AM
does the dodge have hubs or is it a fultime unit?
coolguyinjeep
10-31-2002, 11:29 AM
Good question Mark, I dunno. I hope someone on the board does. If not I'll call the guy tomarrow and find out.
Mike
blt2krl
10-31-2002, 02:05 PM
The only diff is the ax;e tube thickness and thebrakes are bigger and lug pattern.
Larry Williams
10-31-2002, 02:09 PM
I have a '79 half ton 5 lug with the 44 and itis full time
coolguyinjeep
10-31-2002, 02:13 PM
ok, I knew it was an 8 lug but i dint know about the axle tube thickness and brakes. So the spline count is 30 huh? Does anyone know the diameter of the axles? Probably about 1 3/8". I still haven't found out if they are lock outs of full time.
Thanks,
Mike
blt2krl
10-31-2002, 02:19 PM
They will be the same as all 44 axle shafts
FSJeeper
10-31-2002, 02:24 PM
The Dodge unit is a bolt in and you end up with a spring over. The axles are 1.31" in diameter, depending on the year you could have the larger 3/4 ton ujoints. There are some 70's units that have an inferior hub/brake caliper bracket design that the Dodge guys swap to Chevy so be careful.
You will have to swap to crossover steering which will add cost. The axle tube thickness is thicker and the 3/4 ton axles are wider than the 1/2 ton by a couple of inches.

If you can pick it up for $100 to $150 I do not think you can go wrong if it is in good serviceable condition.
coolguyinjeep
10-31-2002, 02:30 PM
Originally posted by FSJeeper:
The Dodge unit is a bolt in and you end up with a spring over. The axles are 1.31" in diameter, depending on the year you could have the larger 3/4 ton ujoints. There are some 70's units that have an inferior hub/brake caliper bracket design that the Dodge guys swap to Chevy so be careful.
You will have to swap to crossover steering which will add cost. The axle tube thickness is thicker and the 3/4 ton axles are wider than the 1/2 ton by a couple of inches.

If you can pick it up for $100 to $150 I do not think you can go wrong if it is in good serviceable condition.The axle is pretty much totally rebuilt. He opened the case, checked the gears, ect. and replaced anything that was in bad condition. I think I remember him saying it had the 297 u joints which I believe is the 3/4 ones cause he said they were strong than regular 44 u joints.
So if its around 200 do you think it would be worth it? This is funny because I just answerewd Jodes post about beefing up a 44 or going with a 60 and was telling him to go with the 60. I guess if its cheap enough it really cant hurt to bad huh =0)
Mike
mark
10-31-2002, 03:33 PM
take a look at these 3 pix(sorry i dont know how to put more than one on each page.
this is the dodge 3/4 ton i ran for a while.its a fulltime unit and without changing everything from the knuckles out everything will spin all the time even with a partime kit in the tcase.milemarker makes a partime kit for it but its expensive and very small and cheezy.i went on a dodge board and they all said it was crap.with the height of a springover i didnt want evrything spinning all the time.i only ran this axle for a few months.i had to do a lot of modifying on the calipers and the massive mounting brackets to clear 15 inch wheels.the springperches were a little more than an inch outward from the stock position.this doesnt seem like much but my shackles were always bent outward.you can see in one of the pix.i wasnt happy with mine and would not take the time to turn the knuckles up on it for proper geometry.i made a crossover setup for it and i believe the pass side knuckle was already tapped.
i only paid 100 for it.

just my 02 http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/a99b8889/bc/FSJ/4.jpg?bcGka69AnjMa6PDD
mark
10-31-2002, 03:36 PM
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/a99b8889/bc/FSJ/7.jpg?bcGka69Au9smrbzK
mark
10-31-2002, 03:38 PM
http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/a99b8889/bc/FSJ/20.jpg?bcGka69AXaFJK8Mf
coolguyinjeep
10-31-2002, 03:44 PM
Very interesting. Thanks mark I will have to call the guy and get the whole story on the axle tomarrow. I have to say that I envy your 502 and your rig looks awesome. I hope mine turns out like that.
Mike