The 608.9
My Front 60/44 hybrid + some build begins:
Since i got a couple of PM's recommending i post a seperate thread regarding this I guess Im going to start one. there isnt a whole lot to cover and i was posting pictures in my jeep build thread but what the heck. heres my bonified full on polished turd for a front end. As it comes together i'll post pictures.
wasnt sure what to call it there is nothing that rolls off the tongue like 609, or 60/44....but its not entirely a 60/44 hybrid its more imho with a jk44 R&P which is a different animal in many regards with the d60 sized pinion shaft, larger ring gear and deeper cut gears it deserves a little more consideration.
So Im going to call it a 608.9 since its a hybrid running a ring gear is 8.9" and its being matched to D60 outer parts
For my application i needed a low pinion front end, im doing a low slung sua build on my old cj and wanted a lp sua housing that would fit that part while looking clean and somewhat deceeiving.
I was eyeballing a 609 but for the money and parts that i already have this seemed like a fun alternative. My .02 is the RD147 and the RD99 air locker shares many 35 spline parts and also share similar size. dana 44 locker and the pinion offset of the D44 was a little better than the 9" for my passenger side front low pinion application .........the hypoid on the 9" is better for more tooth engagement and stength but the new cut on the jk gears seem to make up for a little of that.
Anyways a 3rd member drop out front end is so 2002...... if im going to be sticking to my old school build i got have it look the part and a dana 44 housing just looks like 1992 and therefore nothing special and a slightly modern upgrade with a tiny weenie run of the mill D44 girdled cover keeping it togehter and as a mask hiding thebeefed up internals. Anyways I already have dana 44 housing so cost wise its a wash until you add the additional cost of a custom 9" housing and a high strength low pinion drop out, pinion supoport/skid.......
Hat tip goes out to Jantz enterprises for coming up with the Jana ring and pinion kits. Jana 54, Jana K4, jana 76... etc. point is with our rear dana 44's or front 44's the ring and pinion is always out weak link or you have to gout and source a new axle and cobble something. this doesnt fit everyone but it opens some doors..... and so hence the purpose of my build to actually show via pictures what the real potential gains might be. and to document what could be done
So this is the way the parts have fallen together:
So dug I up a Dana 44 front housing (3" tubes with 1/2" walls) and low pinion
Picked up a new 4.88 JK Dana 44 8.9" ring in pinion (maybe not a ford 9" ring and pinion but close enough and an improvement over a 8.5" lp D44) and install kit. through carl with Jantz enterprises
picked up a front dana 61 for cheap to steal most my parts from
Welded on the D61 king pin C's
chased down A 35 spline dana 44 ARB high speed carrier
Set it up so the short side shaft out of a chevy D60 can always be ordered or used and made the long side shaft the custom unit.
Axle seal for the 3" D44 tubes with 1/2" walls to 35 spline shafts Napa #15292
did a little bid of shaving to the bottom of the 44 housing
What i'm expecting this to end up being is Good clearance, lighter weight, stronger than a dana 44, close to a 609 in strength and in a package that is fairly decieving on the outside.
i'll have no doubts about running sticky 37's or 38's on this setup. granted ive picked my tire size and configuration just saying. sure the front 60 or 61 would have been ideal if i was going to go really big but this way my setup keeps the rig a sleeper somewhat. and since its in a lighter rig (401 powered CJ7 with 133:1 gearing) running smaller 35" tires for the time being, im SUA because im stubborn, i wanted to maintain clearance for now with smaller tires yet have confidence that as i increase to my sticky 37's the R&P wont be an issue and this seemed like it would be fun and it would fill the middle of the road bill without being a rock catcher.
thats where things are at right now my self dubbed 608.9 is starting to come together.
My Front 60/44 hybrid + some build begins:
Since i got a couple of PM's recommending i post a seperate thread regarding this I guess Im going to start one. there isnt a whole lot to cover and i was posting pictures in my jeep build thread but what the heck. heres my bonified full on polished turd for a front end. As it comes together i'll post pictures.
wasnt sure what to call it there is nothing that rolls off the tongue like 609, or 60/44....but its not entirely a 60/44 hybrid its more imho with a jk44 R&P which is a different animal in many regards with the d60 sized pinion shaft, larger ring gear and deeper cut gears it deserves a little more consideration.
So Im going to call it a 608.9 since its a hybrid running a ring gear is 8.9" and its being matched to D60 outer parts
For my application i needed a low pinion front end, im doing a low slung sua build on my old cj and wanted a lp sua housing that would fit that part while looking clean and somewhat deceeiving.
I was eyeballing a 609 but for the money and parts that i already have this seemed like a fun alternative. My .02 is the RD147 and the RD99 air locker shares many 35 spline parts and also share similar size. dana 44 locker and the pinion offset of the D44 was a little better than the 9" for my passenger side front low pinion application .........the hypoid on the 9" is better for more tooth engagement and stength but the new cut on the jk gears seem to make up for a little of that.
Anyways a 3rd member drop out front end is so 2002...... if im going to be sticking to my old school build i got have it look the part and a dana 44 housing just looks like 1992 and therefore nothing special and a slightly modern upgrade with a tiny weenie run of the mill D44 girdled cover keeping it togehter and as a mask hiding thebeefed up internals. Anyways I already have dana 44 housing so cost wise its a wash until you add the additional cost of a custom 9" housing and a high strength low pinion drop out, pinion supoport/skid.......
Hat tip goes out to Jantz enterprises for coming up with the Jana ring and pinion kits. Jana 54, Jana K4, jana 76... etc. point is with our rear dana 44's or front 44's the ring and pinion is always out weak link or you have to gout and source a new axle and cobble something. this doesnt fit everyone but it opens some doors..... and so hence the purpose of my build to actually show via pictures what the real potential gains might be. and to document what could be done
So this is the way the parts have fallen together:
So dug I up a Dana 44 front housing (3" tubes with 1/2" walls) and low pinion
Picked up a new 4.88 JK Dana 44 8.9" ring in pinion (maybe not a ford 9" ring and pinion but close enough and an improvement over a 8.5" lp D44) and install kit. through carl with Jantz enterprises
picked up a front dana 61 for cheap to steal most my parts from
Welded on the D61 king pin C's
chased down A 35 spline dana 44 ARB high speed carrier
Set it up so the short side shaft out of a chevy D60 can always be ordered or used and made the long side shaft the custom unit.
Axle seal for the 3" D44 tubes with 1/2" walls to 35 spline shafts Napa #15292
did a little bid of shaving to the bottom of the 44 housing
What i'm expecting this to end up being is Good clearance, lighter weight, stronger than a dana 44, close to a 609 in strength and in a package that is fairly decieving on the outside.
i'll have no doubts about running sticky 37's or 38's on this setup. granted ive picked my tire size and configuration just saying. sure the front 60 or 61 would have been ideal if i was going to go really big but this way my setup keeps the rig a sleeper somewhat. and since its in a lighter rig (401 powered CJ7 with 133:1 gearing) running smaller 35" tires for the time being, im SUA because im stubborn, i wanted to maintain clearance for now with smaller tires yet have confidence that as i increase to my sticky 37's the R&P wont be an issue and this seemed like it would be fun and it would fill the middle of the road bill without being a rock catcher.
thats where things are at right now my self dubbed 608.9 is starting to come together.
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