8 bolt D44

[aceroth]

My 73 has 3.09 gears and a leaky 12 bolt/D44. I think 4.10s are right for me (want to be freeway capable, currently rolling 33s, won't go bigger than 35s). I have a rock solid built 4.10 14 bolt ready to go in. Wondering what to do for the front.

I have been looking pretty hard for an 8 lug D44 with 4.10s for a couple months with no luck. Do I regear my current D44, do bearings and seals and switch to 8 bolt? That is crazy expensive to hire done just to end up with a D44. I could do 8 bolt myself and maybe bearings and seals but I am not ready for gears. Is that the right move (hire the regear, do the rest myself)? Do I look for a D60 front and mess with it to make it work? Hold out to find a 4.10 8-bolt D44?

I am thinking a built D44 should be plenty strong enough for the amount/intensity of wheeling I will be doing. D60 would be cool but not a necessity.

 

[obijuank5]

You're on the sensible track. When I was in a similar situation I 8 lug swapped a 3.08 axle until I could have the time to get the right front axle in. Its extra work and not a direct path to finish line but it might be good for you to get it back driving while you wait for parts to come up.
The only part not available new for the swap is the caliper brackets. A 60 is just silly unless you're in a 1 ton doing 1 ton things or big ol tires.

 

[white90burb]

They have to pull hubs to do the gears. If you bring them loaded hubs and all the parts i dont why they would have a problem with putting them on during the regear. Just make sure you have all the parts. Only thing they have to add if bleeding brakes for new calipers.

 

[6.2Blazer]

Don't focus on just a Dana 44 front axle. 10-bolt 8 lug front axles with 4.10s are typically way more common. Just about every 3/4 ton Chevy or GMC pickup made from around '77 until the last solid axle versions in '86 used this axle (and until '91 in 3/4 ton Subs).

 

[sweetk30]

i run 33" tires and 4.10 gears and th400 . at 70mph its 3k - 3.1k on my tach for rpm . just a heads up for ya . good power band tho for passing and cruising .

 

[muddybuddy]

are you planning to use 4wd soon? If not, i would swap in the 14bff, so you can start taking advantage of the better gearing, and disconnect the front driveshaft to avoid any urge to put it into 4wd with missmatched gears (are you full time or part time np203?). Then be on the look out for an 8 lug 10bolt with 4.10’s. They are pretty common, and can be had for $200-300 generally. so no need to rush into dropping a bunch of money on your current d44. The only thing beneficial about that d44 vs a newer 10b are the flat top knuckles, which are needed for cross-over steering (after pass side is machined). Those knuckles can be swapped onto the eventual 10b.

Granted you will have miss matched wheels, but its only temporary, and any sort of enthusiast will appreciate the 14bff in the rear. I know i would appreciate that, knowing that a 8lug swap up front is in the works eventually.

 

[imiceman44]

are you planning to use 4wd soon? If not, i would swap in the 14bff, so you can start taking advantage of the better gearing, and disconnect the front driveshaft to avoid any urge to put it into 4wd with missmatched gears (are you full time or part time np203?). Then be on the look out for an 8 lug 10bolt with 4.10’s. They are pretty common, and can be had for $200-300 generally. so no need to rush into dropping a bunch of money on your current d44. The only thing beneficial about that d44 vs a newer 10b are the flat top knuckles, which are needed for cross-over steering (after pass side is machined). Those knuckles can be swapped onto the eventual 10b.

Granted you will have miss matched wheels, but its only temporary, and any sort of enthusiast will appreciate the 14bff in the rear. I know i would appreciate that, knowing that a 8lug swap up front is in the works eventually.

That's what I did.
Drove it mismatched for a year

 

[aceroth]

Good advice guys. I am not loving spending money to "downgrade" to a 10 bolt but maybe that is the move. People all but give 10 bolts away around here so if I find one, I can put it in and use it and keep my d44 in case the 10 bolt ever does me wrong (probably unlikely given the type of driving I do) I can build the d44 then.

 

[frankin5]

That 10 bolt is just as strong as the 44, 44 has 30 splice and 10 has 28 spline. They will both break at the same spot on the inner axle as they both neck down at the spline area. The 89 to 91 10 bolt has 30 spline inner axles. As stated above the big advantage to the 44 is the flat top knuckle for cross over steering. From the knuckle out, they are both the same parts. The 10 bolt has larger bearing than the early 44, and the pinion bearings are better.

 

[imiceman44]

That 10 bolt is just as strong as the 44, 44 has 30 splice and 10 has 28 spline. They will both break at the same spot on the inner axle as they both neck down at the splice area. The 89 to 91 10 bolt has 30 spline inner axles. As stated above the big advantage to the 44 is the flat top knuckle for cross over steering. From the knuckle out, they are both the same parts. The 10 bolt has larger bearing than the early 44, and the pinion bearings are better.

Exactly.
Actually the 10 bolt is as strong if not better than the d44 front.
The rear is definitely stronger than the 12 bolt.

 

[6.2Blazer]

Good advice guys. I am not loving spending money to "downgrade" to a 10 bolt but maybe that is the move. People all but give 10 bolts away around here so if I find one, I can put it in and use it and keep my d44 in case the 10 bolt ever does me wrong (probably unlikely given the type of driving I do) I can build the d44 then.

Wow, haven't heard a comment like that for quite awhile on here but proves those thoughts are still going around. There is no "downgrade" going on by going to a 10-bolt in any way, shape, or form. Absolutely no reason to spend more money and effort to get a front D44 axle, and even less reason to spend the money to regear to 4.10 when it was a factory available option.....cost more to regear the D44 than to buy a complete 10-bolt.

 

[Big Ray]

Nothing wrong with a 10 bolt if you use your head. 35" tires max, refrain from rock bouncing & lockers up front and you'll be fine. Stick with the 28 spline as the are more common & easier to find parts for if needed. I would upgrade the axles to eliminate the factory necked down weak point.

I'm sticking with a 10 bolt front and swapping in a 9.5 14 bolt in the rear on my 1/2 ton rig.

 

[Big Ray]

Check out Wades (ktmoutfront) K5 catching air with his 1/2 ton front. I have pics in my albums of my old bosses Ramcharger doing a full run in his 1400 HP rig on 2 wheels, d44 front.

 

[Big Ray]

BTW, I have the parts to do the 8 lug conversion. If you will have a 6 lug rear there are 6 lug 9.5" 14 bolts out there on the GMT 400 trucks, so you don't have to get all new wheels. You will have to move the mounting pads though.