D44 Dana 44 & 14BFF 14 Bolt Full Floating Rebuild (Complete!)

[thatK30guy]

Justin, great build. Almost to the point we're gonna have to call you "MuddinManny". Just kidding!

Upon viewing the pics of your new tie-rod, I gotta ask how much lift are you planning to run? The reason I ask is when you look at the stock tie-rod, you see the bends it has. Those bends are there for a reason. To clear the leaf springs.
Now when you put a straight tie-rod on, it raised the bar higher than the stock one. This, in result, would hit the bottom of the leaf springs. But if you run springs that are arched more, you should clear them fine. How much, I can't remember since its been a while I messed with an axle as old as yours. If you're planning a mild lift, say, 4", I'd play it safe and install a zero-rate to get the springs up that extra 1" to clear the tie-rod.

I learned about these old axles and their bent tie-rods a long time ago when some axle swappers were putting them in newer trucks and buying newer tie-rods (that matched the year of the truck, not the axle) and seeing the leaf springs rubbing on the tie-rods during turning. Wasn't pretty but not something I would have done. So, just wanted to clarify that to you so you wouldn't run into that problem when you installed everything later.

 

[boggerless]

Justin,ax Mike about that mud and other funny lookin lube.HE HE and get all the stuff together and tell me what works.then i can rebuild my 44.flat tops rock!

 

[mr.smartass]

Justin, great build. Almost to the point we're gonna have to call you "MuddinManny". Just kidding!

Upon viewing the pics of your new tie-rod, I gotta ask how much lift are you planning to run? The reason I ask is when you look at the stock tie-rod, you see the bends it has. Those bends are there for a reason. To clear the leaf springs.
Now when you put a straight tie-rod on, it raised the bar higher than the stock one. This, in result, would hit the bottom of the leaf springs. But if you run springs that are arched more, you should clear them fine. How much, I can't remember since its been a while I messed with an axle as old as yours. If you're planning a mild lift, say, 4", I'd play it safe and install a zero-rate to get the springs up that extra 1" to clear the tie-rod.

I learned about these old axles and their bent tie-rods a long time ago when some axle swappers were putting them in newer trucks and buying newer tie-rods (that matched the year of the truck, not the axle) and seeing the leaf springs rubbing on the tie-rods during turning. Wasn't pretty but not something I would have done. So, just wanted to clarify that to you so you wouldn't run into that problem when you installed everything later.

I take pics like Manny but I try to avoid the indepth detailed explanations of self explanatory progress.

Wow, I never even thought about the springs hitting the Tie Rod but yeah, I already have a 4" spring lift, and both my pairs of zero rates are sitting in the same box as my new steering brace from ORD so that should take care of it.

I'm going out there right now to mount the RIGHT rotor this time... Besides that I think I've assembled both axles as far as I can without having the carriers installed. (Any ideas on things I can do while I wait?) I also have a ton of part numbers to collect for the list, including those damn race and bearing retaining rings I bought for the 14 bolt

Justin,ax Mike about that mud and other funny lookin lube.HE HE and get all the stuff together and tell me what works.then i can rebuild my 44.flat tops rock!

Will do, Daryl! Just waiting on this old guy to show up and help me with the gears, one of those "Been doing it for the last 50 years" type guys. I'll get the carriers in, and get everything bolted up.

 

[mr.smartass]

And so they sit... It's amazing how the right parts fit together so much easier...

Brake hoses and U-bolts, that's all I need.

 

[Cricket]

Nice work Justin.

 

[mr.smartass]

U-Bolts from ORD and draglink from Skyy Manufacturing are in route.

(Just keep patting the n00b(me) on the back James, so he doesn't get discouraged)

 

[Big Blzn]

Wow! What a great tread. I'm doing the same thing with my 14 bolt and boy does it take awhile when you actually have priorities. I have learned alot of stuff just reading this thread and seeing pics. You answered some serious noob questions by me just looking at the pis themselves. How much knowledge did you have when you tore down the D44? Good job.
Hoby

 

[mr.smartass]

Wow! What a great tread. I'm doing the same thing with my 14 bolt and boy does it take awhile when you actually have priorities. I have learned alot of stuff just reading this thread and seeing pics. You answered some serious noob questions by me just looking at the pis themselves. How much knowledge did you have when you tore down the D44? Good job.
Hoby

Yeah screw all that reading business, I'll just take enough pics to explain everything.

I had a little bit of knowledge... but nothing extreme... taking it apart is very simple, it's putting it back together that requires some research. I've been asking people questions like crazy, well mostly just Wes (thatK30guy)

I've already started compiling a parts # list, and my gears should be going in both axles today. Probably won't be able to help much with that process... some 70 year old guy is coming over to basically do them for me while I look over his shoulder... I don't want to be sitting there snappping pics the whole time, it might creep him out a little...

 

[obijuan]

man i love that 44. im gonna do something very similar to my 10b. are you gonna run a zero rate on the front? i am right now scooted forward 1.5 and im worried my xover arm wont be tall enough. anyways, youre doing a kickass job!

 

[mr.smartass]

Yeah zero rates front and rear, I'm going to move it forward 1.5" as well... I hope it's long enough, if not we'll know soon.

 

[ThaMule]

dude i know the feeling here. I had only 10 days to do all the same stuff you did(just a D60 up front though). i got everthing together and under the truck before i left to come back over here but i am still minus the brakes cause the stock 10 bolt brake hoses didnt fit to the brakes like they were supposed to. Ran out of time and said **** it i need to spend some time with my wife while i am home. Looks dang good though. For rear brake hoses i used the stuff off of the PBB thread from AFCO racing. 36" SS braided lines for like 16 bucks a piece.

 

[thatK30guy]

Got a link to AFCO? Thats pretty cheap for lines like that.

 

[Chrisblazzer89]

Man you need to clean those Brake roters With brake clean to get all that residue off or your gonna fry your brakes

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

so whens the body lift coming off?

 

[ThaMule]

yep, hold on a sec...gotta look it up. ok, its www.afcoracing.com They have some pretty good stuff on there...even have unions to go from all kinds of different sizes and to go from like an-4 to a 3/16 and stuff like that. Here is th exact webpage with the brake lines and other misc. parts. http://www.afabcorp.com/AFCO_Dynate...GY&Store_Code=A&Category_Code=tk_plumb-brakes

 

[thatK30guy]

Cool, and thanks! Bookmarking this site for future brakelines.

 

[ThaMule]

yep, no problem. i try to contribute when i can.

 

[mr.smartass]

Man you need to clean those Brake roters With brake clean to get all that residue off or your gonna fry your brakes

Don't worry, they'll be cleaned before the axles go under the truck.

so whens the body lift coming off?

All I do is hit the occasional mud hole, hell I'd have to drive hours to find a rock bigger then my fist. The only thing I've seen from my body lift is that when I had to pull my tranny, I could easily reach every bolt with a ratchet.

yep, hold on a sec...gotta look it up. ok, its www.afcoracing.com They have some pretty good stuff on there...even have unions to go from all kinds of different sizes and to go from like an-4 to a 3/16 and stuff like that. Here is th exact webpage with the brake lines and other misc. parts. http://www.afabcorp.com/AFCO_Dynate...GY&Store_Code=A&Category_Code=tk_plumb-brakes

Wow, I think I'll give them a call today. Thanks for the links!

Gears got started on Thursday, weather has been ****ty, we'll see how long it takes to get them done.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

All I do is hit the occasional mud hole, hell I'd have to drive hours to find a rock bigger then my fist. The only thing I've seen from my body lift is that when I had to pull my tranny, I could easily reach every bolt with a ratchet.

thats why snap-on makes a 36" long 1/2 to 3/8 adapter

 

[Randy92782]

The only thing I've seen from my body lift is that when I had to pull my tranny, I could easily reach every bolt with a ratchet.

also helps when you have to pull the tank. you can get to the lines easier