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Dana 44 and 35" tires

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80blackgmc

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Dana 44 and 35\" tires

Hey guys. Just wondering, is anyone running 35" or larger tires on their Dana 44s, and if so, what is reliability like? Thanks guys.
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

I am running 38.5 on my dana 44too big a tire tore up the ring and pinion and spider gears. replaced the gears until I can afford a good dana 60. You should be OK if you have the right gearing I'd say 3.73 and lower.
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

I had the same question a little while back and pretty much all agree you'll be just fine, but most recomend no going any larger on the stock axles unless you upgraded to a Dana 60. Your best gear option would be 4:56's for 35's.

Nick
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

I beat the piss out of mine with 35s, never broke.

Bolted on the 38.5s and broke it the same weekend.
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

Well, I bought the truck used with a blown motor with dana44/14 bolt. It has 38" super swampers. I had some junky 33s, so I put them on, drove it, put new 35s on, got crazy in the deep snow (stuck), and broke the stock axle. Got a spare from the local boneyard, replaced it, somehow snapped it again without even knowing. THEN, I took the diff cover off, found broke 4.56 gears, but broken from before since there was no broken parts in the diff. I just had the diff rebuilt with new 4.56 gears, all new bearings and another junkyard axle (got two now for spares and a nice, complete D44). I also got new hubs this time around, and the others were kinda cheezy/bent. I could only turn the hub on 1/2 way last time, maybe that is why the junk broke.

Hope it lasts with 35s, 4.56 gears and normal street mostly driving.

I looked for a complete, reasonable dana 60 but could not find one. I'll eventually find a 1 ton 454/dana60/14 bolt truck.
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

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Here is my old 10 bolt with 40s at Uhwarrie, a axle will live as long as you let it.
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

The second time i broke the axle, I never noticed it. First time I locked the hubs, went to move in the mud, could not, checked the diff when I got home, and was broken again. I figure hubs....and this is why i decided to just rebuild it completley...
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

42" swampers on my locked 44 with 4.88s. I'm sure it will break in some catastrophic way at an inoportune moment, but it's been run pretty hard so far and is still holding up.

I run randys yukon 4340 axles, and the jantz super joints. Also I was pretty cautious when I adjusted the stops, any joint that binds will break. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

Who's your photographer? Nice action shot. And if I must say so a good looking 10 bolt too. Not to fond of those steering stabilizers though........... /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

BTW I ran 35's on my 10 bolt for 2 years now and beat the piss out of it on our last outing and held up fine. Especially when the axle tube somehow got hung up on a rock and had to scrape it off /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif Oh and the time my front tire come off the ground under hard acceleration and come down and caught a rock, still worked. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

I think the good axles are the trick...i got stockers only for now, got two spares. Still though, I think something wasn't right. Was the same, long axel both times...
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

I bet it was those factory u-joints you left in there that broke and took something else out. Go and get some new SPICER u-joints.
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

First time, exactly...second time no, axle broke inside the housing. One of the junkyard diffs I got has spicer u-joints. Not sure what kind of new ones I got with the bearing kit. I'll get some spicers. Anything better?
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

Factory u-joints were Spicer 297x. There is a new Spicer "life searies" joint out there that is said to be 30% stronger...I can't remember the # off hand but if you did a search for "297x" I'm sure it would come up. There is stronger out there but the new spicers will be stronger then the factory shafts.
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

You can definitly break it with a 35" tire. We just got back from Parker AZ and we had 2 1/2 ton casualites. DJ wasted a short side ujoint and destroyed both inner and outer shafts. Rob (TheRobZilla) we are pretty sure wasted his ring and pinion gears. Rob runs 35" MTR's with Chromo's and CTM's (because he was tired of breaking axles) and DJ runs 36" IROK's with stock axles.

Harley
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

I am running chromos and ctms, after that you start to break R&P. So far I have had to replace the R&P once. That was broke before I bought it though(Sub on 37's"). It also helps having an ARB since you can turn the locker off when you don't need it. My bud just put 36" swampers on his 10 bolts. I told him to invest in some spare shafts /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Oh well I guess you just have to try it and see what happens /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

Well, I don't take it off road that much, which pisses me off, because I would like to. But the junk brakes easy on me...I hate replacing that R&P even once, but its getting to be winter outside, and I want 4wd...

Dana 60 is a must, if I wanna take this thing off road... /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

So what can someone expect to pay for a dana60 used. I mean I dont have a clue on what they would cost or how hard they are to install. Also, will the lift that I have now on my blazer work if I got a new dana60?

Nick
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

It will all bolt on if you get the u-bolts and u-bolt plates with the axle (and if you already have 8-lug wheels).

I got mine for $750 which is a good deal around here. It took me 2 years of searching to find it. Average price is more around $1000 and up. It would take ALOT of broken axle shafts (at $15-$30 a side for used + new u-joints at $30) and R&P's to add up to the cost of a D60!

Keep the tires 35" or smaller, don't put a locker up front, put in new Spicer u-joints (and replace them every year or 2), and don't drive it like a complete idiot and you will be fine.
 
Re: Dana 44 and 35\" tires

[ QUOTE ]
and don't drive it like a complete idiot and you will be fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well where's the fun in that /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
 
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