Dana 44, keep it cheap, upgrade, or lose it?

[Jimmy4matt]

Hi guys. I've got a '71 Jimmy I've been wheeling on the cheap and just broke an axle in my dana 44. I'm currently running 37" BFG AT's and an open front differential with 5.13 gears. I don't like wasting money on hobbies or throwing good money after bad so I thought I'd ask for some advise from some of you more seasoned wheelers. Should I shove some cheap craigs, ebay, jyard shafts in on the cheap and keep smiling with less of a dent in my wallet, go with some high zoot chromoly axles, or bite the bullit on a dana 60?

 

[Jimmy4matt]

Beautiful weather in Hollister last weekend.

 

[dirtygoat]

I would throw some junk yard shafts in and keep running it... Keep you eyes pealed for a good deal on a 60...

 

[Jimmy4matt]

Meant to attach Picture

 

[82355]

I would throw some junk yard shafts in and keep running it... Keep you eyes pealed for a good deal on a 60...

This.

Martin

 

[TerryD]

Look up putting full circle clips on the u-joints. Takes a little grinding but will keep this from happening as often or at all. What usually happens here is the load on the joint causes the cap to push out of the shaft and then the change in geometry wrecks the yokes. We did this mod to a D44 and use the BruteForce joints from Neapco. He's running 36's under a 79 F150. Saw him do a front dig, without cutting brakes or a line lock, with the front wheels turned to one side. Broke teeth off of all the spider/side gears and broke a tooth off the ring gear, but the factory D44 shafts came through just fine. That pair of shafts are now his spares in the tool box. While fixing the other carnage, he put in an Aussie Locker and after market shafts.

 

[K85 Octane]

 

[chulisohombre]

If they are the stock 71 shafts you should get new shafts with the bigger ujoints. I broke one on my 72 and didn't know they ran the same size ujoints as a jeep does on our first gen blazers. I got new Spicer shafts for a 3/4 ton 78 axle to put in mine. Had to grind the steering knuckle a lil to fit the bigger joint through. But it I'd about a 20 percent stronger joint and a better alloy shaft than the stock ones. You need both the inner,outer shafts and new ujoints. Shouldn't have nearly the same problems and much more strength.

 

[sweetk30]

newer shafts upgrade for bigger u-joint size.

then modify for full circle clips to keep the caps from poping out .

better option aftermarket shafts with already modifyed for full circle clips and better metal .

also NON greasable u-joints are stronger. NOT the ones that just give you a plug to cap it off. a TRUE non cross drilled cross is stronger.

best with that size tire and gear setup dana 60 . but dont need it if you build a 44 / 10 bolt good with quality parts. but if you blow a 44 guts then do the 60 . and you get bigger every thing in the end on a 60 swap. and brakes are huge upgrade.

 

[Jimmy4matt]

Thanks for all the replies. I do have the early small joint shafts and did wonder if I'd have trouble fitting the "newer" bigger joint shafts through my knuckles. Is there more meat around the yoke ends of the shafts? I thought the cross lengths of the ujoint were the same just larger cap diameter. I'll probably just throw some new joints in some used shafts to keep things ready to rock while saving to buy and build a dana 60. Better braking would be awesome. I figure It'll be a big cash outlay because if I get a dana 60 I'll "need" a selectable locker and crossover steering and probably 40's and a big block. It's like a disease and I don't want my wife to turn me in. She already suspects I'm some kind of freak, but looks the other way with my gun and truck habbits. I'm not sure we could ever see eye to eye on this problem so I try to keep a low profile on things and stretch the expensive stuff over a period of time.