External locking hub question...

[THRILLBILLY]

So I picked up a Dana 44 from a 3/4 ton suburban. Assuming its the original from the 74' (haven't cleaned away the mud and grime to get to its BOM) it has external hubs and flat top knuckles so definitely pre 76' I know. But I've never actually messed with one before, so I have a couple of questions... The hubs are seized up and will not turn from lock to free, and all the Alan heads are stripped and seized as well. What would be the best way to free those and/or remove them? I have taken the 6 bolts loose that bolt into the hub but im pretty sure there is a snap ring around the end of the axle shaft that needs to be removed for it to completely come off. External wasnt my first choice but can't pass up a good deal. If I remove the spindles, caliper mounts, hubs, and rotors I know I can swap between 44's and 10 bolts, what else would there be that could possibly hold me back? Are the outer spline counts different from 1989 model 10 bolt to the old 44's with external hubs? Also is there any possible way to use a newer caliper to keep from buying new lines seeing as I just bought them from ORD less than 3 months ago for the 10 bolt?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Cruz89K5]

If soaking the allen heads doesnt get them loose I'd probably just drill the heads off of them and pull the cover off that way. What kind of hubs are on it? I had a set of Mile Marker external hubs off a 44 the other day and they did not have a snap ring behind the face, but one was a bear to get off the splines. The other side just slid off. I believe the spicer lockouts had a snap ring though.

 

[THRILLBILLY]

It's not spicer it's mile marker. From the looks of it it's quarter turn too. Here's a picture. Sorry it's not the clearest:

 

[Cruz89K5]

The ones I pulled had no snap ring holding them to the stub shaft. Probably worth a shot to pull the nuts and try to pull it off.

When we reassembled the hubs I was working on we clocked the face incorrectly and the dial wouldnt turn. But these were the 3/4 turn or whatever hubs, they might be different.

 

[THRILLBILLY]

Yeah I might give it a shot to just pull them off with some convincing. I pulled the bolts off the driver side hub but the hub only pulls away from the rotor about 1/2" if that.

 

[onetonbb74]

Looks like your going to have to drill the heads off the allen bolts and pull the hub knob part off to get to the snap ring, that stub shaft snap ring was installed on my 1974 d44, but it had warn premium hubs on it when I got it.

As for the brakes, just run your 10 bolt calipers and brake lines, they bolt right up.

 

[82355]

Before you drill the heads out, use an impact driver with the correct Allen bit.

Martin

 

[Deuling]

Stuck MM?

Mine the heads stripped, and broke a bit in one = no chance of drilling out

Cut dat B**** Off

Then replace with shiny ones

I like everything alot more about my Warn Lockouts. Feel alot more beefy

 

[THRILLBILLY]

Soaking them didn't work, drilling them wasn't happening either, so I that B! Got em off and cleaning them up now, anyone have an idea of where to get replacement hubs?

 

[Deuling]

Soaking them didn't work, drilling them wasn't happening either, so I that B! Got em off and cleaning them up now, anyone have an idea of where to get replacement hubs?

Hellz yah! i got mine at a local auto value, $80 new, guy had the same box in the back with a napa sticker on em and said since they had that sticker i could have em for half price lol. Shop around. Spicers are the best i hear, or warn premiums. But these work fine for my type of wheelin.

 

[Cruz89K5]

Soaking them didn't work, drilling them wasn't happening either, so I that B! Got em off and cleaning them up now, anyone have an idea of where to get replacement hubs?

So was there a snap ring on the shaft? I might be pulling a set apart if so.

 

[THRILLBILLY]

Hellz yah! i got mine at a local auto value, $80 new, guy had the same box in the back with a napa sticker on em and said since they had that sticker i could have em for half price lol. Shop around. Spicers are the best i hear, or warn premiums. But these work fine for my type of wheelin.

Man that's awesome! Since I'm not wanting to dump a whole lot of money into the axle right now, I've found mile marker part# 423 locking hub. Seems decent according to reviews, although I've had hell with all the MM hubs I've ran. Maybe because All I do is deep mud/water holes.

So was there a snap ring on the shaft? I might be pulling a set apart if so.

Yep, under all the mud that was in place of grease there was one haha. Whoever put this axle together was... I'll leave it at undereducated. The hub spring was compressed behind the hub nuts, the nut with the lock pin in it was turned the wrong way, and had it against the bearing without the washer...