just got a 14 b& 44 hd but have ????

[lgk5]

the 14b has 4.56 and is in great shape,
but the front d44 has these big old hubs on it like the ford high boys.
my ? is can you still find parts for these hubs and or new ones,also the pinion bearing is loose or bad,lower ball joint is shot and one rotor is dead,all the u-joints need replaced.
so do you think it's worth fixing or just leave the 10b in
it's already 4.56 and during blazerbash it got a little rebuild (thanks guys)
thanks for any help with this

 

[8_YOUR_H2]

You can still buy stuff for the large hub style D44. If the stubs are the same as the 10 bolt I would just swap the 8 lug stuff on to the 10 bolt so you dont have to worry about the gear change.

 

[lgk5]

that what iwas thinking too,the 44 is also 4.56
but i don't think that the 44 is that much sronger than the 10b?
to justify the cost
or is it

 

[Z3PR]

I don't know, I've heard people say it is stronger then a 10 bolt, but I don't know. I'd probley rebuild that Dana 44 and use it. But I get /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif alot

 

[imiceman44]

The 10 bolt is actually stronger than the D44, even if the ring gear diameter is a little smaller. Stay with the 10 Bolt.
I am talking only from experience here.
I am sure someone will argue this.
IceMan

 

[Shaggy]

<font color="green"> I'll argue it. Why is the 10 bolt stronger when the 44 has a slightly larger ring gear, more splines on the shafts, and thicker axle tubes? </font color>

 

[imiceman44]

Well my guess is that maybe the material used in the Corporate axles was better, it's like moser axles are better, even if they are the same size.
GM put their 10bolts on 3/4 tons and D44 on the 1/2 tons in the transition years, why is that.
Anyway as I said it's my experience, although at first I thought like you, Bigger ring gear thicker axles.. Maybe it was my luck and they were defective.
Anyway, they are so close that this point is not worth debate, I would go with what ever I can get my hands on for the cheapest. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
IceMan

 

[MNorby]

I have a large hub D44 currently. Warn premium hubs run about $105 from Desert Rat. Otherwise reg D44 parts will work. I'm also with Shag on this one, I say teh D44 is stronger than the 10 bolt but it is so marginal that it hard to tell teh difference. Nice thing about teh 10 bolt is the ease of gear swapping vs th D44 but sounds like you already got the gears in the 44 anyhow