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mid 70's Dodge 3/4 ton Dana 44 axle swap?

R

richheezee

1/2 ton status
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San Jose CA
i searched and pulled up vague explanations on installing an 8 lug dodge dana 44 front axle into a fullsize blazer. i have a lead on an 8 lug dodge dana 44 front axle with the gearing to match my rear 14 bolt and i just wanted to know if it would be worth the trouble to get it to work in my truck or to wait it out longer for a GM 8 lug dana 44 or 8 lug 10 bolt. i only do light wheeling running only 35" tires and cannot afford a 60 at this time. so, a dana 60 is out of the question unless i find one for the same price as this dodge dana 44 i am looking at. LMAO! :haha: i know it's possible, but what needs to be done and modded exactly? :confused:
 
I have experience w/ the Dodge D44. I used 1980 Dodge 3/4T axles for the build of my FunBuggy.
619225_25_full.jpg

The wierd thing about the Dodge is that the axles are a full 2" narrower than the Chevy. This may not bother you, but it will get your goat when you figg'r out how hard it can be to get a replacement for the "short side" inner axle. The long side is not exactly the same length as the Chevy, but it is close enough that it will interchange.

If none of this bothers you... then use it!...

Marv
 
look out some were full time with unitized bearings. tell by the big nut in the hub area and no hub at all.
 
marv_springer said:
I have experience w/ the Dodge D44. I used 1980 Dodge 3/4T axles for the build of my FunBuggy.
619225_25_full.jpg

The wierd thing about the Dodge is that the axles are a full 2" narrower than the Chevy. This may not bother you, but it will get your goat when you figg'r out how hard it can be to get a replacement for the "short side" inner axle. The long side is not exactly the same length as the Chevy, but it is close enough that it will interchange.

If none of this bothers you... then use it!...

Marv
Click to expand...

sweet fun buggy. :bow: yah, i don't think the width would bother me.

sweetk30 said:
look out some were full time with unitized bearings. tell by the big nut in the hub area and no hub at all.
Click to expand...

the axle i'm looking at is full time but i figure i can swap in GM spindles and locking hubs. are dodge knuckles 6 bolt? if not can i swap to GM knuckles? or am i thinking crazy?
 
The stub shafts on my 3/4 ton Dodge (M880) were flanged with no provisions for locking hubs. So you would need new stubshafts, bearing hubs, and locking hubs to convert. Don't forget to budget for this as well. Also, don't get excited when you see 3 u-bolts/2 studs, Dodge did that w/ the D44s too.
 
can you not find a chevy 44 in your gear ratio? seems that would be cheap and easy. you should be able to pick one up for $100 - $150 easy. I think that they came stock up to 4.56 gear ratio - tho i think 4.10 is more common (that's what I got). seems like alot of work whene there's cheap alternatives. however, it would be fun to customize something like that. :)

colby stephens.
 
bigjbear said:
The stub shafts on my 3/4 ton Dodge (M880) were flanged with no provisions for locking hubs. So you would need new stubshafts, bearing hubs, and locking hubs to convert. Don't forget to budget for this as well. Also, don't get excited when you see 3 u-bolts/2 studs, Dodge did that w/ the D44s too.
Click to expand...
i was thinking of using the stub shafts and locking hubs on my original 10 bolt to convert. i figure i would just need 8 lug rotors, 3/4 ton backing plate, new u joints and new bearings.

Corey 78K5 said:
How much did You pay for the Dodge axel? I have a GM Dana 60 thats for sale with the price going down every day!
Click to expand...
it's just a lead, basically i am thinking of buying it. how much are you looking for your 60? what gears? let me know when it's free since the price is dropping each day. LOL j/k

colbystephens said:
can you not find a chevy 44 in your gear ratio? seems that would be cheap and easy. you should be able to pick one up for $100 - $150 easy. I think that they came stock up to 4.56 gear ratio - tho i think 4.10 is more common (that's what I got). seems like alot of work whene there's cheap alternatives. however, it would be fun to customize something like that. :)

colby stephens.
Click to expand...
if i could find a gm 44 in my area believe me, i would. i'm all for cheap and easy. LMAO yah, it does sound fun customizing a dodge 44 into my truck and it's 2 inches shorter so the front will be only an inch wider than the rears. i think. :o
 
richheezee said:
and it's 2 inches shorter so the front will be only an inch wider than the rears. i think.
Click to expand...

I get the impression that you'd like your axles to be the same width. is there a reason you want them to be the same? the narrower rear end will help decrease the turning radius - always good, esp. w/ offroad tight spaces. Also, it increases the amount of fresh terrain into which the tires can bite.

6.2puller said:
Yah its for turning radius, thats why it really cracks me up when you see wheelers who want a tighter turning radius will go out of their way to widen out their rear axles to "fix" the "problem" the factory apparantly never noticed
Click to expand...

colbystephens.
 
colbystephens said:
I get the impression that you'd like your axles to be the same width. is there a reason you want them to be the same? the narrower rear end will help decrease the turning radius - always good, esp. w/ offroad tight spaces. Also, it increases the amount of fresh terrain into which the tires can bite.



colbystephens.
Click to expand...
nah, axle width doesn't really matter to me. all in all, this dodge 44 is an axle that is cheap and can be had by the end of the weekend which can help me complete my 3/4 ton swap sooner than i thought and get me back to the trail. :D
 
richheezee said:
nah, axle width doesn't really matter to me. all in all, this dodge 44 is an axle that is cheap and can be had by the end of the weekend which can help me complete my 3/4 ton swap sooner than i thought and get me back to the trail. :D
Click to expand...


i can definitely appreciate wanting to get on the trails/road again. my truck has been under construction since about may-ish, and won't be on the road until i think february. i'm getting ancy! ;)

marv_springer said:
Errrrr...?!?

Can you explain this?!
Click to expand...

check out this thread: http://www.coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154212&highlight=wider
basically, if this makes any sense, it's putting your pivot point closer to the center of the width of the wheel base.

colbystephens.
 
dana 44

i have a dana 44 axle from a chevy with 4.09 with axle shafts and housing only and im in san jose if intersted email me
 
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