more axle strenth questions HPd44 and metric 14bsf

[original balzer]

So a friend of mine has a 5 lug ford HPD44 front that he says I can have "cheap/trade/whatever". I wonder if it would be strong enough to SAS my 97 GMC for 35" tires and probably coil suspention for travel. The other question on this axle is would chevy hubs work on it? to get back to 6 lug or would i have to change out the knuckles too?

Then the 14bsf "metric" rear already in my truck. My only concern would be the c-clips, is there a c-clip eliminator available?

the goal would be 35's and a fair amount of suspention travel for mid speed whoops and bumps

 

[Blue85]

It seems to me a high-pinion axle would be cool, but I don't know if the hubs interchange or not. If you are doing SAS anyway, chaging the spring pads shouldn't be any extra work.

A 14B s/f (which is not a metric axle) is strong enough for 35" tires. I don't know of a C-clip eliminator, but a disk brake conversion does give you some failsafe against losing an axleshaft and wheel due to C-clip breaking.

Do they break very often on 14B s/f?

 

[b454rat]

Those axles should be OK with 35s. I think you can take 6 lug rotors and just put the on, but not sure. Sure way would to get everthing from the knuckles out from a GM 6 lug axle.

Dunno on the 14sf c-clips......might have a universal one???

 

[obijuan]

i doubt youll bust something on the 14 bolt with 35s. and another questions, are chevy d44 shafts a swap over? innys and outys?

and by metric you mean the wheel studs are 14mm or something like that 88+ style

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

The ring and pinion on a HP44 is stronger in a front axle but the shafts/joints are usually the weak point anyway.

You should be fine with a D44 and 35's

Chevy hubs won't work on the Ford spindle but you can swap everything from the knuckles out from the Chevy axle to the Ford axle to get your 6 lug pattern.


I believe the shafts are different between Chevy and Ford D44

 

[original balzer]

i doubt youll bust something on the 14 bolt with 35s. and another questions, are chevy d44 shafts a swap over? innys and outys?

and by metric you mean the wheel studs are 14mm or something like that 88+ style

exactly the 14mm studs = metric 14bsf I do know chevy hubs and rotors can be drilled out to accept the 14mm studs. I kinda figured the knuckles out would be differnt. It may be a bit of work to end up matching the ford d44 to the 14b rear but I think it would be worth it in the end. I think ill just get the axle and put it on a side project once its all done,AND the crew cab is drivable I can tear into a SAS on the 97.

 

[Leper]

The Ford has 5 studs on the knuckle and the Chevy has 6. I am unsure if there is an axle length difference. lol a jeep guy might know.

 

[dyeager535]

C-clips are not the weak point on the axles.

Seen exactly one over all the years on this website that had failed at the c-clips. And the axleshaft broke, not the c-clip. The only time they take an actual load is sidehilling.

C-clip eliminators must only have been developed due to racing regulations, because if they were a real problem, they wouldn't have been used for 40+ years.