something to think about? 30 spline outers

[gotmud77]

Is there a way to change over to a 1 ton front hub assembly and run a 30 spline outer on a dana 44?

I know that the jeeps are able to run a 30 spline axle shaft so why cant the 44 in a 1/2 or 3/4 ton do it.

I am guessing you would have to change to a 1 ton hub and rotor assembly,set of 1 ton hubs and then the axle shaft and u joint of course.

I am not looking for the just do the 60 reply. I know that would be the right way to do it but i am not braking ring and pinions so way not just upgrade the outers.

 

[marv_springer]

I don't know the answer to this ?....

But I do know that the most common D44 break I see is at the U-joint or ears. Second in line would be the necked down section of the stock shafts near where the engage in the side gears...

Marv

 

[sled_dog]

you'd need to swap the entire outer. The inner knuckle, the knuckle, the spindle, hub, everything. I don't think you could even fit a Dana 60 Ujoint assembly through the hole of a Dana 44. Then you would need custom shafts into the center section, or a spool or locker to use bigger shafts. Then you are just making the carrier and gears the weak link which in a Dana 44 they are going to be quite a bit weaker than a Dana 60. In the end you end up with what is likely, not much lighter but does have better ground clearance. But with all the custom work and parts required, I'd just buy a high clearance 60 Center section and not compromise strength for ground clearance(the only reason I see to do this).

Oh and, spline count IS NOT everything. There are 30 spline 10 bolts. I think 1987+ are all 30 spline shafts. They still break. Its the sheer size and strength of all the parts of a 60 that make it so much stronger. And in some cases the superior manufacturing and materials(same as alloy stuff for a 44).

 

[6.2Blazer]

I've seen it done before in magazines and on the web. You would have to adapt Dana 60 knuckles onto the Dana 44 (or 10-bolt) axle ends and then run the complete Dana 60 hubs, spindles, etc...

You would then have to match to decided what u-joints to run.......Dana 60 size and I suppose you could use a stock stub shaft but would need a custom inner axle made (maybe a Dana 60 inner turned down to fit the Dana 44 carrier??? However you really wouldn't be gaining much since the inner axle would likely be just as weak as the stock one. Keep the 297/760x size joints and you would need some sort of custom stub shaft.......though I don't see the point in keeping the stock size u-joint if you are doing this.

In any case it's definitely not a "bolt on" affair, and unless you can do the machine work and fabrication yourself I would guess this modification would cost way more than just bolting in a Dana 60........or just upgrading the Dana 44 stuff to chromoly shafts and CTM joints.

From my experience on a front 44 or 10-bolt the inner shaft, outer shaft, and u-joint all about have the same chance of breaking on the trail. So unless you upgrade all three you haven't really gained much. The only way I can see to upgrade the inner shaft much is maybe try to get one of those 33-spline Dana 44 diffs that they advertise for Jeep rear axles.

 

[Hossbaby50]

D60 ujoints are much bigger then D44 ujoints. They won't match up to each other. You can't really just swap outers anyway since D60's are Kingpin and D44 are balljoint.

Like Marv said, the most common places to break D44 axles is at the ujoint, ears, or neck down of the inner axleshaft. I have been around some pretty heavy wheeling on 1/2 ton axles for about 3 years now. I have seen a fair share of D44 shafts break in this time. Not once have I seen a stub shaft actually break. I have had the stubshaft ears open up around the ujoint cap but I have never seen one break. I don't think 30 spline outers on a D44 is really worth while. If you need a mod like that you need Chromo inners and outers for the D44 or a D60.

Harley

 

[Geargrinder]

I could be wrong, but......
I would think that it would cost just as much to convert to 1T outers as it would to just get 4340 shafts and some CTM or OX joints. I would think that the shafts and joints would be as strong as the stock 1T parts, but they would be a "bolt on" insted of an exercise in fabrication.
You could still carry the old stock shafts & joints as spairs too.
Not the awnser U wer looking for I know, but I just had to throw it out there.
I know that U can get D60 "C's" from Deadenbear that are cut to fit the D44 tubes, so then all U would need would be custom shafts and every thing from the knuckle out from a wrecking yard D60.

 

[gotmud77]

All great points, And all i was doing is sitting at work thinking about different things i could do to the k5. I guess this one is not a resonable idea. The way to go would be the chromo shafts or a 60.


Thanks for all the input.

 

[sled_dog]

the two simplest ways to beef are, chromo shafts and a detroit in a 44 or Dana 60. Thing out side the box is great, it just usually costs a bit more and isn't always worth it.