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Strap kit or U Bolts?

rcpd34

rcpd34

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I'm putting the finishing touches on my axle swap and am trying to put the front drive shaft in. The old 10 bolt used U bolts to secure the shaft. The parts book shows U bolts on the Dana 44 that now resides up front, but they don't fit. Hard to see if the holes are threaded, but I'm thinking the front takes a strap kit with bolts. Can someone advise for sure?

Thanks!
 
mr250twostroke said:
Dana's are not all u bolts.
Op, take a small pick and run it in the yoke hole... It's either smooth or rough. You are most likely strap style.
Click to expand...

I wish it were that easy. Yoke has lots of dirt caked on it. Got it cleaned up and the holes are smooth; til about 1/2 way in then a bit rough. Can't see in from the back, but I'm assuming that's where the threads start. Yoke says Spicer on it. I'm going to assume its a strap kit as the U bolts only go 1/2 way in. Gonna be hard to figure out how to order a strap kit as I have no idea what truck these rears came out of.
 
Do the bolt holes on your yoke have flat back side, large enough for a 5/16s nut and lock washer? If so my bets on ubolts. If the back side of the bolt holes are rounded or there is not enough room for the nut and washer to sit flat then you need straps and bolts.

Go to the parts store and request to look at their precision u-joint book (or whatever brand they carry, most carry precision) and look through the book for the 73-80 years as those are the years that had dana 44s. Ive seen d44s with both straps and u-bolts but once you figure out which one you need the book should tell you the part number.:waytogo:
 
I just looked at one of my Dana 44's and it is smooth before it hits the threads. And like big Dan said a nut washer from a ujoint would not sit flat. Get yourself a strap kit at Napa, like 5 bucks or so and you should be good.
 
Definitely a strap. Book shows 3 possible kits but only had one in stock. I bought it and of course it was wrong. Now I have to wait til Monday to return it and order the correct one.
 
I have two dana 70's with straps, 1350

I wish they had u bolts
 
Wound up being straps. PITA. Wound up egging out the holes with a Drexel to make them fit.
 
Hogging the straps out may not be the best solution to your problem. The straps are inherently a weak design and egging the holes lets the strap wobble around the bolt shank, increasing your chances of shearing a bolt or oblonging the strap, basically equaling a torn up rear floorboard or a busted tranny pan or engine oil pan :whistle: Your best bet may be to find an old axle laying in a junkyard and pirate the straps off them, or ordering them from GM which is surprisingly pricey. Either way that probably will save you some tears in your beers in the future
 
or order up a 1350 yoke modified so it'll use the u-bolt style. From personal experience there are a few variation on strap size, depth etc etc.
 
It was only off by 1/16" so I'm not too worried about it. If it breaks, I'll go to plan B.
 
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