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What breaks more on a D44 front?

K85 Octane

K85 Octane

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Just wondering. I know the U joints are small and tend to break. Sooo, you get some Chromoly shafts and better U joints. But how bad are the stock shafts? I wish I could just dump some real good U joints into my D44 before the weaker ones break and take out my shafts. :dunno:

For those of us that don't need a D60 or have the 1500+ bucks to buy and condition one for use.
 
Stock dana 44 shaft strength is greatly increased via modifying the ears to take a full circle external retaining clip.
 
With good shafts and high dollar u joints you are still left with a small ring and pinion, which usually holds up.

You will need a good supply of locking hubs if you are trying to build a 44 for harder use on a big truck
 
What size tires are you running?

Yep, full circle clips help - as well as tacking the U-joint caps.
 
2nd most comon fail i see in the 44/10 bolts is ball joints .

but yep. good shafts and joints with full 360* snap rings.

and drive slugs over locking hubs for sure.
 
You guys must be murder on parts...I haven't had one failure on any of my many GM 4x4 front axles,6 or 8 lug dana 44's...and I plowed a lot with most of them too,I dont baby the trucks either...maybe I'm just lucky??...
 
Deuling said:
how is this done? pics?
Click to expand...

x2, I'm stuck with this D44 for a long time, I'd like to make it last.

I'm running 35s and like to climb stuff, but I'm easy on the pedal, working the brakes more than throttle. However, ideally I'd like to cut more and run 38s, but that's where my trouble will start for sure.
 
Im in the same boat but ill never run any bigger than 33s. Maybe 35s someday but that would be biggest and a long time away.
 
shafts removed from axle.

u-joints pulled out of the yokes.

machine out the clip area that holds the cap clips to go from 3/4 clip to 360* snap rings.

fyi lots if not most aftermarket shafts come this way now.
 
K85 Octane said:
x2, I'm stuck with this D44 for a long time, I'd like to make it last.

I'm running 35s and like to climb stuff, but I'm easy on the pedal, working the brakes more than throttle. However, ideally I'd like to cut more and run 38s, but that's where my trouble will start for sure.
Click to expand...

I ran 38s on a 10 bolt front that was stock for a couple years. I never put a locker in it because I knew what would happen. If you are going to lock the front end 38s is certainly the outer limits on a 44 front end. I have several friends running 38s on 44 fronts but in lighter rigs than blazer.

If you are very careful you can run a front locker with a 44 front and 38s but you have to expect to break stuff. I replaced my ball joints every 18 months just to be sure. I also checked wheel bearings often.

I certainly think you can run 38s with a 44 front end and push it hard but it will require a decent investment in parts and pieces.
 
IMHO terrain is one of the biggest factors when determining if an axle will hold up to a certain tire size - rig weight also.
 
90'K5 said:
IMHO terrain is one of the biggest factors when determining if an axle will hold up to a certain tire size - rig weight also.
Click to expand...

True to a point I have seen a guy build a mall crawler with 44s (tires) and he ran for a couple years on a 44 front. Of course he had to replace ball joints and wheel bearings like every 5 months or something stupid like that.

So what type of terrain you going to run?

Going to run a front locker or already have one?
 
I think hes more looking for what can be updated on a 44 in order to make it more capable than stock and not have to break the bank. Im also interested
 
Here's a good read on how to modify stock shafts for full circle snap rings.

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/May06/dana35_ujoint_snapring.htm

I did mine with a hack saw and a sawzall. The first one I clearanced with the hack saw. Put the shaft in the vice and ran the saw down to remove material around the opening to fit the full circle ring, then turned the saw 90* to cut off the extra material. After that, with some finesse and a steady hand, I knocked the rest out with the sawzall. I then took a small die grinder and knocked down the rough edges.

I did not take pics of this process. But when I do the same to my spare shafts I will take pics and document the procedure for future reference. Prob not till winter though.
 
I would like to make the front axle last. I know U joints go out and was wondering if it was possible to upgrade them. I only have some new Spicer joints in there now.

I have a Trutrac that will be going in, but I'm sure that wont last long with these larger tires. I hope to throw another posi in, or stick with the open for as long as it keeps me happy. The rear is locked, so that helps. The terrain is trail like, not as hard as Rubicon, but then again I'd like to hit the Rubicon some day. That kind of wheeling gets me off :)
 
K85 Octane said:
I would like to make the front axle last. I know U joints go out and was wondering if it was possible to upgrade them. I only have some new Spicer joints in there now.

I have a Trutrac that will be going in, but I'm sure that wont last long with these larger tires. I hope to throw another posi in, or stick with the open for as long as it keeps me happy. The rear is locked, so that helps. The terrain is trail like, not as hard as Rubicon, but then again I'd like to hit the Rubicon some day. That kind of wheeling gets me off :)
Click to expand...

Well I have had D44 axles on my trucks all my life, never owned a D60 that I didn't sell.
I only had 35" tires on it but locked front and rear.
I was very gentle on it since it was all stock.
After a few trips the 25 year old Ujoints started to pop so I put in new spicer units and that was it, never did anything else except every couple of years take appart the bearings clean and repack.
I did the rubicon, and other trails as well as snow sand and mud.
6 years of wheeling and the D44 took it well.
I did have a 1300 lbs turbo diesl engine in it with 410 ft lbs of torque so I didn't really need to use the gas pedal much, just put it in gear and ease off the clutch.
I did have spicer lock outs though the WARNs don't last long.
My buddy ran 38's on his and was doing good until he put a healthy gas enigne and started to use the skinny to make it thru with no lockers, he busted a few shafts then welded the front and started to bust hubs.
If you are gentle, your axle will last you a long time, but then you can break it one day being stupid.:dunno:
 
^^^ what he said, driving style is important.

Don't put high dollar u joints in stock shafts they will break the shafts because the shaft is weaker. Spicer u joints or Neapco for me. I usually don't put greasable ones in the axles because I think the non greaseable ones are stronger
 
You can have sick high dollar built d44 and it still wont be as strong as a stock 60 thats been sitting in the weeds for 20 years. Think about that when you drop 2k into a 44.
 
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