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Darkness's new project~ D44 & 9"

Well I have been planning for the longest time to cut and turn a d44 ttb and somehow make it fit where the d35 is but... not anymore much as I love the ttb frontend I had a deal I couldnt pass up fall in my lap so now its SAS w/ a d44 and 9" rear from a '79 f150 going under my truck
Current pics found here!

Current plan is...
D44
1:clean up/teardown DONE!
2:cut/narrrow (I'm not going to run a full width front) DONE!
3:reload it, new brakes/hubs/joints/inner shafts (one EB longside and f150 short side) possible locker/regear funds depending :part Done, hubs, shafts, ujoints left to go
4:make it aimable, probably a early bronco steering setup or something semi custom
Steering on order

9" ON HOLD, going with the 8.8 and adapters for the current moment

1:clean all the rust off it (like the f150 frame thats sitting on it)
2:clean up/teardown
Added- Narrow it
3:figure out how to stop it, pick/figure out/fab brakes for it
4: maybe get new shafts/3rd member

Sounds simple right? Right... pics will be up by the end of this week for the project start

Note! I do know that the '79 d44 have cast ends and I am going to cut it down and it will work!
 



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Sounds like a plan. Let me know when you are workin on it, and I'll come up to lend a hand :D

I picked up all my new bearings, seals and u-joints to rebuild my Dana 44 today. I say we make a race out of it :D
 



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Sounds like a plan. Let me know when you are workin on it, and I'll come up to lend a hand :D

I picked up all my new bearings, seals and u-joints to rebuild my Dana 44 today. I say we make a race out of it :D

blah you win :p: i dont feel like shellin out the $268or so for the bearings, hubs/rotors pads and calipers.... as for when I am working on it, pick a day lol been working most days on/off on it, by tomorrow i should have 4 axles spread out on the floor of the shop :eek: (thats 4 axles that are apart, 2 still together... so 6 total)
 






:popcorn:

Its nice, now I can sit back and watch as everyone else deals with the SAS hangups. :D
 












:popcorn:

Its nice, now I can sit back and watch as everyone else deals with the SAS hangups. :D

oooohh, it hasn't even been tested yet. I hope you didn't just jynx yourself. :D
Good luck this weekend. :thumbsup:

Wolf, you should have charged the last two in parts for your welding skillz. ;) :p:
 






:popcorn:

Its nice, now I can sit back and watch as everyone else deals with the SAS hangups. :D

I though you were sitting back and watching when you did yours anyways :p:

as for the charging part, I only did the welding on Spas's rig, and that went in to the big pretty blue mig welder I got :D
 






oh you keep talkin... we will see what happens when we wheel it out....:D

Keep in mind that Darkness isnt getting built as a full trail rig, thats what the bronco is for :p: I am building him up as a trail capable rig, but most of the use is going to be street and work

btw Jake, ya said ya had that extra set of d44 knuckle out set for the 78/79?
 






yes i do, i'm gonna be picking the best of the 2 sets for myself, and the other can go your way. I think i'll be goin home sometime this week to work on my rig so i will check out all the parts then.

I got someone to set up my gears for some beer and pizza, so next chance i'm goin to pittsburgh for that. then its time to do some ifs removal :D
 






:popcorn:

Its nice, now I can sit back and watch as everyone else deals with the SAS hangups. :D

What hangups? this is still planning stages for mine :p: I did get my hubs/rotors in and all the bearings for the front end, later this week I should start tearing down the other 9" and seeing if I can get a straight bolt on disk swap on to it
The front axle now just needs calipers, regear/carrier and some axle shafts, still up in the air for locker, I'm leaning towards a trak loc or maybe a e-locker of some sort

Stay tune for the next installment of "Make it up as you go 4x4 fab" Next I should be starting the mockup of some home built radius arms
 






Someone found a great deal on a disc brake detroit locked 9", only problem is it needs regeared from 4.56 to 4.88. Wolf, can I interest you in some 4.56 gears for one of your many 9s?
 






Someone found a great deal on a disc brake detroit locked 9", only problem is it needs regeared from 4.56 to 4.88. Wolf, can I interest you in some 4.56 gears for one of your many 9s?

ooo 4.56's yeah I might be interested in that, guess ya dont need that 8.8 I have here now do ya?
 






Yeah I came accross a great deal on the 9".

As a side note, I will soon have a disk brake 8.8 with an aussie and a purple cranium diff guard for sale. Anyone interrested?
 






Update!

Progress... got the d44 hooked up with new bearing, hubs, rotors, calipers
New radius arms are in the works, got some of it done now
Also got steering parts on order, waiting on tube inserts in the mail, going to pick up the TRE's tomorrow local, if anyone is planning on building their own steering or links and need threaded inserts for DOM I suggest checking out Spider Trax, of course I did... after I ordered my stuff somewhere else :mad: and paid more $$ for cheaper stuff

My steering plans are 1 ton chevy stuff, 1.5" dom w/ 0.25" wall for the steering links

Radius arms details:
End link design have their origin from www.bronkzilla.com, I took the original idea and changed it up alittle in the way I built them, I plan to make the main beams of my radius arms out of 2"x2" square tube w/ 0.25" wall spliced to the factory radius arm at the axle end

And on to the pics

IMG_0120.JPG

IMG_0125.JPG

IMG_0130.JPG

IMG_0132.JPG
 






Status update, got all the TREs and the DOM tube, waiting on the inserts :mad:
Got the knuckles reamed for TRE over (pics to follow by this evening/tomorrow)
For the rear axle I broke down and ordered a set of Spidertrax 1.25" 5 on 4.5" to 5 on 5.5" 6061T6 aluminum adapters, I still plan to run a custom housing ended 9" but current funds said that the adapters were the way to go for now
So does anyone think that 3.50 gears in the front and 3.73 rear is too much of a difference? :confused: I think it is.... But seeing that only I drive the truck I may hook the front end up and only use it if I get really really need it (read stuck and no other choice)
 












how much u asking for that 8.8 diff u selling ??? did u have it under ur trk whats the gear # i want to go to 4.10 as i stay on the street for the most part
 






TRE Part numbers :
Tie rod:
ES2233L
ES2234R
Draglink:
ES2026R
ES2027L

All are 7/8" x18 Thread, right (x2) and left (x2) direction threads
which means you need 2x 7/8" 18tpi Right inserts and 2x 7/8" 18tpi left inserts to build a tie rod and drag link, also needed is DOM tube w/ diameter matched for the inserts (1" for the ones I ordered) or you can tap DOM tube to make them as well using a right and left handed tap and (i think, may need to double check this) 1026 DOM - 1-1/4" OD x 7/8" ID [3/16" wall]

Extra Note: 7/8" 18tpi TRE's are 3/4 ton chevys, not 1ton, one ton chevy TRE's are 1" thread
 






Looks like its comin along nicely. When are you gonna start building up the RAs? Which TREs are you going to be using?

Just posted the TRE part numbers :p: had the post done but forgot to hit the submit button before getting sidetracked, as for the RA's I just need to add the 2"x2" to them, waiting to get the steering stuff ready to go before I knock the TTB out from under the truck so I can move it in and out of the shop
 









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Forget waiting, I'll come over on Sat and we will get that old TTB stuff outa there :D

Strippin the ttb off the rig is about a 30-40 min job for me, more worryed about getting the D44 under the rig with no steering and then trying to get it back out of the shop :rolleyes: not happening lol
 






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