rambler
New Member
- Joined
- January 7, 2011
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 7
- Location
- Starkville, Mississippi
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '94 Explorer Sport
I have been meaning to do this for some time, but just now getting around to it. A couple of years ago, I was interested in modifying my Dana 35 ttb with the Dana 44 ttb outers and spent a good deal of time scouring the internet, only to discover that for most of these applications, one needed a machine shop, a grinder, and a machinists degree to work it out.
Eventually, I bit the bullet and began assembling parts for the conversion. Having acquired the necessary 1985 F150 outers from my local pick and pull (I took a saws-all and cut both of the 44 beams behind the ball joints after removing the axle shafts), and new wheel bearings, shaft bearings, seals, and 44 upper and lower ball joints, I drove my project to a friend of mine that had a machine shop and explained to him what I hoped to accomplish.
After some discussion, we began tearing things down. It was then we made the discovery of the holy grail of information that all of those that had gone before had failed to notice. Specifically....
The top explorer ball joint is the same diameter as the top ball joint in the 44 knuckle.
The lower 44 ball joint shaft is only a little wider than the explorer ball joint shaft.
Sooo... we bolted the upper ball joint from the explorer in the Dana 44 knuckle, and the we bolted the 44 ball joint in the Dana 44 knuckle. Then we took a ream and reamed out the lower hole a bit on the dana 35 beams so that the lower 44 ball joint would fit. Then we bolted everything up. I turned the tie rods ends over to fit the 44 knuckles, mated the 44 outer stub shafts to the 35 inner shafts, slipped them in, and set about bolting up the spindles and hubs. I kept all the alignment shims originally used in the 35 beams, and except for having 44 outers, it is still factory, so if I need parts in the future, they will not be an issue. I even got some of my money back when I returned the two upper ball joint for the 44.
All in all this is not as complicated as it has been made out to be.
I used two front brake lines from an early 80's f250 (straightened out a bit) to accommodate things better, and split a rubber hose to wrap around the brake lines, secured with zip ties, just in case something rubbed. I also cut just above the holes where the lines affix to the shock towers, and bent them down for a little more clearance.
If i could discover how to post photos, I would show you the finished product.
Eventually, I bit the bullet and began assembling parts for the conversion. Having acquired the necessary 1985 F150 outers from my local pick and pull (I took a saws-all and cut both of the 44 beams behind the ball joints after removing the axle shafts), and new wheel bearings, shaft bearings, seals, and 44 upper and lower ball joints, I drove my project to a friend of mine that had a machine shop and explained to him what I hoped to accomplish.
After some discussion, we began tearing things down. It was then we made the discovery of the holy grail of information that all of those that had gone before had failed to notice. Specifically....
The top explorer ball joint is the same diameter as the top ball joint in the 44 knuckle.
The lower 44 ball joint shaft is only a little wider than the explorer ball joint shaft.
Sooo... we bolted the upper ball joint from the explorer in the Dana 44 knuckle, and the we bolted the 44 ball joint in the Dana 44 knuckle. Then we took a ream and reamed out the lower hole a bit on the dana 35 beams so that the lower 44 ball joint would fit. Then we bolted everything up. I turned the tie rods ends over to fit the 44 knuckles, mated the 44 outer stub shafts to the 35 inner shafts, slipped them in, and set about bolting up the spindles and hubs. I kept all the alignment shims originally used in the 35 beams, and except for having 44 outers, it is still factory, so if I need parts in the future, they will not be an issue. I even got some of my money back when I returned the two upper ball joint for the 44.
All in all this is not as complicated as it has been made out to be.
I used two front brake lines from an early 80's f250 (straightened out a bit) to accommodate things better, and split a rubber hose to wrap around the brake lines, secured with zip ties, just in case something rubbed. I also cut just above the holes where the lines affix to the shock towers, and bent them down for a little more clearance.
If i could discover how to post photos, I would show you the finished product.