Dana 44 Identity?

[BKennedy]

I got this 44 and am having trouble identifying what Ford it came out of. I checked the BOM numbers on the long side and did not get a match (603809 - 1). It is full width with radius arm / track bar mounts that appear to be welded. The track bar mount is a cast piece that is part of the front wedge on the passenger side. The guy I got it from says its out of a 78 F-150, but I thought they all have casted ends. I am thinking maybe its a 76-77 after reading all I could find on the internet. Here are a few pictures.
I know, its upside down.

Right side up

Housing

Passenger side wedges

Driver side wedges

Anybody Know about this? I checked Mr. N's stuff, and all I got was confused. I also checked on the Ranger Station site because they have lots of good info.
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Dana44.htm

 

[Burns]

I have a 78 and i have cast wedges. I think they all are cast in 78.



I think you are right with the 76-77 years

 

[BKennedy]

So if I get this right, your wedges are cast into the ends and the tubing is welded onto the end pieces? This means, I have a more versitile axle, but its more of a pain to cut down. The cast ends are easy to cut down, because you just cut out the weld, then hack of what you want, and weld it back up.

So your ends look like this?

 

[Burns]

Yes mine looks like that.


You appear to have the weld on wedges which is desired.

 

[Dannyboy]

yup, I just went out behind the workshop and that is how my axle's track bar mount is on there. You can cut that down 6" and use a EB long side shaft if you want.

 

[RangerX]

Stay Full Width! :

 

[Dannyboy]

now what if a guy took a grinder to the wedges and moved them in 2-3" per side but kept the axle full width.

This would really help with the tires rubbing on the radius arms (don't know if many have that problem). Still full width, but arms would be tucked in further.

Either that or get those badass radius arms that stico has.

 

[Stic-o]

Stay Full Width! :

X2:

Either that or get those badass radius arms that stico has.

Still have another set!

 

[BKennedy]

yup, I just went out behind the workshop and that is how my axle's track bar mount is on there. You can cut that down 6" and use a EB long side shaft if you want.

Which one does your axle look like, mine, or Burns?

If it looks like mine, how much of a pain was it to cut that thing down?

And, how did you line it back up when you put it back together?

And, what year and what vehicle did your axle come out of?

Stay Full Width! :

Naw, I need it to have the appearance of being legal, since I might drive it to work sometimes. Besides, I know at least two EB width SAS's that have mad, crazy flex (Colin and Dave's rigs). This won't happen for awhile, maybe next year sometime. I am just tearing it down now, and wanted to make sure it was the right axle before I got too much into it.

 

[BKennedy]

And, what year and what vehicle did your axle come out of?

Nevermind with this question. I just looked at your SAS registry. 1978 F-150. I guess there was no set type of D44 in there for that year, because some have the cast wedges and ends, and some are welded.

 

[Stic-o]

Just trade Colin... He wants to go full width, and it's way less work for you

 

[tdavis]

Why is it a PITA to cut down?

Cut and sleeve the sucker! Easier to do, and quick!

 

[BKennedy]

Why is it a PITA to cut down?

Cut and sleeve the sucker! Easier to do, and quick!

There must be a reason no one does that.

Steve; I think Colin decided to just go with a different rim and backspacing like Kevin (DWD) to get nearly the same width, without all the re-engineering.

 

[FROADER]

Let me figure something out here real quick.

[elevatormusic]

 

[IZwack]

If you do plan to narrow that axle down -- I think the axle you have there is easier to cut down compared to one that has the fully-casted wedges because you only have to deal with removing the inner knuckle (a PITA in itself). On the other hand, the fully-casted wedges requires you to remove not only the inner knuckle, but also the wedge -- so you have two things to beat on for a few hours.

 

[Dannyboy]

Hmm, I think I guessed at that year. That's what works at Autozone for parts. I reference that thread a lot when I needed to buy replacement parts cause I couldn't remember what I had and where I bought it. I thought I read somewhere recently that the Broncos were cast and F150s were the good kind.

Mine was in a junkyard full of ford parts when I bought it.

It was easy to line up, the knucke sleeves over it about 1.5" so it will line up true and straight. You just need to make sure the knuckles are level. On mine I didn't even remove the knuckle at the balljoints. I think we set up a string and hung a level on it between the two knuckles.

 

[FROADER]

[/elevatormusic]

So here is what I'm thinking (if you even want to trade) I might be able to do here.

Can you measure the distance between the pumpkin and the wedge on the short side? If there is enough room to re-weld it so I don't need to change my radius mounting points or coil buckets, then this will be cake. My logical side is saying if I can re-weld both of the wedges 3" toward the middle of the axle and not be hitting the pumkin (on the short side) then it should work. Am I right, or was my dad not lying about me needing a helmet?

 

[zainyD]

The axle you have is a good one! From a 76-77 with weld on wedges, .375" thick axle tubes, and disc brakes. Leave it full width and be happy!!!

I would say that a 78-79 with cast wedges would be easier to narrow since you don't have to mess with welding the c-wedges back on the long side tube. Either way, it's pretty easy to do with a little work.

 

[Dannyboy]

now what if a guy took a grinder to the wedges and moved them in 2-3" per side but kept the axle full width.

This would really help with the tires rubbing on the radius arms (don't know if many have that problem). Still full width, but arms would be tucked in further.

Either that or get those badass radius arms that stico has.

you mean kinda like what I was saying to do yesterday? Where did you get that idea?

 

[BKennedy]

[/elevatormusic]

So here is what I'm thinking (if you even want to trade) I might be able to do here.

Can you measure the distance between the pumpkin and the wedge on the short side? If there is enough room to re-weld it so I don't need to change my radius mounting points or coil buckets, then this will be cake. My logical side is saying if I can re-weld both of the wedges 3" toward the middle of the axle and not be hitting the pumkin (on the short side) then it should work. Am I right, or was my dad not lying about me needing a helmet?

Its four inches from the inside of the wedge to the axle housing. There is plenty of room to move it over three inches. I was thinking about this earlier. Do you have the same axle, only shorter (go figure)? Because that would save me a heck of a lot of work to just trade housings. I was thinking about moving the wedges inward, but wouldn't that make it very unstable? Especially moving the track bar mount inward that far?