How to: Dana 44 TTB outers on a Dana 35 TTB

[prerunnersvo]

Kris, I've heard about people having problems with a soft brake pedal after doing this swap. Have you had any problems with the brakes?

 

[410Fortune]

soft pedal due to larger calipers?? hmmmm. Easy solution would be to bolt up a full size master cylinder....

Yeah mr Ryan was a little touchy there a few months back, I answered your question too! I know the purpose of these forums well, I try to help as much as I can because I have gotten so much help over the years.

I meant here we go again because this means Brett and I would be building more beams

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

the sad part is the axle is still on the Floor of my garage as I have not been able to get the time to install this. Its almost been a year since I started this Project. but other things needed my $$$ first too.

 

[Savage Wolf]

bump any updates?

 

[n3m3s1s]

anything new?

i cant benefit much from this thread, but its nice to see people in the area workin on explorers. it's nice to finally have a garage to work in, just gotta rebuild my tool collection.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Well I got my axles shafts for the Rear end this week. I am about to finish ordering parts like the shocks. I still need a drop pitman arm to install the Axle other then that its ready to go in. I know its been dragged out but I had to fix a few things on my house which were taxing on the $$$. so I am back rolling again finishing this Project up.

 

[Creager]

Kris you still taking $250.0 to do this to my D44 knuckles?

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Yeah I will have the Knuckles done for you. you will need to provide the knuckles and the New Explorer Ball joint as the lower ball joint need slight machine work done as well.

 

[Creager]

how do you mount the steering? im confused on how machining the knucles to bring the lower mounting position on the D44 to the upper position on the d35?

would using a longer pitman arm work to compinsate for the drop in the tie-rod end location?

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

they are drilled out and have a new taper sleave pressed in and that is done with the machine work i hve done.

kris

how do you mount the steering? im confused on how machining the knucles to bring the lower mounting position on the D44 to the upper position on the d35?

would using a longer pitman arm work to compinsate for the drop in the tie-rod end location?

 

[Happy Jack]

I looked at my 44 nuckles next to my 35 nuckles and it seemed to me the arms that the tie rod attached to on the 44 was a bit higher than the 35 so all I would have to do is just turn the 35 tie rod ends 180 degrees and mount them. Should be very close to the 35 location this way.

Can you have the 35 TTB arms made to accept the 44 ball joints? I like the idea of using the stronger 44 style with the nipples on top. I'm willing to give up some adjustability to gain strenth.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

yes but if you turn the tie rods the right way you can tuck them up higher to keep them out of harms way and better steering control.

second I never seen a ball joint on an Explorer break. It would have been to much work to machine my beam for the 44 ball joints to fit. Just my opinion.

 

[Happy Jack]

Jacob Griffin the president over on the RRORC board had a 94 Ranger that Jessie Weifebach (my RRORC region rep.) now owns and they had a bunch of trouble with ball joints. They were running 35's and ARB's. They used life time waranty ball joints but they still had to pull them and re-install the new joint and pay for another alignment. They are both running EB 44 fronts now. I have not seen 44 ball joint failure though.

I will run 33's most of the time on my BII with my X 35 front but I have a set of 36's I will try out from time to time. Guess I need to check with a local machine shop to see if I can have my 35 arms modified to 44 specs.

If I strike out I may end up contacting you. I really would like to have the 44 set up though. Thanks for working on this for us though. The 44 bearing and lock out set up is a big step up over the 35.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

So far with my Explorer thats on 37" MTRs with 5.13 and detriot in the Front I have not broken a Ball joint I have twisted Axle shaft in half blown U-joints and broke hubs. Now This truck will get a solid Axle and the dana 44 outters are going on my daily Driver as I really dont want a Soild axle on the truck I drive all the time so ride is more important then wheeling it. On my 4dr. I am not worried about ride as much.

 

[Bronco_bill]

The beams must be bent for alignment with this mod?

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

They do not have to cut and turned. This was some thing I chose to do.

 

[410Fortune]

The D35 Moog ball joints are problematic, when you get into large tires and lockers.
I run 35's with an ARB on my D35 TTB.

I go through ball joints quite a bit. I have never seen one break, but they do loosen up quickly.
If you keep it aligned, tires balanced, and ditch the crappy inverted Y steering, it REALLY helps keep ball joints longer. Also I am the type of guy who uses 1 full tube of marine grease every month on my truck, I think I have 12 zerks just in the front end?

Keep the wheel bearings in good shape, keep it aligned, etc and the ball joints last ALOT longer.

I have also seen the lower tightened way too much, this can force the ball joint too far into the knuckle and when you put a new one it, it will be loose to begin, I believe this ALSO wears them out faster.

Now if you want you can spend a ton of $$$ on Autofab style ball joints for the D35, then you will NEVER have to worry about it again. However the D35 knuckles and spindle were never designed for tires we run, the distance between wheel bearings is just inadequate, so if you choose to run big tires, expect to get to know your bearings ball joints and axleshafts real well.

 

[Positive Vibes]

Subscribing. Very interesting!

 

[Creager]

Subscribing. Very interesting!

i know this is such a cool idea. I plan on using doing this once i figure out how i want to actually lift the beams... and the money haha.

 

[Bronco_bill]

Kris thanks for info I think I am going for it once I get the parts. I have my dana 35 apart right know regearing so it seems like the perfect time. Looks like I need to collect from the bone yard:
Spindles/knuckles
outer axle shafts
rotors/brakes
hubs
new explorer ball joints