Kirbys Navajo Dana 44 Swap | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Kirbys Navajo Dana 44 Swap

Alright, I finally broke down and did it. I got all the parts pretty much rounded up, the axle is almost prepared and it will probably find its way under my truck in the next few weeks. Here is the specs:

HP Dana 44 out of a 76 F150 Cut down 6"
5.5 Wild Horses Springs
Full height (no chopping down for me) 80 F100 Coil Buckets
4.56 Gears
Rod End Steering courtesy of Rock Ware
I am going to attempt to use a stock TJ rear Track bar
Fabbed Trackbar mount
Fabbed upper Shock Mounts w/ Some Hoops
New Brakes, Ball Joints, Calipers, Wheel Bearings, Seals
Warn Premium Hubs

Things I want, but are out of the budget until I can sell my Lift and rims

35" BFGs
5 on 5.5 Black Rock Crawlers
Performance Wheel Spacers/ Adapters
Rod End Trackbar
 



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I am not sure how tall the buckets are on the 80 f100's, but the taller you make them the less lift you will have, just remindin ya.

How much lift are you hoping to get out of it.

Nick
 






It's a dang exciting feeling! Good luck, I used Jacked93's, Mudd*****'s, Rick's and Tramp's thread along with several others for advice while doing a majority of my research.
You haven't mentioned the radius arm setup yet!!!!
What's in store?
 






Nick,
I am only going for 6" of lift. My thought is that a 5.5" spring in a taller mount will flex better than a 3.5" spring in a chopped down mount. Longer spring= more flex.

Danny,
It is exciting for me! My wallet hates me though!

Radius arms? Stockers with 70s 2x4 mounts. I want it to look pretty factory. I might wrist them in the future if I get bored.

Thanks for the comments

Kirby
 






Got some pics. They are tiny. Just 2 pics of the chopped axle. I am ready to put on the outers.
Dana 44

Dana 44 2

Making progress. I installed the 4.56s in it the other night. I have to make another trip to the bone yard and put the outers on it- then it is ready to slap in (yeah I am sure it will be a "slap")!
 






OK got one outer on. I have no idea what to torque th ball joints or the Wheel bearings. Any ideas??

Also, built my tierod. Getting there...
 






Keep us posted on the progress. That is gonna be killer.
 






still working on random stuff. Dutchman seems to have tweaiked my shaft yoke, and I can't get a U joint on it. I am taking it to a local driveline place to have them do it tomarrow. Also, I go the threads to hot when I welded in my tierod sleaves. I am going to see if I can get a Tap tomarrow, then progess marches on!
 






I picked up a 1354 manual Tcase this weekend. It will be nice not to have to crawl under my truck with some channel locks for 4x. Got the steering almost worked out. Still trying to figure out how to torque the ball joints.
 






Back in buisiness. Almost ready for the install. I ordered wheel spacers. I bought some used Rancho Rs 9012s. I ordered some misalignmnet bushings for the steering from Poison Spyder Customs.

Lastly, I have to figure out the Trackbar. My plan is to use half a TJ trackbar and a heim on one side.

I am looking at doing the swap the end of November. Probably around thanksgiving.
 






i'm jealous :D
 






How much did you take off the Dana 44?
 






I took 6" off of the Dana 44. It was easier than I thought it would be. Might be a little less than 6" because I have been told that to make Early Bronco Shafts fit it was just shy of 6". I am sure the EB shaft will fit now because there is enough space in the carrier for 1/4" + or - on the shaft.
 






Ok. I got everything that I could bolted up tonight to the axle assembly. It has everything minus brakes now. I am getting excited. I should get started soon, but

SOMEBODY STOLE MY TJ! I got it back in about 22 hours and the moron jacked it up huge. I guess I am going to wrench on that and get it back on the road since I am sick of the rental car! Hopefully I can get it done ASAP and get to work on my SAS.
 






I have to go get some more DOM for the Drag link. I am going to bend it in an S type of shape and I don't have enough to span the distance if it is bent.
 






I got started. Everything is out!!! Starting to build brackets and bolt everything on. Kinda at a hold up on the drivers bucket, but I got something brewing. I will wait to show some pics until I know for sure my plan will work! I will get some pics soon

Kirby
 






OK. I am working on pictures. I mounted the axle 2" further forward and the coil buckets are mounted 2" forward too. I am a little concerned with the driveshaft and that seems to be as far back as possible with out changing the shaft. I am going to move the axle another 1 1/2" forward to clear the driveshaft easily and also clear the fenders with my 34s.

2nd problem- My silly Wildhorses 5.5" coils are not long enough. I am going to have to get some coils around 8". Anybody know if they can be had? I found some on broncograveyard.com that are for 9", but they are Stupidlift cheapos and they are designed for big broncos (78-79) and F100s so I am afraid they will be stiff too. Any ideas? The reason the coils are so short is because I mounted the buckets uncut out of a f150.
 






sounds like fun
 






You can get custom coils made but that may be pricey, i'd just bite the bullet and chop down the buckets, it would make life easier for ya. ;)
 



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I found some 7" coils on BC broncos. I think I would like to go with them unless I find out that won't be enough- then I will buy the stupidlift 9". I t is really too late for me to cut down my buckets. I would have to go get another drivers bucket and scap the 4 hours I put into this one.

I did get the axle mounted for the 2nd time in the radius arm mounts. This time I moved it up 3.5". I heard 2 would be enough but it wasn't.
 






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