Narrowing a full width axle | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Narrowing a full width axle

JoshC

Only rolled it once honey
Joined
May 1, 2000
Messages
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City, State
Culloden, WV
Year, Model & Trim Level
97 4d OHV
I just bought a FW D44 from a 78 F150. Now, i know nothing about the 44s and nothing about narrowing axles. If i narrow this thing down, am i going to have take it down to it will accept EB shafts or do you just narrow the FW shafts also?

And no i'm not going to be doing this, i'll have someone do it, i'm just asking cause i don't have any idea. I notice alot of people are keeping them FW, but i don't think that is my style. I like to have it stock width, or close to it.

Who all has narrowed a 44 to fit their explorer?
 



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Hey check out the length of an Early Bronco (66-77) D44. Its no high pinion but the inner shaft lenghts might be just what your looking for, and their off the shelf too.
 






narrowing a 78-79 isn't that complicated...here's a link to the process http://www.torc4x4.com/techpage.html

As far as running it full width it has nothing to do with style for me...I want the extra stability. It may be alittle hard on extremely tight trails...but that's what using your sliders as piviot points are for haha (actually i dont' want to do this). I don't plan on lifting my truck much...if i'm lucky it'll only be about 6"s over stock :)
 






Maybe after that roll over, you SHOULD be considering full width for more stability. :p

There are varying measurements across the net, but you'll want it narrowed to fit an Early Bronco (66-77) passenger side inner shaft, since you'll be cutting down the passenger side. I've seen everything from 5" to 6.5" as being what it needs to be cut to on that side in order to fit the EB shaft. I believe Daemon cut his down 5 and 3/8" or something like that.
 






what are you going to do with the dana 30?
 






I'll end up selling the D30.

Thanks for the info guys. I had thought about keeping it full width for the stability, but then i've gotta get a rear axle too. Not a bid deal since i can sell the 8.8 to a jeeper for a good chunk of change, especially with a 4.56s and locker.
 






You could also keep the internals of the 8.8 you have now and put it in a full width 8.8 from a newer f150 :)
 


















CodePoet said:
You could also keep the internals of the 8.8 you have now and put it in a full width 8.8 from a newer f150 :)

Already in the works. I think i've located a free 8.8 so i'm trying.

Thanks for the links fellas.
 






GOOD!

Assuming you have the stock drums on your current rear end you'll gain discs in the process :D
 






Already have discs.

The guy i'm getting it from said it doesn't have the R&P or carrier, so i'm using mine, but will my disc brake pieces work on it? He wasn't sure if the backing plate was the same or not. It's from an early 90s F150.
 






not sure. I know that my 05 f150 has a 6 lug pattern though instead of a 5 like the explorer's do though.
 






Even the older 5 lugs are still different. 5 on 5.5 instead of our 5 on 4.5.
 












Exactly :thumbsup:
 






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