Solid axle ?'s

I have decided to skip the lift kits and go with the solid axle swap. I am in the planning stages of the swap. I would like to lift it to about 4 or 5 inches. I Know a guy that builds and modifies 79 Broncos. He sold me a Dana 44 out of a 79 Bronco and told me he can get me every part of the 79 Bronco suspension for cheap. Is this a reverse rotation 44? I am wondering if anyone can help me, by making a list of parts or telling me what I would need. Should I go with leafs or Coils in the front? Do I need the radius arms, Coil brackets? How would I get it to be about 4 or 5 inches all the way around? How would i get the most flex? Any advice would be greatly helpful.

 

[Joe93]

Thanks I already have the 44, got it for $25. The guy i bought it from seriuosly modifies 79 broncos and F150's. I know that it is straight and in working condition. Using the stock bronco springs and Suspenion how much would that lift the front?

 

[NIGHTRANGER5.0]

Riffman

How are those radius drop brackets working for you? I can get a set that look to be the same as yours. I think they were from a 6" lift. I was told 78-79 bronc with 4" doesn't require the brackets to be dropped.

Did the drop bracket have any adverse affects with the axle, as far as tilting it either way? What degree C bushings did you use?

Thanks

 

[riffman]

the only thing bad with these brackets, is like yours nightranger, they were tweaked a bit....so we had to heat them and beat the tar out of them with a hammer.....they are a bit long...but the caster is real nice.....im using the 7 degree poly energy bushings...

joe....i don't know that it would give you any lift...i would suspect a few inches..but its hard to say....what you need to do is measure them compressed on a bronco, then measure your springs compressed..i would say that the weights aren't toooo far off....so you could find the difference then add an inch or two and that may give you a good idea of lift...i know that with tiessens setup he used the 3.5" progressive coils from duff and got about 5-6" of lift...

 

[Sandy]

CMartin91,
Yes I have driven an EB. Yes they ride choppy. Why, because the coils are proably the older disigns not the newer articulation type/softride/flexible and they are very short wheelbased which results in a choppy ride.

The Explorer/Navajo/Rangers all have longer wheelbases so that should help and if you buy new coils make sure you ask for flexible coils. You may even need a torsion bar to keep it straight on the road.

Enjoy the hobby...

 

[Joe93]

Thank You so much for all of the help guy's. Im sure I will have more questions later on.

 

[Clint]

ok i see that u are going with coils so do it right the first time wrist the radius arms and then make sure u get some coils with at most 320 lb rate this should give u a good ride progesive coils are a must and what rick did would also be a good idea basicaly think of the way a tj front coil is setup so when it droops it will come off the seat but then when it comes back down it seats again btw riffman since u only cut off one side of the axle how is your driveline angle does it come down like this / if u were at the front of the truck

 

[riffman]

it does that a little bit....but its not really bad...i haven't had any problems with the front shaft yet...

 

[Joe93]

I still haven't decide yet on coils or leafs. If I do go with coils should I use coils for the X or Bronco?

 

[tdavis]

Now I'm interested..

Well, I just found out another part broke in the d35.. so time to head towards a solid axle, and forget about the TTB front end.

Some questions:

D44's have 5 on 5.5 wheel pattern. What did you do with the rear 8.8"? Replace the axles? With the new bolt pattern, what did you do with the drum/disks?

If you cut down the F150 d44 to fit, how much did you cut it down? Who's axles did you put in?

I'm almost desperate.. Got to do something with this stupid thing!

 

[riffman]

sure tom..you just want to be like me....hehe..next thing i know, you'll be gettin swampers too!!!! lol...anyhoo....

the answers to most of your questions are earlier in this post, but ill answer them for you anyway....to get a solid dana 44...you will need to go with a 1979 or before f-150 or a 78-79 bronco. personally, mine was narrowed 8" from the left side only. I had my axle shaft cut and butt welded...but now that i look back on it, that was a mistake...you can send the shaft to moser and have it cut and resplined for like 50 bucks i think. as far as the rear end goes, moser sells custom axle shafts for the rear with the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern, they are like 300 and i just found another brand that has them for like 280 and are supposed to flex, but not break or somthign wierd like that....anyway...if you have drums...you or a machine shop can redrill them for the correct bolt patter...and if you have discs...you may need new rotors..but im not certain on that information..

good luck dawg

 

[tdavis]

Originally posted by riffman
sure tom..you just want to be like me....hehe..next thing i know, you'll be gettin swampers too!!!! lol...anyhoo....

doubt that.. I'm staying with 35's and my MT/R's.

the answers to most of your questions are earlier in this post, but ill answer them for you anyway....to get a solid dana 44...you will need to go with a 1979 or before f-150 or a 78-79 bronco. personally, mine was narrowed 8" from the left side only. I had my axle shaft cut and butt welded...but now that i look back on it, that was a mistake...you can send the shaft to moser and have it cut and resplined for like 50 bucks i think. as far as the rear end goes, moser sells custom axle shafts for the rear with the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern, they are like 300 and i just found another brand that has them for like 280 and are supposed to flex, but not break or somthign wierd like that....anyway...if you have drums...you or a machine shop can redrill them for the correct bolt patter...and if you have discs...you may need new rotors..but im not certain on that information..

good luck dawg

Still not really answering the questions.. I've heard you can cut down the long side to fit an EB axle. Anyone done this?

Also, whois is this other brand? Comeon, don't keep it a secret. (Dutchman?)

Again, who has this in the rear, and what did you do with the drums/disks?

 

[tiessen]

I cut the R side of my axle 6 3/8" and fit a Heavy Duty (297x U-joint) EB R axle shaft in place. This way you keep 'stock' length axle shafts all around (in case you break one).

I used Dutchman axle in the rear. $300.

Someone should really do a write up on the solid swap...all these questions are being repeated....

Cheers

Dale

 

[Joe93]

I was searching the net and found a write up on a Dana 44 swap a guy did on his ranger. It is pretty helpful. Check it out it might help.http://www.therangerstation.com/solidaxleswap.html

 

[riffman]

yeah..dutchman was the other brand.....and read it again there big fella ....you can redrill the drums for the different bolt pattern so that the new axle shafts and the 5 on 5.5 pattern will fit.....thats what kampy did...he bought the axle shafts from moser and redrilled the drums....i don't know about discs....

 

[tiessen]

Ya, I redrilled the drums...but a smarter thing to do is buy the drums from a wrecked F150 or Bronco rear end with an 8.8". The backing plate is the same (Ie: bolt right up).

 

[tdavis]

Ok, a few more completely stupid questions:

What wheel offset/backspacing are you guys running? (please don't say 'standard'.. I have no idea what that is!)

Are you running a dropped pitman arm? I'm trying to figure out what to do with my Superrunner Steering (try to keep it, or remove it and sell it off..)

Found a d44 from a 79 Bronco, complete (everything is still there, hubs, calipers, rotors.. going for it this weekend).

I'll be doing this:

1) getting a 79 Bronco D44, with hubs, calipers, rotors, steering. I'm planning to include the mount point for that rod thing-a-ma-bob.. (can't remember what it's called).
2) getting the radius arms, and the frame mount points
3) sitting right next to it is a 94 F150. It has the 8.8", 5 on 5.5" rear end still. Is all I need is the drums from it? Or more? Backing plate? Take the whole brake assemblies?

4) ordering from dutchman/moser the rear 8.8" axles, with 5 on 5.5" pattern.
5) ordering a EB axle for the passenger side, to use when it's cut down.

6) trading the calipers in for rebuilts ones.
7) turning the rotors.
8) replace seals/bearings
9) regear to 4.56's
10) put an ARB in it.

The only thing I'm missing is the coil mount - I already have superlift 5.5" coils, so I'm going to reuse them, and I have the 5.5" SOA w/OME 2" springs in the rear. I think I can get the coil mounts made up easily - some guys are going nuts around here just thinking of an explorer/navajo with a solid axle front.

Am I missing anything? Can't wait to get this done!

 

[riffman]

Originally posted by tdavis
What wheel offset/backspacing are you guys running? (please don't say 'standard'.. I have no idea what that is!)

well tom..i got the standard offset...hehe...sorry..had to..but i don't know what the standard is either...i told the dude when i ordered them that i just want the standard offset and thats what he sent me. They seem to work fine for me.....

Are you running a dropped pitman arm? I'm trying to figure out what to do with my Superrunner Steering (try to keep it, or remove it and sell it off..)

I got the drop pitman for the superlift 5.5 kit....BUT the steering system i used is custom made to my measurements...so you may want to look into that setup.

4) ordering from dutchman/moser the rear 8.8" axles, with 5 on 5.5" pattern.

wanna orders some for me too????

10) put an ARB in it.

How bout mine???

 

[tdavis]

Originally posted by riffman
well tom..i got the standard offset...hehe...sorry..had to..but i don't know what the standard is either...i told the dude when i ordered them that i just want the standard offset and thats what he sent me. They seem to work fine for me.....

Ok, I'll remember that when I'm ordering new wheels.. "UH, yea, Riffman said get the standard offset.. What's that? Standard."..

I got the drop pitman for the superlift 5.5 kit....BUT the steering system i used is custom made to my measurements...so you may want to look into that setup.

Still got that, so I'll have to think about that.

wanna orders some for me too????

your willing to pay my standard markup?

How bout mine???

nope. it's mine, all mine!

 

[HIX]

FYI

Standard offset is 2.5 inches w/ the explorer stock ones being 3.5.

Or maybe it's backspacing..oh crap it's probably the same thing.

Anyway keep me posted on your swap...mine won't happen till the end of the summer and I want to know everything I can about it.

 

[NIGHTRANGER5.0]

track bar bracket

I'm planning to include the mount point for that rod thing-a-ma-bob.. (can't remember what it's called).

I'm assuming your talking about the track bar bracket that's on the driver side of frame. You most likely won't be able to use a stock bracket. That's a very easy bracket to make.

You will have to custom build that bracket. The track bar needs to be in relation to the drag link. So the stock track bar bracket probably won't do it. Just another thing to think about. Every swap i've seen they made a new one.