Will a Dana 44 with a 59.5" width work for a SAS on a '03 Sport Trac?

[MidnightRebel07]

Ok, so I can get a Dana 44 (said to be from a Wagoneer) with a narrow width of 59.5". I know Chad and others use a '87-91 Grand Wagoneer Dana 44 with width's of 62.5". My question is will this work and what year Waggy did it come from? The guy selling isn't sure what year it came from.

Here's a picture of the axle if it helps at all. Thanks in advanced...

And the kit I'll probably get to do the swap.

 

[OffTrac]

Off the top of my head, I was thinking ours was 63".

I'm trying not to get too far ahead of myself but I keep finding axles that I want to buy so bad and slowly build and do it right, but I need to keep my priorities straight and right now that's debt free and finishing grad school. Do a great SAS, write everything and take lots of pictures and I'll copy.

 

[DB_1]

It will work but i'd hold out for the wider version myself.

If you get the BOM number it will tell you everything about the axle:
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/Dana44.htm

 

[MidnightRebel07]

I found this one local for $100 obo or trade so I figured I'd find out if it would even work. I'm guessing it's too narrow though. A local junkyard has a '88 Grand Waggy I may just get everything from.

Trust me, with a 7 week old baby boy taking all my time I haven't really worked on the Trac except routine work. I really wanna find the time to build my steel rear bumper with swing out tire carrier so I can take my spare out of the, it takes up most of the bed, damn it.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Thanks DB, I 'll hold out and just get the wider axle from the '88 GW. Wider means better stability anyway.

 

[4x4junkie]

59.5" is stock width. Unless you were wanting it wider, I see no issues with it (it would match the 8.8" rear width perfect).

However I also do seem to recall the Waggy axles were somewhere closer to 62"... I'd get measurements off it before you buy it. Who knows, it might not be a Waggy axle at all.

(just guessing as your axle pic isn't working)

 

[OffTrac]

I found a '78 F150 axle for $100 nearby. I'm trying to resist getting it since I don't really have the time or money to undertake the full project right now and I don't like to let projects sit.

I think that's the axle I'm going to hold out for unless a JK axle or D60 comes along at a great price.

JMO, but hold out for a HP Jerry. They're not as hard to find as I originally thought and I'm finding them for prices similar to the Waggy and EB axles.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Thanks for the heads up Hugh. I've been looking around and seeing what I can find out there. I'd like to stick with a Waggy D44 because I don't wanna go full width axle and have it stick out so far I need to get the Hannigan 6" fiberglass fenders to cover them for Pa.'s clearence laws.

Since I sold my Show Truck everyone's been harrassing me about getting another project but I kepp telling them I have my nnext project already (my Sport Trac). I've been wanting to SAS, SOA it since I bought it and that's nearly six years ago, times a waisting.

Plus with a kid now founds and build time are limited so the Trac will be my build project until Matthew turns 6-7 years old and then I'll let him pick out a vehicle to build up ( father-son ) project, he'll pick out the color, drivetrain, etc...

 

[OffTrac]

I don't want full width, either. Gonna shorten it and run stock Waggy axle shafts.