Full Width Axles Under a YJ - how wide is too wide?

89YJBuilder · Apr 6, 2016

I'm running 76 hp 44 and 85 9" with 17x10 4.75 back space Toyo 35-12.5-17s Flares are MCE 6". Pic was during install so obviously not finished.

Louie4 · Apr 9, 2016

14Sport said:
I'll just leave this over here...

Wouldn't try to park it downtown but props for being able to go more than 10 feet without breaking sh*t. And outer left rear just waiting on tax return.

It's in Florida...figures.

GrantYJ · Apr 10, 2016

Louie4 said:
It's in Florida...figures.

I detest mud, but since driving over parking blocks is the closest they can get to rock crawling, they should probably get a pass ...sort of.

Anyway, my intention is to nab the first D44 from '73-'75 F150 I run across, thow 8 lug outers from a TTB 44, and pair it to a 14 bolt rear. Around here D44s from '78-'79 F250s on CL last hours, not days if they're even close to a reasonable price (i.e. less than $800). 14 bolts are dirt cheap. My intention is to run full width, but I'd like to talk to someone (anyone) who's run a setup like this SUA. I don't want to go SOA. I'll be running 37s with stock height waggy springs (oriented to stretch both ends), a little bit of extra shackle, and a 1 1/4" body). That combo (minus the waggy springs) combined with tube fenders and a little trimming out back is allowing me to run 35s now with no rubbing. The waggy springs' extra height should be plenty to compensate for the jump to 37s.

I won't be moving away from the D30/8.8 until I do my drivetrain swap (which will probably be a couple of years out), so I should have plenty of time to find a front axle.

StanF · Apr 13, 2016

What Locking Hub is everyone using with their F150 Dana 44s?

I've got two pairs of old used hubs - a set from Ford (red plastic actuator) that look very beefy inside. (this is a web picture - not my parts)

And another set that looks like they're from Warn (but not marked Warn) with a black plastic actuator. (this is a web picture - not my parts)

Any thoughts on my existing locking hubs? They look all functional, but o-rings are old, plastic looks aged, etc.

I value reliability, so I was considering a new pair - Warn Std, Warn Premium, Superwinch, Mile Marker, etc. I don't want to be the guy holding up 10 Jeeps while I swap out a broken hub :smile2:

And, yes, I'll carry hub spares when off-road.:highfive:

Luke95 · Apr 13, 2016

StanF said:
What Locking Hub is everyone using with their F150 Dana 44s?

I've got two pairs of old used hubs - a set from Ford (red plastic actuator) that look very beefy inside. (this is a web picture - not my parts)

And another set that looks like they're from Warn (but not marked Warn) with a black plastic actuator. (this is a web picture - not my parts)

Any thoughts on my existing locking hubs? They look all functional, but o-rings are old, plastic looks aged, etc.

I value reliability, so I was considering a new pair - Warn Std, Warn Premium, Superwinch, Mile Marker, etc. I don't want to be the guy holding up 10 Jeeps while I swap out a broken hub :smile2:

And, yes, I'll carry hub spares when off-road.:highfive:

I ran warn premiums in my 76 Dana 44 and it worked but I kept on popping them getting stupid on 35s.
For example get it bound up and dump the skinny pedal and within 15 seconds I'd hear the distinctive crack and pop

StanF · Apr 13, 2016

Luke95 said:
I ran warn premiums in my 76 Dana 44 and it worked but I kept on popping them getting stupid on 35s.
For example get it bound up and dump the skinny pedal and within 15 seconds I'd hear the distinctive crack and pop

It's kind of nice to have a weak point, so you don't break something more expensive and more difficult to replace. But that's still about $65 every time you hear the "crack and pop"

Luke95 · Apr 13, 2016

StanF said:
It's kind of nice to have a weak point, so you don't break something more expensive and more difficult to replace. But that's still about $65 every time you hear the "crack and pop"

Honestly I would skip a 44 for the work go sixty. I had a 44 and won't do it again.

instg8tor · Apr 13, 2016

StanF said:
What Locking Hub is everyone using with their F150 Dana 44s?

I've got two pairs of old used hubs - a set from Ford (red plastic actuator) that look very beefy inside. (this is a web picture - not my parts)

And another set that looks like they're from Warn (but not marked Warn) with a black plastic actuator. (this is a web picture - not my parts)

Any thoughts on my existing locking hubs? They look all functional, but o-rings are old, plastic looks aged, etc.

I value reliability, so I was considering a new pair - Warn Std, Warn Premium, Superwinch, Mile Marker, etc. I don't want to be the guy holding up 10 Jeeps while I swap out a broken hub :smile2:

And, yes, I'll carry hub spares when off-road.:highfive:

Those look like the warns i've got on my waggy 44. Maybe Ford slapped their name on the hubs?

89YJBuilder · Apr 15, 2016

Standard Warns. I rather replace a hub fuse on the trail than just about any other part. Uh well since I can't see how I would break a distributor rotor. The difference between the standard and premium is only the knob as far as I can tell.

StanF · Apr 21, 2016

I'm making some progress...brackets getting removed and housing getting ready for paint.
(I'm just painting everything for now, and I'll grind the paint where needed for perches and shock mounts)

All the outer stuff (knuckles, spindles, hubs, etc) is ready - new bearings and seals and cleaned and/or painted, so it will come together very quickly after painting. I saved some money and purchased a Lock Right lunchbox locker - I think it'll work fine with the locking hubs. I would rather have another ARB in the front, but funds aren't unlimited. I did spring for a set of Ten Factory chromoly shafts.

Also, I picked up a cheap F150 8.8 for the rear:

I'll swap my existing ARB/gears from my Explorer 8.8 into the new axle, which should be easy. And I'm hoping that the large drum brakes will give me a better E-brake. Those little Explorer drum brakes don't hold very well.
Edit: to answer an earlier question - the F150 8.8s are 31 spline, so no problem there.

89YJBuilder · Apr 21, 2016

If you swap in an 86 E-350 master cylinder it will help dramatically with the braking. Does nothing for parking brake of course.

StanF · Apr 24, 2016

More progress...new ball joints and knuckles installed. Ball joints were no fun, but finally got them installed with an extra set of hands.

Next up are the axle seals and pinion seal, and lunchbox locker install. I ordered a diff cover from Barnett Performance, and hopefully that will be here soon. http://barnettperformance.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=956

I also started looking into steering - it looks like I will have to ream out the knuckles and pitman arm to accept Chevy TREs.

timatoe · Apr 24, 2016

StanF said:
I also started looking into steering - it looks like I will have to ream out the knuckles and pitman arm to accept Chevy TREs.

Double check on that before you start reaming. I didn't use 150 knuckles like you, but the 250 knuckles were already tapered correctly, I however grabbed the pitman TRE and test fitted (which is way deeper) and started reaming to fit before I realized I had the wrong part in hand. Had to use the Ruff Stuff tapered fittings on that side. (That's what I used on my D30 with no issue though if you don't wanna spend the money on a reamer)

StanF · Apr 25, 2016

timatoe said:
Double check on that before you start reaming. I didn't use 150 knuckles like you, but the 250 knuckles were already tapered correctly, I however grabbed the pitman TRE and test fitted (which is way deeper) and started reaming to fit before I realized I had the wrong part in hand. Had to use the Ruff Stuff tapered fittings on that side. (That's what I used on my D30 with no issue though if you don't wanna spend the money on a reamer)

Thanks for the tip - I'll investigate fully before cutting any metal. I have the F250 tie rod and drag link, so I'll start with them, see if they fit the F150 knuckles, etc. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the F150 steering components. I'm planning to just spend the money on a reamer, and would rather not use the inserts. :cheers2:

AZdEvilYJ · Apr 29, 2016

opCorn: Along for the ride!

StanF · Apr 29, 2016

AZdEvilYJ said:
opCorn: Along for the ride!

Welcome aboard! :cheers2:

No new pictures this week, as my hands were too dirty. But I was busy this week:

I removed the carrier and disassembled everything. I found some metal chunks and lots of metal flakes. The carrier also didn't have the right preload on the bearings - the carrier would move side to side about .020". However, the gears and bearings look good - there's no obvious damage. Who knows what happened, but it looks like some poor repairs were made in the past - poor cleaning and improper gear setup.

In any case, I'm going to do a full gear setup with new 4.88 gears, and all new bearings, of course. And I have a line on a used Detroit locker for a good price, which I will probably use instead of a lunchbox locker in the original carrier.

I also cleaned 37 years of gunk and grime out of the tubes. Yuck...

I have all the parts and should have the gear setup done up this weekend.:highfive:

StanF · Apr 30, 2016

Here's the biggest piece of metal:

It doesn't appear to have come from the existing gears or bearings:

StanF · Apr 30, 2016

More weirdness, as I dissect this axle...why would someone slather blue RTV all over the yoke and splines? Leaking oil up through the splines? Is that a common issue with Dana 44s?

jcourt667 · Apr 30, 2016

StanF said:
More weirdness, as I dissect this axle...why would someone slather blue RTV all over the yoke and splines? Leaking oil up through the splines? Is that a common issue with Dana 44s?

Ive got dana 60s and remember my original yokes did have some sort of sealant on the ends of the splines, under the nuts. But, shortly after I set my axles up and buttoned them all up, I read somewhere that a coating of rtv on the splines was needed to seal them up. I missed that step and wasn't taking the pinion nuts off for rtv. I was thinking the pinion nut and washer torqued with a all I had with a 3 foot cheater bar should do enough sealing. I would have to say it wouldn't hurt to put on some rtv, BEFORE assembly.

Funny, the more I type the more I'm realizing I probably need to do this forgotten step. For what it's worth, I have zero leaks.

timatoe · Apr 30, 2016

That may be it. I've never seen it and when I replaced the yoke on mine, I didn't come across anything recommending RTV. BTW, if you should ever need to replace that yoke, Bronco Graveyard has a "Trail Repair Kit" with the yoke, washer, nut, pinion seal, u-joint and strap kit for about $90 which is considerably cheaper than buying those things individually.

Full Width Axles Under a YJ - how wide is too wide?

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