Dana 44 Tech

[shayzj]

Here is a pic of another axle that Clayton worked on himself. He just welds the hell out of it but he is an awesome welder and I am not. I do have some nickel rod and have been practicing on an old diff just to make myself a little more confident.

And here is a pic of the passenger side completed on the above axle not mine.

And here is a shot of my axle where I have just begun welding up the first part

Also I think he asks $399 for the brackets but I had a 20% off coupon, plus I have purchased all the rest of his goodies over the past 5 years so it was an easy choice for me.

Shay

 

[XJ_ranger]

Also I think he asks $399 for the brackets

that is what he quoted me for the brackets after i e-mailed him...

-Ranger

 

[cLAYH]

This is great TECH! And just in time. I'm currently narrowing a HPD44 from a '79 F250.

One question, how important is the groove in the spring bucket for the bottom of the coil spring? I'm planning to fab my own brackets and looking at that kit from Claytons I realived that I have no idea how to duplicate that. What have others done that have fabbed their own brackets?

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

And here is a shot of my axle where I have just begun welding up the first part

Also I think he asks $399 for the brackets but I had a 20% off coupon, plus I have purchased all the rest of his goodies over the past 5 years so it was an easy choice for me.

Shay[/QUOTE]

That looks like a real nice start! One thing about Claytons brackets is that they mount the control arms right behind the axle tube. It looks like the upper mounts are raised also. I'm not sure if the RE brackets mount the Lower Control Arms that high. Still, for $400, I'll build my own brackets...like I did!!

Jeff

 

[Jeepin Jason]

$399? Seriously? And it has no provisions for swaybar mounts or a steering stabilizer mount? And you have to weld to the diff housing itself? Man, if I was buying brackets, I think I'd save myself $20 and get the more complete RE kit.

 

[Jes]

Man, if I was buying brackets, I think I'd save myself $20 and get the more complete RE kit.

Or spend $20 in steel and make your own brackets.

 

[shayzj]

Oh well for what it is worth I finished welding up the axle yesterday and thought I would post some completed pics.

Shay

 

[Jeepin Jason]

what'd you do to the left side of the diff housing where the case leaf perch used to be???

 

[shayzj]

You have to cut most of it off for the spring perch and other mounts. Well with nothing to go buy I cut a little too much off and to feel safer I cut some 3in dia. pipe in half and welded it all back up to help support the area.

Shay

 

[trailxj]

$399? Seriously? And it has no provisions for swaybar mounts or a steering stabilizer mount? And you have to weld to the diff housing itself? Man, if I was buying brackets, I think I'd save myself $20 and get the more complete RE kit.

also, what about bump stops? with those coil mounts you have even less bump stop than stock??

 

[Jeepin Jason]

You have to cut most of it off for the spring perch and other mounts. Well with nothing to go buy I cut a little too much off and to feel safer I cut some 3in dia. pipe in half and welded it all back up to help support the area.

Shay

Interesting. On the waggy 44 I'm messing with, the brackets on that side were just welded directly to the diff housing (not by me though).

 

[shayzj]

Yea you are right no bumpstops, no swaybar mounts ( I will make some), no steering stabilizer mount( I don't run one anyway) It will all work out.

I would have welded to the perch if I had to but that is not how he designed the kit and I went by what Clayton said so we will just have to wait and see how it works out. All I know is that I have seen two of these kits on waggy 44's and both have been beat on VERY hard so I will just keep my fingers crossed.

Shay

 

[Jeepin Jason]

so Clayton recommended cutting off that section of the diff housing? Assuming there's enough tube left in the housing end to be strong enough, that would certainly simplify things a LOT when putting the brackets on on that side.

 

[shayzj]

Yes that is the way he does it and it works well for his major abuse!

Shay

 

[hjeepxj]

BTT

AND, I have been doing some research on EB 44s....Right length, good coil mounting positions, welded wedges...

2 Cons: 260s and Drums...

But both are easy fixes!

More info here:

http://www.colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=31448

 

[BillR]

BTT

AND, I have been doing some research on EB 44s....Right length, good coil mounting positions, welded wedges...

2 Cons: 260s and Drums...

But both are easy fixes!

More info here:

http://www.colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=31448

You forgot LP Andrew... :wave:

 

[hjeepxj]

You forgot LP Andrew... :wave:

Dang. :laugh:

Still like doing a waggy axle I guess. :wierd:

 

[BillR]

Dang. :laugh:

Still like doing a waggy axle I guess. :wierd:

Yeah...
I really don't think a LP axle's a huge deal with manual hubs. You're only using the front axle when wheeling, so freeway vibes are a non-issue.
I'm not sure how much of an "upgrade" a LP 44 is from a HP30 though.

 

[Gil BullyKatz]

IIRC using an early bronco 44 will place the diff quite a few inches closer to center as well...

Exhaust issues I think...

 

[HTeK]

I'm not sure how much of an "upgrade" a LP 44 is from a HP30 though.

-lockout hubs
-serviceable hub bearings
-Bigger ball joints
-Stronger axle housing
-larger axleshafts

While you may not consider that an "upgrade" of any sort, i do

While I have heard speculation that HP30 & LP44 gearsets are essentially the same strength, i'm not smart enough to make any claims.

-jm