2500 with Dana 44 up front???

[CumminsPower98]

I just bought a '98 2500 Diesel and it looks like it has the Dana 44/1500 axle up front! Does anyone know what the story is on this? I thought all 2500's had the Dana 60. I don't see how it can be a light duty truck because it has the Dana 80 rear and over load springs. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Mark

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Red '98 12valve 2500 4X4 Quad Cab, Long Bed, SLT, 5-spd Manual, 3. 54, Dana 80 Rear,Camper/Town pkg, 33x12. 50x16. 5, Yet to be Bombed.

 

[Hogan]

Originally posted by CumminsPower98:
I just bought a '98 2500 Diesel and it looks like it has the Dana 44/1500 axle up front! Does anyone know what the story is on this? I thought all 2500's had the Dana 60. I don't see how it can be a light duty truck because it has the Dana 80 rear and over load springs. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Mark

What makes you think it's a D44? It should say right on the center section, in the webbing, "60". A Dana 44 would have "44" in the webbing. A 44 would also look very small up there. #ad



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'97 2500 CC SLT 4x2, B5. 9, NV4500HD, 3. 54s, slid torque plate, no silencer ring
'98 Jeep Cherokee
'47 Willys CJ-2A, 302 v8, auto, 5. 38s, locked and ready to ROCK.

 

[CumminsPower98]

Hogan, it's for sure a Dana 44 as far as I can tell. I have a cousin and a friend who both have 2500's with the Cummins and their front axles look much larger. The pumpkin and the steering knuckles are smaller on mine. The front webbing has the number 4255 and the rear webbing has the number 44952. This is a wrecked truck I got but is mostly fixed. It does not look like, judgeing by the bolts and such, that the front axle has been changed. The online specs I have looked at do not show a Dana 44 in the front for this truck. I'm not pleased with this at all!

 

[MikeR]

If you're sure that it's a D44,then someone swapped it in be cause 2500's and 3500's came from the factory only with the D60. The D44 was only on 1/2 Dodges. Sounds like the truck was wrecked more than once,or you might want to check the VIN# to be sure the truck started life as a factory built 4x4.

-Mike

 

[Hogan]

Originally posted by CumminsPower98:
Hogan, it's for sure a Dana 44 as far as I can tell. I have a cousin and a friend who both have 2500's with the Cummins and their front axles look much larger. The pumpkin and the steering knuckles are smaller on mine. The front webbing has the number 4255 and the rear webbing has the number 44952. This is a wrecked truck I got but is mostly fixed. It does not look like, judgeing by the bolts and such, that the front axle has been changed. The online specs I have looked at do not show a Dana 44 in the front for this truck. I'm not pleased with this at all!

Heck, how many lug nuts does the front axle have? A Dana44 won't have 8 like the 3/4 and 1 ton axles, unless someone took the time to do an 8-lug conversion.

Did you buy it from a dealer or private party or... ? Is it a salvage title? Might be time to start planning a court case if whoever sold it to you won't take it back or make it right, depending on what you want. I don't know if you want to give it back if you can, but you could probably make it an issue of safety. Wouldn't be too great to have that axle break under load and end up getting in an accident and hurting/killing people because someone was a cheap ******* that put improper equipment on the vehicle and sold it that way.


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'97 2500 CC SLT 4x2, B5. 9, NV4500HD, 3. 54s, slid torque plate, no silencer ring
'98 Jeep Cherokee
'47 Willys CJ-2A, 302 v8, auto, 5. 38s, locked and ready to ROCK.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

CumminsPower98

That sure is odd. Check how many lug nuts you have on the front rotors like Hogan said.

Take some pictures and post them if you can.

DANA 44
9-3/8"
10 HOLES
OVAL Gasket Pattern

#ad



DANA 60
10-3/4 X 11-1/2"
10 HOLES
OVAL Gasket Pattern
#ad



Keep us posted !

[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 02-26-2001). ]

 

[CumminsPower98]

Ok, I have been doing some checking and I'm almost 100% sure I have a D44. The cover looks more like the top pic you have here and the measurment looks about right. It does have 8 lugs and I checked the VIN to be sure it is a factory 4x4, which it is. #ad
I bought the truck from a private party with a deal license who fixes wrecks as a hobby (retired guy). I need to talk to him when he gets back home next week and find out what he knows about this. I will not be happy until I have a D60 up there, hope he makes me a deal!! Thanks everyone for your input. I will let you all know what comes of this.

Mark

Originally posted by HEMI®Dart:
CumminsPower98

That sure is odd. Check how many lug nuts you have on the front rotors like Hogan said.

Take some pictures and post them if you can.

DANA 44
9-3/8"
10 HOLES
OVAL Gasket Pattern

#ad



DANA 60
10-3/4 X 11-1/2"
10 HOLES
OVAL Gasket Pattern
#ad



Keep us posted !

[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 02-26-2001). ]

 

[Missouri Mule]

What axle or dif. did they put in the regular 2500's? I believe that they quit making the reg 2500 in 98 or soon after and kept the Heavy Duty 2500 only.
The reg 2500 has only 5 lugs. Don't recall what dif. Should be in service manual or advertising brochure. ( Don't have mine with me right now. )

What I have read on the axle disconnects/connects the axles are the same size for Dana 44 and Dana 60.
The Dana 44 and Dana 60 in the First Generation with locking hubs were sized right. That is the Dana 60 axle was larger than the Dana 44.

If you have Dana 44 instead of Dana 60 they mite have used reg 2500 dif. /axle set up.
With out even knowing it.
When I was getting new wheels put on my truck they sent over 5 lug wheels. I tried to tell them before it was a HD 2500 (wrong lug nuts too).

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Bill Thomas
Missouri Mule - 96 Wht 4X4 ST CC,5 spd, 3. 54, 8 ft bed, 1 ft high cheater boards.
99 Freightliner bl/wht FL60 ISB-5. 9 24v,215 hp,520 tq,6 spd, 3. 59 nsr,16 ft box, 19. 5 tires,Wt/gvw 11,000/23000

 

[roycrown]

Not sure about about W-250's and/or non HD 2500's from the 90's, but I have 2 freinds, one with '81 W-250, one with '85 W-250. Both have Dana 44 front axles with 8 bolt wheels.

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'99 2500 ST 4X4, 5spd. , 3. 54, black/drftwood, camper pkg. , carpeting, rear slider, air dam, DC diamond plate running boards and rear flaps, Jacobs E-brake, Draw-Tite reciever, Tekonsha Voyager, 2wd Lo Kit.

 

[DBR]

The first Dodge I owned was a 95 3/4 Light Duty 4X4. The front axle was a Dana 44 with 8 lug rotors. The back axle was a Chrysler 9. 25. The truck could possibly have this axle in the front, if it is a rebuilt. You could check the brake rotors to see if the size is different between the HD and LD 2500, I know the brake pads were different.

 

[illflem]

Didn't the gasser 2500 4Xs come with a 44? Could it be the Cummins is a transplant?

 

[CumminsPower98]

It came with the Cummins, I know because I have the VIN decoding printout here. I need to call up the dealer and see if they can give me a list of options from the VIN and find out what axle this truck came from the factory with. As it sets the steering knuckls are bent a little (more on the left side) from an accident, I asume, so it has negatite camber. I can't even put my new tires on until this is fixed. #ad
#ad
I did see some specs online where in '94 and '95 the light duty 2500's had the D44 axle. But this is a '98 and I don't think it's light duty. My next move is to calle a dealer.

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Red '98 12valve 2500 4X4 Quad Cab, Long Bed, SLT, 5-spd Manual, 3. 54, Dana 80 Rear,Camper/Town pkg, 33x12. 50x16. 5, Yet to be Bombed.

 

[Jff24Gordn]

I do not believe you can get a 2500LD with a cummins. It has to be a heavy duty.

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1996 2500, 4x4, 5 speed
-- email address removed -- Great Lakes TDR
PURDUE STUDENT 
GO BOILERS

 

[Missouri Mule]

The regular 2500 had light duty gassers(same as 1500) but naturally the diesel and v-10 were heavy duty 2500 but you could get a heavy duty 5. 9 gasser in the HD 2500 also.

If you have Dana 44 they got it off of a regular 2500 or 1500. Remember axle sizes are the same.

CumminsPower98 did you check the label on front of hood? It would list oringinal options. Also looking at 96 service manual ID tags in different place and picture shows that a Dana 60 has a raised fill plug the D44 doesn't.

 

[CumminsPower98]

Well I thank all of you for your input on this. I'm pretty sure as I look at the bolts and other parts under there that the axle was swapted out because of the wreck. The part that burns me up is why they would put in a D44 in the place of a D60 and a bent one at that! #ad
I will be talking to the seller as soon as he gets back home next week to see what he did and why. Missouri Mule, I have no sticker on my hood because it was replaced also. The seller should still have the original hood at the shop so I need to look at it.

Other then this axle problem I think I got a great truck and I'm very happy so far. #ad
#ad
#ad
Can't wait to get the $$$ to start bombing. #ad



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Red '98 12valve 2500 4X4 Quad Cab, Long Bed, SLT, 5-spd Manual, 3. 54, Dana 80 Rear,Camper/Town pkg, 33x12. 50x16. 5, Yet to be Bombed.

 

[illflem]

Mark,He probably used a 44 because they are easier to come by,it won't handle the weight of a Cummins though.

I spent the night in Moab about a month ago,saw a quite a few CTD Rams driving though town,looked like dealer even had a few,pretty good for a town that size. It was the coldest that night that I ever started my rig without the block heater,-4,two tries and lots of smoke but she went. Beautiful area you live in.

 

[CumminsPower98]

Well I now have more information on this crazy axle deal. I talked to the guy I bought the truck from and he said he had not changed the axle out. He didn't even know there was a problem. I ran the VIN number today and got a list of options and it did come with a Dana 60F. I just knew it was wrong. So now I need to figure out how to get an axle without spending a pile of money. Thanks again everyone for all the input.

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Red '98 12valve 2500 4X4 Quad Cab, Long Bed, SLT, 5-spd Manual, 3. 54, Dana 80 Rear,Camper/Town pkg, 33x12. 50x16. 5, straight piped, silencer ring hanging in shop, Yet to be Bombed.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

CumminsPower98

What a mess.

I don't think YOU need to be putting the correct front differential back on your new truck and paying for it out of your pocket.

If he claims he didn't swap differential's you may need to start back-tracking the title. Who owned it when, ect. I think he's full of it.

I agree with illflem. I would think the Dana 44 in you truck is now OVERLOADED because of the weight of the Cummins engine. In other words the differental is now supporting more weight than it was designed to. This could be a NTSB, NHTSA or D. O. T safety issue.

Your '98 2500 4x4 w/ Dana 60 Front diff has a GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) of 8,800 lbs. The Dana 44 is used on '98 1500 4x4 Rams with a 6,400 lbs GVWR.

Also the '98 Dana 60 front diff has a GAWR (gross axle weight rating) of 4850 lbs. The '98 Dana 44 front diff has a GAWR of 3850 lbs.



[This message has been edited by HEMI®Dart (edited 03-06-2001). ]

 

[Missouri Mule]

My younger brother had problem like this. Bought Topaz 4,000 miles 4 monts old traded in for small pickup. Bad vibration in back. Took to dealer he bought it from they aligned it. Still vibration, took it to Ford to check out alignment the tech walk out laughing. Took it to independent alignment dealer the tech came out laughing. Car had been in major accident frame bent and one foot of front bumber missing. My brother got selling dealer to pay for straightening of frame.

 

[DMC]

While your going thru the axle thing you should check to see if you have the correct transfer case. You can go to any Dodge dealer and get the build sheet from the complete vin # and any history of repairs performed at any authorized Dodge dealer.
Just my . 02.

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D McGrady 1996 Club Cab 6BTA 5. 9 12 Valve All Stock Except K&N and Wrangler A/T 305/70/16 136 K and going strong.