dana 44 front axle ? would you guys use one ?

[1 locomotive]

got a deal on a dodge dana 44 front axle ,8 lug disk brakes !!

I would like to make my 2x2 club cab , execlent condition , into a 4x4 ? I know they have dana 60 fronts on ctd , but will the 44 take the weight of the cummins ? I only need the 4x4 to wheel when in snowy highway conditions !!! nuts hu !!

thanks guys

 

[Rman]

I would opt for the 60... but I certainly think a 44 would do the job. Parts are significantly cheaper for the 44. I had a D44 on my old 78 Ford 3/4 and it sure could take a beating. If you're just putting around and not seriously abusing your 4wd, I think the 44 would work just fine.



The weight of the engine perhaps may force ball joint replacement a little sooner than normal. Lets see if anyone else has any experience with this. Be sure and match the gears up with the rear.

 

[914x4ctd]

1locomotive,

you might also take into consideration the size of the front brakes. I am not sure about dodge but I do know on GM when you go from an 8lug d44 to a d60 the brake size increases. I also know fom expirience that the ball jts are not the strongest out there. But if you have stock front tires it should be ok. I would compare to the brakes that you currently have on the truck and measure up. Safety first. Yes it will bolt in fine. You will need the spring mounts off another truck and a 4x4 steering box.

 

[JFitzgerald]

I'd get a Dana 60. My thinking is that if Dodge thought they could have gotten away with a 44, they would have used it. Virtually any other 3/4 ton truck had a 44 or equivalent, but Dodge went with a 60 in the CTD trucks. Not sure if it was because of the engine weight, Cummins torque, or that they knew how a lot of folks would use/abuse these trucks... .

 

[Snow man]

a 44 wil be overloaded all the time,ESP if its a club cab. A reg cab might be on the edge,,but if its an excab no way would I do it. Its not worth the chance,IMO. Steering components should be sized for the job,the Cummins is a heavy beast,and the d60 is the only axle to use with it in this case.

 

[CumminsPower98]

I bought my truck wrecked and partly fixed. When I bought it I didn't notice that the guy had put a D44 under the front. I ran it like this for several months until I could get a D60 with no problems. The camber was bad on it though as the upper arms of the steering knuckles were bent in a little. The driver side was the worst but this was probably from an accident in a previous rig as the truck was not driven with this axle until I bought it. Like the others are saying it will work but if it was me I would go for a D60. Anyone need a complete D44 that needs work? haha I'm sure not.

 

["Mad Max"]

tough call...

The weight is the only issue I think you'd run in to. Curious, I'm not very familiar with the 8-lug 44's - I've only seen 60's with 8 lugs - Maybe the 44 you found is a heavier duty version? I'm positive that I would not have anything but a 60 under the front of my dually, but that's a 4-door, 20' long dually and there's a lot of extra stress on the ball joints because of weight and because the hub sticks out real far. On a 44 though... hard to say. I've beat on 44's under lots of big blocks in the past with great results. Of course a 440 weighs about 200 lbs less than a Cummins, but if you were not rock crawling a 44 might be okay. Maybe give Dynatrac in LA a call - they build custom axles all the time and could probably give you the weight specs on the 44 you found. If they say it'll hold up, there you go. Course you could always run the 44 until/if it breaks and then get a 60... ? I'm 99% sure both the 44 and 60 bolt up the same way and have the same yokes.

I sent a PM yer way also.

- Sam

 

[1 locomotive]

thanks guys

thanks guys !!!!

well I think a dana 60 is what it needs !!! gess I"m better off buying a 4x4 ctd ?? but I really like my 92

 

[MMiller]

If memory serves me right, the 44 front was rated at 3500# and the 60 is 4500#. Also remember that you could get a 440 in a 1/2 4X4 in the day, then add a snow plow package. 440+snowplow gotta be close to a cummins. So I will say it would handle the weight, if not four wheeled. I don't think it would handle the bouncing of the cummins. Ball joints are gonna be replaced often. I would have lots of reservations in the strength department axel shaft size. I used to run one in my 440 truck and couldn't keep spider gears in it. My buddy used to run a 44F in his ford with a 400 and couldn't keep axle shaft u joints in it. Granted we four wheel our trucks pretty hard, the torque the cummins puts down would shred these parts. Just slipping and sliding a little on a slick road and catching traction would tear it up quick.



Have a question. Does this dodge 44F have lockout hubs on it??

What kind does it have? Are they the external hubs or the internal hubs? Dodges in the '70's did not have lockouts. If this is a full time front end then I wouldn't want it at all, I think you would have lots of bearing problems.



Dodge dana 60 fronts are out there, just gotta hunt them up. Make sure you get one that is late model enough to have lock out hubs. I have an older one that was from a full time 4X4 truck. I have added the selectro hubs, but they are notoriously weak. I put the caps back on when I go pulling to keep from breaking the lock outs. I like the internal style lockouts alot better.



Michael. Have 3 Dodges and wife has 1 chevy, all with 60 fronts!!

 

["Mad Max"]

found an axle from 92

Found an ad for a 92 D60 front axle in Moparts.com - I'll pm you the info for the guy that has it.

- S