I've searched and can't find a definite answer. I have a '96 and am starting to tour the salvage yards for a D44 solid axle. What year and model is the best if I can find it? Thanks!!

If you could find a donor 78-79 Bronco or truck that would be the best. 77 have different steering and is not prefered. Past that you could get in to drum brakes, full time/no lockouts and other little differences. They will still work but might cause more problems.

If you could find a donor 78-79 Bronco or truck that would be the best.

Thanks, that answers one of my questions. Another one is, Can I still use the ABS if I go SAS?

Any ideas appreciated and sorry bout hijackin the post.

B.B.

Can I still use the ABS if I go SAS?

Any ideas appreciated and sorry bout hijackin the post.

B.B. Nope. ABS sucks offroad anyways, why else would there be write ups on installing a switch to turn it off???

Do an 8 lug-350 b/mc swap and really be able stop. With big tires you wont be locking them up as much anyways, with all that rotating mass and width.

you abs will be gone for good if you swap to a solid. I just unplugged everything and took out the bulb so I dont have to look at it.

I've heard some people are trying on the abs thingy on another forum.

If you want abs swap to a new style dana 60 with abs. then you can also use the sterling rear end.

Do an 8 lug-350 b/mc swap and really be able stop. With big tires you wont be locking them up as much anyways, with all that rotating mass and width.[/quote]

Not necessarily. I am one of those that did the 350 swap, and saw little to no gains what so ever. When i did my sas, I completely removed the 4wabs controller and bent all new brake lines. it is the shits off road, but nice to have on road. it is a scacrifice, but worth it.
As far as the axles, the best one to have is prolly the F250 front axle. From what i remember, the tubes are thicker. Of course the problem you would run into is leafs vs coils. so go 78/9. I may be selling my 79, completely rebuilt with an ARB with less than 1000 miles soon. ;)

I may be selling my 79, completely rebuilt with an ARB with less than 1000 miles soon. ;)

Muahahhahahah....

And are you plans a secret? :mrgreen:

How much are you going to sell yours for? ;)

(You just did the the 44 sas may i remind you... :shocked: )

:cheers:

well arent we both lucky Broncobob..... I wont get in the way of this one. Also no you didnt scare me cuz I didnt read your post till well after you wrote did I scare you??... ya shoulda waited lol!!

damn everyone trading in there 44s....screw that Im happy with mine, should be fine in my rig, at least it will stay in for more than a week!

no, I may have a line on an affordable 60, well see. I have warns and ctms sitting in my gargage, which cost about the same as this 60 I am hoping to get. Well see how it shakes out. Not sure what i would want for the 44. ARB's arent cheap.

I just scored a 78 solid front axle from a Bronco with the gear box and a rolling chase of a '66 F100. There is a solid front axle in this rolling chase. Only problems are it's the small tube housing and it has drum brakes on open knuckles. Does anyone know what year that would have come from and is anyone interested in buying it???????????? :cheers:

I just scored a 78 solid front axle from a Bronco with the gear box and a rolling chase of a '66 F100. There is a solid front axle in this rolling chase. Only problems are it's the small tube housing and it has drum brakes on open knuckles. Does anyone know what year that would have come from and is anyone interested in buying it???????????? :cheers:

Those are low pinion right?

No, they are both high pinion 44s. One has disc. (78) and the other has drum (year unknown)

Nope. ABS sucks offroad anyways, why else would there be write ups on installing a switch to turn it off???

I don't find my ABS bad at all off road. What kind of problems do you have?

B.B.

activation when going down steep hills causing you to not stop when you want to

No, they are both high pinion 44s. One has disc. (78) and the other has drum (year unknown)

I knew the 78/79 's were, didn't know the 66 was.

activation when going down steep hills causing you to not stop when you want to Yup Dustin and Raf is mainly where I got my info from, we had this discussion way back in the day. No ABS for me...

I got my front axle out of a 76 F-150. it is high pinion and is stronger than the 78/79 bronco axles.

Why do you think the 76 front end is any stronger. They are all Dana 44's, to my knowledge they never used heavier axle shafts or u-joints in different year F-150's.

Originally posted by SpareParts
Why do you think the 76 front end is any stronger. They are all Dana 44's, to my knowledge they never used heavier axle shafts or u-joints in different year F-150's.



frst off I do not have to think. I know so. Do some researching and you might just know the reasons why as well.

OK, so what is different? I didn't say this is the fact, I said I thought there was no difference. We are all on here to talk and learn, why do you have to be ignorant about it.

It's the housing that is stronger by design - the 76 axle has a 1/2" or 3/8" one peice tube, brackets are welded to the tube.
the 78/79 that everybody gets moist over has 3/8" or 1/4" tubes in a two piece design, there is no tubing underneath the cast radius arm brackets - its a piece of tube on one side and a piece of tube on the other side with nothing in the middle for about 4"
That is the reason I would recommend the 76-77 axles. all the other parts are the same, it's just the strength of the housing (it's hard to argue 1/2" tubes)

for further info read this http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html undoubtably the best D44 info around, some d60 info as well

Originally posted by Rockfrog
It's the housing that is stronger by design - the 76 axle has a 1/2" or 3/8" one peice tube, brackets are welded to the tube.
the 78/79 that everybody gets moist over has 3/8" or 1/4" tubes in a two piece design, there is no tubing underneath the cast radius arm brackets - its a piece of tube on one side and a piece of tube on the other side with nothing in the middle for about 4"
That is the reason I would recommend the 76-77 axles. all the other parts are the same, it's just the strength of the housing (it's hard to argue 1/2" tubes)

for further info read this http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html undoubtably the best D44 info around, some d60 info as well



yup. Thats why!

Originally posted by SpareParts
OK, so what is different? I didn't say this is the fact, I said I thought there was no difference. We are all on here to talk and learn, why do you have to be ignorant about it.



not ignorant about it. Just feel why should I just spit out all the information I know when someone can spend 5 minutes on a search and come up with it. Mr. N's article is the best dana 44 article your going to find. just think about that 1/2" tube on my axle compared to the 1/4" thick on a 78/79 axle. Thise would explain why so many of the 78/79's fail or bend.

Ya but Don, Drum brakes suck arse!!

Why not just use the 78/79 (That most people get moist about hehe) and use custom shafts like Warns or Yukon, and CTM Joints with the caps spot welded into the yoke.

I think that would be a pretty strong/durable set up, and you still have the luxury of disc brakes.

Just my 2 cents.

Originally posted by Beerman
Ya but Don, Drum brakes suck arse!!

Why not just use the 78/79 (That most people get moist about hehe) and use custom shafts like Warns or Yukon, and CTM Joints with the caps spot welded into the yoke.

I think that would be a pretty strong/durable set up, and you still have the luxury of disc brakes.

Just my 2 cents.



"In 1976 the axles coil mounting cast brackets were slightly changed.
The front passenger’s side was made with the Panhard bar attachment cast in to it.
Additionally 1976 was the first year Ford offered disk brakes as a standard option,
although several late 75's have been rumored to have disks.
This axle stayed the same for 1977 for the F100 and F150.
The 1976-year also saw the release of the 3.00 gear set in December.

dumbass.

and I quote
Additionally 1976 was the first year Ford offered disk brakes as a standard option,
although several late 75's have been rumored to have disks.

and again I recommend the 76-77.5 axle above all else

Originally posted by Rockfrog
and I quote


and again I recommend the 76-77.5 axle above all else




some folks just don't get it...

I did not know when the split was on the axles. I have heard they were different but didn't know how or to what extent. I did know that some had the welded on C bushing wedges but never thought about have a solid tube or just being cast into the housing.

However, I was talking about the strength of the shafts.

to my knowledge they never used heavier axle shafts or u-joints in different year F-150's.

I wasn't clear that you were taking about the housing, when most people talk about strength it's concerning axle shafts.

I got my front axle out of a 76 F-150. it is high pinion and is stronger than the 78/79 bronco axles.

go figure.....I gots me a 76-77.5 :goodfinge

yeah as far as the shafts go they are all pretty much the same (although the early closed knuckle drum brake axles used a 260x series u-joint instead of the later shafts 297x)

and here is the reason in visual Clarity. Courtesy of Mr.N and AndrewH as posted on BC4x4.
http://littlekeylime.com/MrN/mrnimages/dana4478-79axle_cut.jpg

OOps didnt see that, my bad.
Cool that it has discs.
I can see Jopes arguement now.:goodfinge

Oh and I also thought you were talking about the shafts as well which would explain me being a "dumbass" in my post.
Sorry, I wish I was a know it all like you jopes :goodfinge

Originally posted by NOBS!
go figure.....I gots me a 76-77.5 :goodfinge
Bastard:goodfinge

Originally posted by EvilBronc
Bastard:goodfinge So that means you'll be there to help with the trans after fishing?:goodfinge

Sure

Originally posted by NOBS!
go figure.....I gots me a 76-77.5 :goodfinge


daum. you did do something right.



as far as stronger shafts and U joints. Warns and CTM's

TTT

:shrug

I was basically just bumping this thread for our noob asking what axle he can use for a swap.
I was trying to get him to search and read think url
http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html

:banghead

So does all that information about axle tube dia. and what not also apply to the D60s of the time? I would've looked on the linked page myself, but it wouldn't load for me. :shrug

Not sure about the 60's

Here's a good link http://77cj.littlekeylime.com/web_rs44.html
if this one doesn't work then the site is down, try again later.

BTW - I just pulled my 76 axle apart .... 1/2" tubes!!!! :beer
also a little bit of whatever ... if you use the '80-'86 wheelhubs (not locks) you can use '80-'86 stubs with the '76-'79 spindles, etc ... (I have four sets of '80-'86 stubs and two sets of hubs, but only one set of '76 bits)

im doing a SAS swap with a 76 axle to the 80' what is the 76's stock gear ratio?