I will use this thread as my TODO list as well, so pardon the 800 lines of things to do.
Details:
HP Dana 44 from a '78 F150:
CAGE extended radius arms
4.88 gears
Superflex 5.5" lift springs
Thunderbird calipers
Center drop brake lines
CAGE 14" travel shocks
Parts Acquisition:
'78 F150 D44HP - Purchased
'78 F150 Coil Buckets and Retainers - Purchased
'78 F150 Coil Cups and Retainers - Purchased
Inner Axle Seals - Purchased
Ball Joints - Purchased
New Diff Cover Bolts - Purchased
Pinion Nut and Washer - Purchased
Spicer Axle Shaft Ujoints - Purchased
Wheel Bearings Races and Seals - Purchased
Spindle bearings and seals - Purchased
Diff cover gasket - Purchased
D44 Reverse Rotation 4.88 gears - Purchased from muddinBronc
D44 Gear Install Kit - Purchased from muddinBronc
D44 Open Carrier for 3.93 and up ratios - Purchased from william_ace
8.8 4.88 gears - Purchased from ericautopart
8.8 Gear Install Kit - Purchased from ericautopart
F250 Upper Shock Mounts - Purchased
CAGE radius arms - Purchased from GearHead
Superflex 6" Coils - Purchased
One brake rotor (Already had one new one) - Purchased
Brake pads - Purchased
New caliper mounting hardware - Purchased
'79 Thunderbird calipers - Purchased
Thunderbird caliper banjo bolts - Purchased
Brake hose/line - Purchased
F350 Steering - Purchased
Superlift Trac bar - Purchased from broncomania
Stock pitman arm - Purchased
Gear install Front - Purchased
Gear install Rear - Purchased
New Front Shocks - Purchased
Miscellaneous Steel - Purchased
Miscellaneous Hardware - Purchased
To Do:
Disassemble axle - Done
Clean and paint axle - Done
Clean and paint caliper mounts - Done
Clean and paint knuckles - Done
Clean and paint coil buckets - Done
Clean and paint spindles - Done
Press out axle shaft u-joints - Done
Clean and paint axle shafts - Done
Press in new axle shaft u-joints - Done
Clean and paint coil cups - Done
Replace ball joints - Done
Replace axle shaft inner seals - Done
Have gears installed in front axle - Done
Have gears installed in rear axle - Done
Install knuckles - Done
Install caliper mount - Done
Install axle shafts - Done
Press out old spindle bearings - Done
Install new spindle bearings - Done
Install spindle - Done
Clean and paint radius arms - Done
Remove hubs, wheel studs, lockouts from TTB - Done
Install wheel bearings, seals, hubs, rotors - Done
Install radius arms, and coil caps - Done
Install coils - Done
Bend/install axle center drop brake line - Done
Remove TTB components - Done
Grind off TTB coil buckets - Done
Grind off TTB crossmember - Done
Bend power steering lines up 90* - Done
Re-install power steering cooler - Done
Measure and install '78 coil buckets - Done
Measure drill, and bolt up radius arm mounts - Done
Build tranny x-member - Done
Install tranny x-member - Done
Build upper trac-bar mount - Done
Install upper trac-bar mount - Done
Install trac-bar - Done
Install tie rod and drag link - Done
Install upper shock mounts - Done
Install shocks - Done
Measure and install bump stops - Not Done
Install wheels and driveshaft - Done
Add fluid - Done
Install brakes - Done
Bleed brakes - Done
Bleed power steering - Done
Professional alignment - Not Done
Wheel the piss out of the new axle - Not Done
Pictures of it as it sat:
Yanked it out:
Teardown and Cleanup:
ICK! I was hoping I could get away with regearing later, but looks like I'll have to replace the carrier bearings anyways.
Questions:
In some of the above pics you can see the stock tracbar and mount, is the frame so different that this is unusable for the bronco with a lift? I'd assume so as it's not adjustable.
I don't figure there is any way I can really get away with regearing later after you've seen the axle tubes and diff housing eh?
The gears threw a wrench in my budget, is it a big change to run stock radius arms until some cage or duff one's fit the budget? Will the flex SEVERELY suffer without them?
gear recommendations, for 35" tires, possibly up to 37"s maximum (I won't be locking the axle) I was thinking 4.88s
More to come, I'm very tired so I'll clean this post up some tomorrow.
By the looks of the diff housing I'll need to replace the carrier bearings, if I do that I'll have to pay someone to set the gears back up anyways, so it seems smarter to only pay them once.
Good question. Me personally, id stop right now, and start saving up again so you can do it all at once. Going from stock arms to extended arms will mean making two radius arm xmembers, which could mean lots of rework to that plus your trans mount if you dont design them carefully.
Unless the rust is really severe, id lightly scotchbrite all the gears to remove the surface rust from the teeth, and give the bearings a good cleaning in mineral spirits. this is a front axle we're talking about, its not going to be spinning every single day, only when youre puttin around offroad. This way you can get the radius arms set up properly NOW so you dont have to redesign your suspension twice. You can always rebuild the axle later, itll just be a little more work since itll be under the truck, which is why i still say to wait to do the SAS until youve got everything you need. Ths isnt a race to see who can do it first or fastest. Take the time, and do it right once.
I wouldn't say it's shot but it sure sounds like it is getting close. The whole front end feels loose, I'm sure it just needs a little TLC but I'd rather put the work into the solid axle than the TTB.
A couple of things to think about here. Like stang and rep have both told you. Take your time here it's not a race. Get on some local boards and find some stuff there. I found a guy with 4.56 gears for an 8.8 for 50 bucks NEW in box. And to have someone install them while it's not in the truck shouldn't cost you much at all. Maybe $150 if that. Take your time shop around. You'll find what you need.
actually clean everything. i think it might not be as bad as you think. plus if you are gunna ditch the gears and bearings anyway why not run it till those parts are really gone. that way you can enjoy it in the mean time. like you were planning and not have to rework everything.
Stupid TREs. One isnt in the taper anymore so when i turn the nut, the entire bolt head spins inside the TRE... I was hoping to save as much of the steering as possible just in case, but liiks like it might meet the cutting wheel here in a few minutes.
Stupid TREs. One isnt in the taper anymore so when i turn the nut, the entire bolt head spins inside the TRE... I was hoping to save as much of the steering as possible just in case, but liiks like it might meet the cutting wheel here in a few minutes.
With that much rust, I wouldn't save the tre's. Get new ford style or go with the chevy TRE's(better and stronger). Last thing you want is to go thru the time and expense of a SAS. Then have the whole thing damaged because a old worn out TRE let go going down the interstate.
nah i agree, i meant because the steering doesnt have removable TREs (aftermarket) I'd like to find matching ones I could weld in, but its done now, dremel tool ftw.
I recall reading I could reuse TTB calipers, rotors and hubs, is this correct? I dropped a hub and bent it, and the calipers seem to mount differently than I recall the TTB ones mounting.
My pinion is loose, like I can pull on the yoke and the gears lock up, seems the (backlash?) needs to be set, so I will have to pay to have gears set up anyways yes? I don't want to do gears myself, absolutely zero prior experience
I recall reading I could reuse TTB calipers, rotors and hubs, is this correct? I dropped a hub and bent it, and the calipers seem to mount differently than I recall the TTB ones mounting.
My pinion is loose, like I can pull on the yoke and the gears lock up, seems the (backlash?) needs to be set, so I will have to pay to have gears set up anyways yes? I don't want to do gears myself, absolutely zero prior experience
holy shit you bent a hub dropping it? what the hell did you drop it off. ive never messed around with d44 hubs tho so i guess is possible :goodfinge
thats not the backlash, that would simply be that the pinion nut is not tight enough meaning that the preload is not set. might as well get them installed cause thats a serious issue that has to be addressed and theyll take care of it for you. :thumbup
EDIT: i reread this, can you better decsribe whats wrong with the pinion, like are you turning the yoke and the then the gears mesh? or are you pulling the yoke and the yoke is sliding up the the splines of the pinion?
If i just turn the yoke it catches and wont turn, but i can push the yoke INTO the case and it engages and turns freely. I went ahead and pulled the carrier out, better safe than sorry, and found the round sheetmetal thing behind the pinion gear all chewed up and bent. I dont have a socket big enough for the nut that holds the yoke on, anyone recall what size it is?
Also do I need a special tool to pull the tube seals, they're shot.
yeah as far as the hub goes, i wasn't very smart, I pulled the caliper off AFTER I had taken the spindle nuts off, so when i yanked the caliper off it slid off and hit the ground, bent the hub not the rotor.
Oh one more thing, I looked up the BOM, and it says they're 3.50 gears, would that be a no-go with my 3.55 rear anyways?
If i just turn the yoke it catches and wont turn, but i can push the yoke INTO the case and it engages and turns freely. I went ahead and pulled the carrier out, better safe than sorry, and found the round sheetmetal thing behind the pinion gear all chewed up and bent. I dont have a socket big enough for the nut that holds the yoke on, anyone recall what size it is?
Also do I need a special tool to pull the tube seals, they're shot.
on the trackbar, someone once mentioned an idea I like, and so I just went out and measured my stock trackbar and my current DOM setup...they are both exactly 36". So the idea is to take the upper part of the bar and cut that poly ring off. Then drill a hole in the bar and tap it for the 3/4" male heim. Now you have an adustable tracbar that is even clearenced for the diff (if you plan to use the stock lower location). And the current thing is that folks seem to like a heim at only one end, so this gives you poly lower and heim upper.
on the trackbar, someone once mentioned an idea I like, and so I just went out and measured my stock trackbar and my current DOM setup...they are both exactly 36". So the idea is to take the upper part of the bar and cut that poly ring off. Then drill a hole in the bar and tap it for the 3/4" male heim. Now you have an adustable tracbar that is even clearenced for the diff (if you plan to use the stock lower location). And the current thing is that folks seem to like a heim at only one end, so this gives you poly lower and heim upper.
If i just turn the yoke it catches and wont turn, but i can push the yoke INTO the case and it engages and turns freely. I went ahead and pulled the carrier out, better safe than sorry, and found the round sheetmetal thing behind the pinion gear all chewed up and bent. I dont have a socket big enough for the nut that holds the yoke on, anyone recall what size it is?
Also do I need a special tool to pull the tube seals, they're shot.
yeah as far as the hub goes, i wasn't very smart, I pulled the caliper off AFTER I had taken the spindle nuts off, so when i yanked the caliper off it slid off and hit the ground, bent the hub not the rotor.
Oh one more thing, I looked up the BOM, and it says they're 3.50 gears, would that be a no-go with my 3.55 rear anyways?
I haven't shopped around for cheaper stuff yet, but like I said, here's the preliminaries... Anyone see anything I missed? I already have one rotor so that's why there is only one there, I'm reusing TTB calipers and hubs.
Also if I pay to have the old gears set in for now, do you think I need to purchase shims and all that jazz or will a good place have that stuff already?
Well not yet exactly. I got so many parts sitting on my dining room table, I got too excited and wanted to start my thread. So heres a few pics of what I have so far. The work will probably actually start next week and there will be plenty of updating then.
Heres how she sits now.
Heres...
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