Attn: Tapered 2-piece D44 axle owners

knock on wood, ive been running the dana 44 rearend with the tapered two piece axles for more than 10 years without any problem. im running a 350 sbc and a lock-right in the 44 with 33 inch tires, and alot of rock climbing, but then my old 55 is a M38A1 and i was told the military specs were tougher than civilian specs.

 

I attribute my axle failure completely to improper installation. I am still running 2-piece axles (properly installed) and have had no problems. I DO carry an extra set of axles, a hub, and all the tools necessary to fix it if it breaks. MOAB is a long way from home and I hate being stuck somewhere without parts.
I would like a full float setup, but cost and replacement parts (in case of failure/breakage) prevents that at the moment.

 

I ran a tapered 44 axle in my old willys wagon that I sand dragged and truck pulled with back in the old days. I had a 4.27 gears, 302 Ford engine and a 4spd toploader trans, D18, 11-15 TruTrac tires (32") Broke the tapered axle only once and the wheel/tire departed the scene! it broke right at the end of the taper. Converter to a 9" Ford axle after that. My '56 has a tapered 44 in it and I have had zero problems with it, probably due to the F head driving it.

 

As willysnut has mentioned, where the axle breaks determines what happens with the wheel.
I might add that even 1 piece flanged axles can and do have failures; not breaking so much but axle bearing and/or c-clip failure. You see vehicles/trucks all the time pulled off the side of the road sitting on the backing plate. When the bearing goes really bad, it seperates, and the inner collar/race stays on the shaft, but will pass thru the bearing retainer, and the whole axle comes right out of the tube.

I don't believe the weak link theory about the hub and axle key. When tight and properly installed, strong as can be.

My worry is more with the quality of the components that are available as replacement parts, mainly the hub and the axle shaft.

 

I ran the tapered axles (19 spline) for years. 231 V-6 dyno'd at 200 hp at the wheels. Never had a hub problem but was religious about keeping the nut torqued. Twisted three axles at the splines, but didn't break them. 2 short sides and 1 long side. The one time twisted both at the same time under some very rough running, but again, didn't break them. I used to pull them periodically to check them out, how I found them twisted. With proper maintenance they can be surprisingly stout rear axle. I have seen the hubs break and the keys shear, but I attribute that normally to lack of maintenance (keeping the nut tight). I won't say they can't be broken, anything can, but if that's what you have then run it! Nickmil

 

Been watching this thread closely as I have a Tapered 44 in the 2A

Thanks for bringing this up!

 

I think its overblown , Keepum tight and use your head. No problems on 33s with me behind the wheel

 

To the best of your knowledge, did this break while you were sand dragging? Were you going straight and level when it broke? Did the wheel immediately depart, or did it take a little time? TIA.

 

Clint old buddy, Your just the fellow I been needing to talk to That axle braking thing just happened to me last week, and I am lucky to be hear talking with you to day. I was just going down the road minding my own business about fifty, fifty five, and next thing I knew I was up in the air about and when it came down it was sliding sideways. and I had to check to see if I had messed my paints. The tire, wheel, and hub went one way and me and the jeep went the other. what I found out later, after I found out that It wasn't a land mine I ran over., was that the axle had broken right between the outer Bearing and the in side bearing. This is a 1955 CJ-5 with a Dana 44 rear end and it had 1965 Mustang Disc brakes on the axle that broke. The axle is a ten spline axle. tires are 32x11.50 R 15 LT On Jack-man Wheel's. I Hope this helped you and you can help me by keeping me informed on what you come up with. Now I am looking for someone that that can tell me something about this 10 spline axle. Is it a Dana 44 Axle,
Thanks guy

 

Slick, thanks for posting. I hope nothing serious happened to you or your jeep! Where are you located? I'm sure there are forum members here that could help you find replacement parts or even a whole axle, depending on your location. Have you checked out the tech section and the "wanted" section of the classifieds?

 

Clint, as you can tell from my post, I am no Mackanack. and have done got to old to start now. Now If I can find the parts I have a fellow that will fix it. and I see wear I can get a new axle and barring set and seals from 4-wheel drive hardware, Then all I will have to come up with a 65 mustang hub and disc brake Rotor, Those I may be able to find in a wrecking yard. No it didn't hurt me are the jeep I was very lucky. It has cloth doors and it sprang the drivers side door so it is hard to close But I think I can make some adjustments and fix that when I don't have more important irons in the fire. Hey, thanks for the information on the classifieds, I will go check that out.

 

Slick...

Yes...Early 44's had 10 Spline. I think before 63?

Scott

 

i think it was only into a couple years of cj5 production that the 10 spline unit was used. sometimes in the late 50's the 10 spline was replaced by the 19 spline. my 60 cj5 was 19 spline and it was the original axle - i know because my father was the original owner of the jeep.

 

Ok, I don't know how to put this, other then to just come right out and say it, I just don't trust that Dana 44 two piece Axle. The one that broke on me, broke when I was driving down the road. And their is no way in hell you can you can have any kind control of your jeep when that tire comes off under the fender and troughs you across the road like a ten can. Mine broke in side the hub, and their is no telling how long it had been broke. you could tell it had been broke for quite some time by looking at the break on the axle, and it finally snapped the hub key. and broke the ears off the brake calipers, and that is when it came off with no warning at all. Let me say this I am not rock climber, and I don't use it as a mud hog, and It sure as hell doesn't get miss treated . I use it for transportation around town for fishing and ground squirrel hunting. Why it broke I have no idea, I just know If their is a better way to go then using two piece axles, I wish I had taking it. Unless you have had one break on you going down the road, you have no idea what it's like.

 

I just hope if it happens to you like it did me, you will still be around to tell everyone how safe they are.

 

x2

I only went full float because I got tired of them braking :evil:
not because I thought them unsafe

Slick, over the course of many years and many owners, it's unknown how the Jeep was driven and cared for.

The same thing could happen to any make/brand of vehicle on the road today, at any time, at any place, and we are talking one piece flanged axles. You just can't dictate/predict when this type of thing happens.

 

"Flame"



just thought I'ld get that out of the way.


My experience wasn't exactly first-hand, although I did the repairs.

My wife was driving my '66 Olds Dynamic 88 from her work to a class she was taking. about 15 miles.

She rounds a corner and the car feels funny to her.
She glances in the side-view mirror and sees the driver's side wheel rolling along about 3 feet past the side of the car. With the axle shaft still inserted into the axle housing. Not sure what let go, I just replaced the whole axle assembly with one from the local u-pull-em. Put another 50k or so on the car, totalled out to 366,000 miles on it when I finally retired it in '98. That was the only axle problem I had with it.

Don't remember what axle either, although when I got to checking in real close I found that half-ton chevy pickup parts were interchangable with all of the suspension on it. I ran white-spoke pickup rims on the back. Same bolt pattern and spacing as the front. Go figure.